A mid‑training half marathon PR — after thinking my PR days were behind me
There’s a long‑running debate in marathon training circles about whether you should race a half marathon mid‑cycle. Some runners swear by it as a fitness benchmark; others avoid it because it can interrupt the rhythm of long‑run progression. I’ve always wanted to try it, but timing, life, and injury cycles never quite aligned.
This time, they did.
Casey and I headed to Monmouth County Park for the E. Murray Todd Half Marathon — a low‑key, well‑organized race with an open course and minimal logistics. The kind of race that lets you focus on running, not chaos. We drove down through thick fog, but by the time we lined up, the air had settled into warm, misty conditions that felt surprisingly runnable for early March.
What I didn’t expect was to run a massive half marathon PR — my first since 2023.
Honestly, I thought those days were in the rear‑view mirror. I’ve been training steadily, yes, but between parenting, work, and the realities of midlife running, I’d quietly accepted that maybe my PR era had passed. I went into this race with the opposite of PR energy after barely running the week before. My plan was simply to treat it as a supported long run with a bib.
But sometimes the body surprises you. Sometimes the fitness you’ve been building shows up before your brain catches up.
More than the PR itself, the race gave me a clearer picture of where I am heading into the London Marathon — and what still needs attention.
What the Race Taught Me
🔥 1. You heat up faster than you think.
By mile three, I was regretting not wearing my @sarahmarierunningco race crop. The temperature wasn’t high, but effort compounds heat. London’s weather is unpredictable, so this was a good reminder to dress for the second half of the race, not the first mile.
💧 2. Hydration starts days before.
I didn’t drink nearly enough in the 48 hours leading up to the race, and I felt it — not dramatically, but in that subtle “why do my legs feel slightly wooden?” way. For London, hydration is part of the taper, not an afterthought.
📵 3. Turn off your phone notifications.
I forgot. I paid the price. Every buzz pulled me out of rhythm. London will get Do Not Disturb from the moment I wake up.
🎧 4. My playlist needs a refresh.
Music shouldn’t feel stale at mile 10. And ideally, the pace should get stronger as your legs really start to tire. This week’s project: rebuild the rotation with songs that match my current training paces.
A Small Moment of Magic
When we arrived, I stepped out of the car and noticed a broken clothespin on the ground. I laughed and left it. When we returned post‑race, someone had placed it neatly on my door handle — as if I’d forgotten it. It felt like a tiny, odd little sign, so yes, the “Beast Mode” My Little Pony mashup came home with me.
The Post‑Race Reward
We stopped at Tatum’s Table in Lincroft for coffee and their croffle flight — crème brûlée, tiramisu, cannoli, berries, whipped cream.
A croissant‑waffle tasting platter is exactly the kind of thing that makes sense only after 13.1 miles.
I stretched it over two days and have no regrets. The Whipped Lucky Charms Latte was pure serotonin.
Where This Leaves Me for London
This race didn’t just give me a PR — it gave me data. It reminded me that fitness isn’t linear, and progress doesn’t always show up on the weeks you expect it to. It showed me that even after a down week, the endurance is there. The mental steadiness is there. And the gaps are fixable.
I may have thought my half marathon PR days were behind me, but apparently they had other plans.
London is getting close. And now, I’m heading into it with a little more confidence — focused on my fundraising, my training and a lot more curiosity about what else might still be possible.