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I love running. But I know a lot of people absolutely hate it, so if you’re one of those, you might want to stop reading.Â
However, if you can tolerate running at all, I highly recommend that you sign up for the Country Music Half Marathon and start training ASAP.Â
Here’s why.Â
1) It’s bathing suit season. I really don’t have to say much more than that. We’re heading into Spring Break and fraternity formals are right around the corner. God knows how many pictures we’ll be taking in our bathing suits these next few months, and if you’re looking for a surefire way to tone up and lean out, start running! Training for a half-marathon will get you in the best shape of your life, and you will easily be the sexiest girl on the beach if you’re logging 25+ miles a week. Plus, guys will be super impressed when you tell them that you can run that far.Â
2) It will help your focus during finals. A recent NY Times article referenced a study showing exercise as the first and foremost way to build brainpower. Exercise has also been proven to improve concentration and even your sleep, two aspects of your life that might suffer during finals. If you really want to ace your exams this year, start training. You’ll feel your stress melt away every time you hit the pavement, and during finals, you’ll be killing your exams and looking much more rested than your classmates.Â
3) It gives you motivation unlike anything else. If you can conquer a half-marathon, you can conquer anything that stands in your way. Orgo? Easy. Tough break-up? No big deal. Every day that you work towards your goal of 13.1 miles, you’ll feel even more motivated to improve your life and achieve things you never thought possible. And once you’re done, you can always look back and feel proud for achieving something so great.Â
4) It gives you reason to eat like a guy. Jealous of your boyfriend for being able to eat so much and still be fit? Start logging miles and you’ll be able to eat with the guys and not gain any weight (within reason of course). My favorite thing about half marathons are the pre-and-post-run feasts. You literally get to eat SO much and the day after your half-marathon, you’ll still wake up looking thinner than the day before. But in reality, training and putting so many hours into your goal actually makes you want to eat healthier, so you’ll probably lose some pounds while still eating more than ever.Â
5) It’s SO MUCH FUN. The Country Music Half-Marathon is the perfect race for runners who want to have fun. There’s country music at every bend and SO many Vandy kids come out to cheer you on. The Expo they hold the day before the race is FULL of cool booths and free swag. And you’ll probably end up seeing some parts of Nashville you’ve never seen before during the race, which is always cool!Â
The Country Music Half-Marathon is being held on April 27th this year, the Saturday after the first week of exams. A lot of people will be done with finals by then, so it’ll be a perfect way to kick off your summer break! And even if you have exams in May, you’ll at least get to take a nice break during the weekend.Â
If you’re wondering how on Earth to start training, go to runnersworld.com and check out some of the training plans for beginners here. And recruit some of your friends to train with you- it’s so much more fun to run with friends than to run by your lonesome. They’ll also keep you accountable, too, which is a plus if you want to actually do well in the race.Â
I urge you to consider running in this half-marathon- training for them and participating in them has actually changed my life and made me so much healthier as a result. And you’ll really be thankful in April when you look hot in your formal pics!!!Â
So good luck and happy running!!! See you out there on April 27th :)Â