Breaking Half-Marathon Records and Family Celebrations

Chapter 1: Racing Toward a Personal Best

In my last update, I detailed my preparations for the Hidden Gem Half Marathon, where I aimed to surpass my previous year's performance. I'm excited to share that I achieved my goal this week while also enjoying a special family event.

You can track my journey through the 2024 Chicago Marathon here: Hidden Gem Half Marathon Success.

As part of my Week 12 long run, I took part in the Hidden Gem Half Marathon in Flossmoor, Illinois. Last year, I set a personal record (PR) at this race, and I was eager to replicate that achievement this time. Running alongside my teammates from the Fast Track Racing Team, I witnessed several of them achieve their own PRs, which was incredibly inspiring.

I'm thrilled to announce that I improved my half marathon time by 10 minutes, finishing with an impressive pace of 11:34 minutes per mile!

Celebrating a new personal record in running

This race marked my first-ever sub-12-minute-mile half marathon, which came as a delightful surprise. I had initially aimed for a 12:10 pace, so exceeding that expectation was truly remarkable.

Chapter 2: Family Celebrations and Ganesh Chaturthi

In addition to the thrill of the race, we celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi at home with family. Both of our children returned from college for the festivities, making the occasion even more special. For over two decades, we have held this celebration, and it was heartwarming to see our kids, who have participated since infancy, join in once more.

I want to extend a special thank you to my friend Ronak Patel for joining us during the Visarjan ceremony, where we caught up over coffee.

Section 2.1: Training and Nutrition Insights

I managed to fit in a 4.5-mile run at the Harper College track during the week and completed a strength training session at CrossFit Arlington Heights with my friend Tiffany Perry DeRamos.

Given the festive atmosphere, I adhered to my healthy eating plan about 60% of the time. The indulgences during the celebrations led to a slight weight gain, bringing me back to 259 pounds (up from my starting weight of 267).

With just five weeks remaining until the marathon, I'm refocusing on my nutrition, aiming to hit 250 pounds by race day.

Section 2.2: Preparing for Upcoming Challenges

Week 13 will serve as a recovery week to allow my body to recuperate before I take on the Fox Valley 20-miler race on September 22, 2024. I'm looking forward to the challenge ahead and feel motivated to continue working toward my marathon goal.

Here’s a summary of my planned long runs:

Week 1: 6 Miles (Completed)
Week 2: 8 Miles (Completed)
Week 3: 10 Miles (Completed)
Week 4: 12 Miles (Completed)
Week 5: 10 Miles (Completed)
Week 6: 14 Miles (Completed)
Week 7: 10 Miles (Completed)
Week 8: 16 Miles (Completed)
Week 9: 10 Miles (Alpine Races 10 Miler) (Completed)
Week 10: 18 Miles (Completed)
Week 11: 10 Miles (Completed)
Week 12: 13.1 Miles (Hidden Gem Half Marathon) (Completed. PR by 10 minutes!)
Week 13: 10 Miles
Week 14: 20 Miles (Fox Valley 20 Miler)
Week 15: 10 Miles
Week 16: 6 Miles
Oct 13, 2024: 26.2 Miles (Chicago Marathon)

I appreciate all the support and encouragement from everyone. This journey has been filled with both victories and challenges, and your backing keeps me motivated every step of the way.

Here's to continued progress in the weeks ahead!

This video titled "Unveiling the Secrets to Smashing Personal Records in Running" offers valuable insights into achieving your best running times.

In the video "WE BEAT THE HALF MARATHON WORLD RECORD (21.1KM) // COACH CONWAY," Coach Conway shares tips and strategies that led to breaking world records in running.