It’s safe to say….that this shiz works.
New half marathon PR of 1:47 (8:09 min/mile) is in the books. I took 5 minutes off my time from last year – after NOT running all year. And I have taken 2 MINUTES AND 45 SECONDS off PER MILE from my original first half marathon. A total of 36 minutes gone. That is just bananas to me.
But let’s start from the VERY beginning.
I ran my first half marathon in May of 2010. I wanted a goal other than wedding planning – and had never run farther than 5 miles in my life. Tim and I trained together and ran a 2:23 (10:54 min/mile). It was the hardest thing I’d ever done physically.
Baby Mel and Tim before getting married.
Fast forward several years, and we ran many more half marathons, and in 2012, I ran my first full marathon in a 4:45 (10:52 min/mile). I’d go on to run another full marathon in the same-ish time, and in the fall of 2013, after being “paleo” for over a year and running 6 days a week, ran the Chicago Marathon in 4:28 (10:13 min/mile).
I’m still SUPER proud of the Chicago Marathon. It was a huge moment and accomplishment. BUT – I never FELT like a runner. I was one of those people who would say things like “yeah, but I’m not a runner” – which was ridiculous, because I was running 40+ miles a week training – but, I was exhausted, tired, and honestly, I felt like my body didn’t reflect all of the hard work I was putting in.
That’s until… I got smarter. Because…kids.
Instead of putting in a ton of miles, I added 30 min strength programs at home. Instead of following a “diet”, I learned about portion control and the macro and micronutrients that my body needed to perform. I added supplements that helped me show up as my best. I no longer spent hours pounding the pavement. But minutes in my basement.
After my first marathon. And today.
Here’s my recipe:
- I followed at-home fitness programs: I’ve done over 15 programs and I’m about to finish my 16th. These world-class at-home fitness programs have changed my fitness. I went from working out a couple of days when I could get to the gym to work out every day for 30 min. They are designed to transform your body. And dang, they work.
- I drank a superfood health shake: I was so skeptical of this, but ultimately, this superfood protein shake was the game-changer. It gives me energy, it fuels my body with all these amazing micronutrients and superfoods we don’t get in even a healthy diet, and it’s so convenient – fast food on the go.
- I used specific performance supplements: I take a pre-work to make my workouts pop, a post-workout recovery protein supplement to repair muscle and help with soreness, and an all-natural plant-based Gatorade (because actual Gatorade is full of junk). I made the MOST of my workouts by adding these performance supplements. During the half, I took Energize at mile 7.5 – and it was the extra pop I needed.
- I joined a team of positive, forward-thinking women: The energy, support, and mindset I have from this team is second-to-none and is truly priceless. My accomplishments, my results are because of this team and because of their support, including my personal coach.
I’ve trained for two half marathons now while also doing these at-home programs: LIIFT4 and Morning Meltdown 100. And I keep getting faster.
If you are slogging, I want you to join me for a new challenge we are starting on November 4th. If you are a runner, or you just want to improve how you feel day-to-day, this is it.
Let me know if you want more info here.
More technical details:
- For the full training plan for this half, I just ran, click here.
- For my BOMB.com playlist that fueled me, click here.
- For more about my story, check out my Instagram account!