🏃 Crossing 21K Again : Blog 2 of the Series 13 Years Later Half Marathon Simplified

On 9th November 2025, I ran my first half marathon in 13 years. It wasn’t just a race—it was a personal milestone. After months of structured training, mindset work, and recovery, I finally stood at the start line with clarity and confidence. This blog shares my full race day experience—from early morning rituals to pacing strategy, fueling, and the emotional high of crossing the finish line again. If you’re a beginner or someone restarting after a long break, I hope this story inspires you to believe: comebacks are always possible.

🧘 Pre-Race Rituals and Mindset

Woke up at 3:00 AM after 6 hours of sleep.
1 hour meditation to calm the mind and focus on the goal.
Wrote my pacing strategy on paper and set alarms to stay on track.
Breakfast: 2 bananas + 2 idlis (light and easy to digest).
Warm-up stretching using a guided video (link).
Jogged for 10 minutes with 5 short strides (strides → short bursts of fast running) and 30 seconds recovery between each.

At the venue: did running drills and dynamic stretching (dynamic stretching → active movements to loosen muscles before running).

Mindset Goals:

Finish the half marathon without injury.
Maintain even pacing (even pacing → running at a steady speed throughout).
No walking breaks.

🥗 Race Day Fueling and Hydration

Pre-race intake:

2 idlis
2 bananas
3–4 glasses of water
500 ml ORS water (ORS → oral rehydration solution to replace salts lost in sweat)

During the race:

Ate 4–5 dates (natural energy source)
Took salt from fueling stations to prevent cramps

🧠 Pacing Strategy and Mental Checkpoints

Race route:

First half: downhill
Second half: uphill

Weather at 6:00 AM in Pardi: 26°C, clear skies, light wind

Strategy:

First half: ran at 6:50 min/km pace (pace → time taken to run one kilometer).
Used only leg muscles, avoided upper body effort.
Second half: ran at 6:45 min/km pace.
Used both leg and upper body strength to push through the slope.
Final stretch: gave my best effort to finish strong.

Mental checkpoints:

Checked pace every 2.5K
Reminded myself of my training and goals
Focused on breathing and form

🎯 Emotional High of the Finish Line

When I finished my first half and full marathons years ago, I had tears in my eyes. This time, the emotions were different—satisfaction, achievement, and deep gratitude. I thanked God and my family for their support. I felt proud of my discipline and training. And I visualized more finish lines in the future.

📊 My Race Timing

Bib Number: 2123
Finish Time: 2:22:50
Net Time: 2:22:35
Category Rank (Age 45–59): 8 out of 14
Overall Rank: 37 out of 65
Split Pace: Consistent between 6:40 to 6:46 min/km

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

Closing Paragraph

Crossing the finish line after 13 years wasn’t just about numbers—it was about reclaiming my identity as a runner. The training, the rituals, the mindset—all came together on race day. If you’re thinking of starting or restarting your fitness journey, remember: discipline beats doubt. Every step you take is a step forward.

Read other blogs in the series: 13 Years Later Half Marathon Simplified

Blog 3 : Recovery and Next Steps
- Sharing how i recovered after Half Marathon run
- Immediate Recovery stretching
- Post race nutrition and sleep
- Avoiding injuries after half marathon
- Planning future goals
Blog 1: Preparing for 21Km (Half Marathon) after 13 Years
- Sharing how i prepared for Half Marathon
- Why Restarting after 13 years is different
- Role of coaching in my training
- My weekly training plan
- Gear upgrade since 2012