Pushing Through Burnout: Half Marathon Training Update

Mileage Monday – April 7th

Welcome back, y’all! This week, we’re diving into last week’s training and mindset check-in.

As I reflect on where things are headed (because yes — I’m doing three half-marathons: United Airlines NYC Half in March ✔️, Brooklyn Experience Half this month, and the RBC Brooklyn Half in May…), all of this is just practice for the big ones: NYC Marathon and Tokyo.

🧠 Mental Health During Training

Let’s be honest here for a sec. We’re friends, right? I trust you, you trust me… or at least, that’s what I tell myself.

This week was rough — mentally, emotionally, energetically. It felt like life hit from all sides. Depression crept in, work was demanding, and I was just too burnt out to give my full self to anything.

With so many areas of growth happening at once and event season kicking off at work, rest doesn’t feel like rest. I love the creativity behind content, photography, writing, and training… but when you stack that on top of a full-time job? It’s a lot.

And yet — I know myself well. (Sometimes too well — my therapist knows what I mean). I know where I need change. I know what’s out of my control. And I’m learning where to step back and where to lace up and hit the road. Let’s get into it. 😉

🏃🏻‍♂️ Speed Work and Long Runs: Training in Review

Whew. This week tested my limits.

I’m on a mission within a mission: sub-2 hour half-marathon.(It’s achievable! My current PR is 2:07 — just need to shave 8 minutes. No big deal, right?)

Here’s what went down:

• Monday: Over & Unders (easy effort)

• Tuesday: Chill little easy run

• Wednesday: 400m Repeats (aka death)

• Thursday: Unplanned run — but I did it anyway 😉

• Friday: Another easy run, bless

• Saturday: Long run — 8 miles total

• Sunday: 2.5 miles along Dune Road with my partner 🥹

Let me tell you: If you’re curious what it feels like to have your lungs collapse and your heart explode at the same time — meet 400m repeats. It was .25mi at a 7:35 pace, 60 seconds rest, 2 sets of 4 reps each = 2 miles of pure grind. Not even including the warm up and cool down miles on either end..

For my long run, I went back to my favorite trail in Calverton — just over 9 miles in a loop. Not an easy route. Hilly. Mentally demanding. Also: this is where I did my first marathon (the virtual NYC last November). My legs definitely remembered the trauma 😅

But this run? Felt really good. 8 miles in 1 hour 16 minutes. Not quite at my goal pace for sub-2, but probably the best I’ve ever felt on a run. Dare I say it… I think I found my fueling sweet spot.

✨ Lessons Learned: Fueling Strategy

✅ First gel at 3 miles = clutch. ✅ Second gel at 5.5 miles = chef’s kiss. My body handles 5Ks with ease, so the first gel hits just as I'm starting to dig deeper. The second one sets me up before I start crashing — and that seems to be the magic formula.

Also! I learned on TikTok (bless the algorithm): 👉 You can set fueling and hydration reminders on your Garmin.I usually go full chaos mode... but maybe it’s time to try scheduled mode for once.

💛 Fundraising Updates

If you’re here, you probably know I’m training toward the Abbott World Marathon Majors — and that means fundraising too.

✨ Tokyo: I’ve raised $532 of $9,600 — a huge start, but still a ways to go. ✨ RBC Brooklyn Half: GOAL MET!! 🎉 Thank you so much to everyone who supported. Can’t wait to race this one in May.

As always, support via donations or sharing my journey is appreciated more than I can say.

Thanks for tuning in, friends. This week kicks off another solid training block. 📆 We are 20 days out from the Brooklyn Experience Half.

I’ll keep striving to fill my days with positivity, creativity, and vibrancy. Spread love. Stay Vibrant. Keep Going. 🌞✌🏻

Last Mileage Monday.