The First One
The Lodi Half Marathon in 2024 was my first half marathon ever.
There was no prior experience to rely on, and no clear expectations going into the race. I had never raced this distance before and did not have a specific half marathon preparation in place. The goal was simply to experience the distance and understand what it actually demands.
Training leading up to the race was general and non-specific.
The focus was on maintaining consistency and building an aerobic base, without targeted workouts or race-oriented sharpening.
On race day, uncertainty was part of the experience.
Pacing, effort, and fatigue were all unfamiliar over that distance. The priority was staying controlled, learning how the body reacts, and finishing the race without forcing outcomes.
The Lodi Half Marathon was not about performance.
It was about exposure — understanding the distance, identifying limitations, and gaining reference points that could only come from racing.
As a first experience, it set the foundation for everything that followed.
Not by providing answers, but by raising the right questions.
You don’t learn a distance by reading about it.
You learn it by running it.