Jacket: New Balance Boylston Half Zip // Tank: New Balance Momentum Raceback Tank // Shorts: New Balance Impact 4″ Graphic Short // Bracelet: Nike Fuel Band

Hello World! It’s 5am and I am awake and ready to take the day! Well at least I was on Saturday. As many of you know I am not a morning person, but I am kind of a fitness nut. So in order to wake me from my slumber before the sun has done the same requires something fabulous. Well on Saturday there was such a fabulous thing, The Brooklyn 1/2 Marathon! Not only was I excited because this is an awesome race but because it was the final race in a challenge I had set for myself. The challenge was to finish 4 half marathons in 4 months. And I did just that! Finishing with my personal best time was the perfect icing on the cake, 1 hr 49 min!

If you have not had the opportunity to run a 1/2 marathon yet, here are a few of my training tips and day of race must dos for smoking your first 1/2:

1. Follow a training schedule. I know, you’re like yeah yeah, of course. But many first time runners find they end up skipping many of their training runs, especially the long weekend runs, which only leads to a higher possibility of injury. Prepare your body!

2. Buy the right shoes. This is a very personal choice. All of our feet are a little different and our strides are different. Go to your nearest running store that can analyze your stride and help you pick out the right shoe.

3. Day of running gear. Make sure to purchase gear for the race you know you are comfortable running in. Test it out before the race. Additionally, pick something you feel fabulous in! You’re running 13.1 miles in this outfit so make sure you feel great in it! I personally LOVED the gear I ran The Brooklyn 1/2 in! Incredibly comfortable, super stylish (an obvious must), and wicked moisture away almost immediately!

4. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. While training make sure to be consuming enough water all day long. It’s incredibly important that you are well hydrated all the time. In terms of water on runs I find I only bring it with me on runs longer than an hour. For race day I make sure to properly hydrate the night before. It’s important to start out on a good foot. During the race I alternate Gatorade and water every other fuel stop. Keeping your electrolytes in balance is super important during the race and can mean the difference between crossing the finish line and smoking it!

Below take a peak at a few of my favorite race day memories!