This Saturday I’ll be running my first half marathon in Indianapolis. I found out today that I will not be allowed to run with my mp3 player.
How on earth am I going to keep my mind busy?
Any tips on how to finish with style and grace?
you’ll eventually transcend to a mindless state with only a slight bit of pain and your legs unconciously circle below you. If you fight this, you will actually be aware of ho much pain you are going through, but you will also be able to push yourself faster. If you fall into the hypnosis, you’d better hope that your training goal pace was correct.
Half marathons are not too bad. You’ll do fine.
Listen to the beautiful rumble of thousands of runners’ feet slapping the pavement.
That sounds better than any mp3.
Best of luck.
Assuming you are a male find a nice looking female, about your pace or slightly faster, to follow. Remember, that’s follow and not stalk.
Vica-versa if you are female.
Use this running mantra it works for me everytime: Breathe Breathe Again. Smile. Relax. Arrive Where you are. Open to effortlessness To being Rather than doing. Drop everthing. Let go. Enjoy for a moment This marvelous joy of running.
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Yes, follow a nice pair of legs. It got me through my first half. She had on a pair of light blue shorts with a big yellow smiley face on her butt. 
I could have run all day.
Have fun, 1/2 marathon is a really fun race. Long enough for strategy, but not so long you have extended recovery. Indy is supposed to be a great race enjoy yourself.
My only advice, don’t go out too fast.
A strategy tip from Bob Glover of NY Road Runners.
http://www.nyrr.org/divisions/training/halfmarstrat.html
Good luck. I am racing my first half (well, first half that doesn’t follow swimming and biking) soon as well. Excited about it.
I ran my latest 1/2 on Sat so its fresh in my mind. My script: try to run the first 6 miles at a pace 10 secs/mile over goal pace. Then 7,8,9 miles at goal pace. Miles 10 to the finish try and negative split each mile. It takes a lot of discipline to read how much is in the tank and to dose the effort accordingly. You should finish well and have plenty of ideas of how to prepare and race the next one. Biggest mistake is to go out too hard, too quickly.
Are you looking to have fun and finish?
If so, then take it out easy, don’t get caught up in the adrenaline of the first couple miles. Let your body get in the groove and as you warm up you will gradually get to your pace and towards the last 2-3 miles you can pick it up a little if you feel good.
My first half marathon was in Central Park (NYC) and there was about 10,000 people running in a loop that is 7.1 miles long.
There was people around me the entire time, i just took it nice and relaxed and then i felt good for the last 2 miles or so, so i just turned it on, and i passed probably 200 people.
My times was average, but i had a lot of fun and i don’t dread the half marathon distance like i do the marathon distance