Respect the half.

So I was thinking today that I have not given the half marathon the respect it deserves, nor have I given myself the credit I deserve for completing this race. I have been so focused on training for the full marathon that this half seems like a side note...like a well I am doing a full so I might as well do a half.

According to runningusa.org in 2011 1.61 million people finished a half marathon (assuming these are US statistics and the US population is 314 million give or take) that means that .5% of the US population have completed at least one half marathon. I would think that number will increase again in 2012, but still a small number of the population.

And I can count myself as one of them. One of the few people that have run 13.1 miles. No it wasn't easy and yes I would do it again.

I should be more proud. I should give myself more credit for this amazing accomplishment.

Just last year I never would have thought I could have crossed that finish line after 13.1 miles...I can remember when 30 seconds seemed impossible now three and a half hours is just another long run. I am slow. But slow is still faster than the other 312,390,000 that have never done a half marathon.