Run : My 2nd Half Marathon with Minimal Training

Last weekend I ran my second half marathon and Af ran his first half marathon ! (read my last year's first half marathon here) :D

We hardly run these days - because honestly I'm a bit bored of running. I can't run when the sun is up because I always get headache afterwards, so I had to run at night and usually at night I want to do my works + watch my series after a long day of working :F

If you aren't familiar with running, a half-marathon is a 21km run (half from the full marathon, 42km - the length of the town of Marathon to Athens). 

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Is it possible to run a half marathon with a minimal training ? :

I actually started my training just less than 2 months before our run. I did yoga stretches, strength training and weight lifting at home. We only managed to run a 5km training for 7 times before our half marathon. So we didn't trained for a long endurance run and the last 15km relay run we did was in April. With our training, it looked like we were training for a 10km run instead of 21km :F

So I was worried sick, I even wanted to call it off (because I started to go to the toilet 3 times that day - and wanted to use that as an excuse). But Af wanted to try his first 21km, and I was going to be there to support "his firsts", so we did.

To answer my question, yes, almost anyone can finish a half marathon (it is possible of course) but whether you'll get to run the whole way, or probably walk half of the run, it all depends on you and your body. If you are curious to whether you can run a half marathon and want to try it, well you should - especially if you already tried 5km, 10km and 15km. I urge you to try a 21km run :D

Preparation :

We each brought 2 sachet of fruity energy gel to eat during our run and we shared 1 sachet (half-half), 1/2 hour before our run. We also ate lunch 6 hours before our run and didn't eat anything for dinner. Didn't go for carbo-load, just ate rice as we do everyday. 

Weather :

It was a calm night, not so windy in Cyberjaya compared to Putrajaya at night (because we've been running every night for that same week).  

The route :

Less hills compared to Putrajaya. I think, it was quite an easy-ride for me because there wasn't as much hills than my first half marathon. First timers should run in Cyberjaya ! But the environment is a bit boring, just darkness or random buildings or construction sites. Here's the map :

The run :

KM 1-10 : It was a slow paced run (I always run slowly : pace 8-9), nothing to prove here. I've always been a slow runner. I stopped at every water station and shared the water with Af so that I won't be drinking too much and feeling bloated. Af left me so many times, but I managed to chase him afterwards.

KM 10 - 18 : I started my 20-20 counts, count to 20 for running, count to 20 for fast walking (this works for people who don't train much :D so you don't stop and walk). I ate my energy gel every 1/2 hour after hour 1 1/2. We got a banana at one of the station, but I just hold on to it (I didn't want to go to the toilet while running). 

KM 18 - 21 : I left Af, I still use my 20-20 counts. My body was still fine, my feet was aching. The whole run felt like a super-long walk in the park (maybe because I didn't really pushed to run fast). Af arrived around 10 minutes after me :D He was a bit moody and pukey and gloomy - just like me when I did my first half marathon. I ate my free ice-cream and pumpkin soup. And I felt good.

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Result : 

Inofficial Time : 3 hours 18 minutes

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Things I learned from my 2nd half marathon :

• It is possible to run a half marathon with minimal training :p
• Eating an energy gel 1/2 hour before the run kinda help a bit, but it left me feeling suuuuuper hungry during the whole run. My stomach was growling. 
• I hated the portable toilet, so I try my best to avoid going to the toilet :F (girls, you would understand). But I stopped at every water station and I drank the water, thank God I still didn't feel like I have to use the toilet for those 3 1/2 hours. 
• The aftermath happened on the 2nd day after the run. 

Aftermath :

The worst day is usually the 2nd day after any run. I walked to the pasar that day like a pregnant lady. On the 3rd day, I still can't run (I tried jogging in the house and it didn't felt good), so I just did minimal weight lifting. On the 4th day, you can start running again :) Oh, and I even got my period 3 days early after the run (I usually have a problem with getting my period on time) but not this time.

The running & finisher's shirt :
The running shirt is bright orange with an ugly looking HUGE semi fire-fighter + man at work's illustration at the back of the shirt. We both agree to donate the shirt after this. But the finisher's shirt is a decent one (thank God) :

The running shoe :
Oh. I'm still using my black + white POWER running shoes that I've been using for running since last year after the Bromo run. If you are worried you don't have super-expensive running shoes to run for a half-marathon, no worries guys, I survived with my running shoes by Power (the price was less than RM 80). You can definitely run with anything you have. Imagine Pheidippides running from Marathon to Athens - he definitely didn't wear a running shoes :)

Am I going to do this again ?

Yes, of course.