5 Lessons I Learned From my First Half-Marathon

To our left, the mountains rose up like faces, watching as we waited in line for the port-o-potties. It was 6:15am and the race was starting at 6:30am. The sun had already raised its arms above its head in a giant stretch as the earth awakened, and we were excited to run through the bucolic landscapes of Wyoming.

The only problem? I, of course, had to poo first… 

The two port-o-potties were set up just a short distance from the starting line. We watched as the crowd of runners gathered, a mass of windbreakers, neon vests, and headbands. We weren’t the only ones in line for the bathroom before the race. The runner behind us explained how her transit had gotten stuck behind a log cabin on the road, so she’d arrived late and really needed to go before the race started.

Ah, we exclaimed, we’d heard about that cabin! The log cabin was a big story in Jackson that week. It was being transported á la the Bluth’s Tahoe cabin (any Arrested Development fans?) to a new location, had fallen off, and the rescheduled move date had been this morning when we were all also trying to get to the race.

This was, perhaps, the most Wyoming race start we could have asked for, and it only added to the feeling of anticipation that raced through me as I thought about the upcoming miles.

In the end, the half-marathon was as gorgeous as I’d hoped it would be. The iconic Ridgeline the three beasts (the Tetons) elegant with the snow that still streaked across their stony profiles. However, there were certainly some lessons I gathered that I’ll take into consideration if I ever run another half-marathon.

5 Lessons I Learned Running the Grand Teton Half Marathon

1. Tummy care = race care

I’ll spare you all the gory details, but let’s just say the above bathroom session before the race was not the only one that felt like a 911 THUNDERCATS ARE GO emergency. 

Could I think of a more idyllic spot to use a bathroom than next to rolling green fields dotted with wildflowers? No. But I’m pretty sure my mile times would have been a lot quicker if I hadn’t been struggling with my tummy halfway through the run. (Also, any post-race adventures would have been doable). 

Considering I’ve been doing 10-mile Sunday jogs to prepare (and haven’t had one of these emergencies during those runs), my assumption is that my race day’s tummy trouble had to do with the pizza and baked brie we indulged in the night before AND/OR not waking up early enough the day of the race to drink coffee and get everything out ahead of time. 

Whatever the cause of the race-tummy that I had during miles 4, 9, and 11… I don’t want to ever deal with that again.

To avoid that, I think in the future I’ll:

A. Wake up earlier 

B. Indulge in the rare Pepto/Imodium to just to be safe (even though I prefer to taking things like this regularly)

2. Try to find pace target “groups” 

Because we were stuck in line for the port-o-potties before the race began, we didn’t realize that there were specific groups at the starting line based on our pacing goals. This meant that when we were able to join the runners at the starting line after using the bathroom, the pace group was a bit slower than I would have chosen for myself. 

Though I certainly didn’t mind starting the race at the slow, very calm jog/walk, it was difficult to weave past when I was ready to go go go! 

Again, in the future, I’ll try to use the bathroom as much as possible ahead of time so that I can get into the right starting group when the race begins.

3. Don’t forget to take in the scenery

I chose this run as my first half marathon because it winds past the Tetons and through the fields of Wyoming where horses graze and bright yellow Arrowleaf Balsamroot flowers blossom. I am not all that interested in the speed at which I run miles, but rather, want to enjoy a jog through breathtaking landscapes.

And yet…

I found that I had to remind myself that that’s what I was there for. Rather than naturally taking in the snow-peaked ranges, I found that I was focusing on weaving past slower joggers (or getting out of the way for faster joggers). 

Taking time to admire the way the sun painted the white snow with its golden warmth or the way two horses’ necks curved while they lay lazily on the soft grass of a field. That’s what the race was really about for me, and I don’t want to forget it!

4. Hydrate vs caffeinate post-race

After the race, I felt pretty good. My legs were sore (my knee had started to really hurt about 8 miles in), but I was walking steadily which isn’t always the case when it starts to act up.

In high spirits, I wanted to continue the day with more adventures (maybe a hike? Riding bikes? Going for a long walk?).

Though I drank some water with electrolytes, I figured it would be a good idea to drink some more coffee so that I was energized for the day’s activities. 

Not. Smart.

After I downed a cup of Jo, I sat down for a bit to enjoy the sun on the porch—only to suddenly feel very… very… sick. Turns out, I had gone ahead and fully dehydrated myself to the point that I would not be enjoying those afternoon activities I’d pictured. Instead, I rested and finished the day by chatting and reading.

This was actually quite enjoyable, but I still regretted the caffeinated nausea over a well-hydrated post-run experience.

5. Take it easy if you need to

I wasn’t the only one to feel a little worse for wear after the race. My friend who’d run it with me was also not feeling fantastic. I was selfishly glad about this because it helped me feel a whole lot less guilty for no longer feeling like a hike was in the cards. 

We spent the rest of the day relaxing, laying down, stretching, reading, chatting, and I think that’s what we really needed. I always have FOMO and feel like I should be doing something or being active, but taking a day to just sit back (while still enjoying the views) was the right call. 

What’s next?

I don’t think I need to be a runner in any official capacity, but I do like the idea of using runs like this to help guide my travel plans. The way, I’m able to take in new environments, all before 10am, and feel accomplished and also physically satiated. If I do run another half-marathon, I’m going to choose another scenic location—and I’ll be keeping these lessons in mind. 

What do you recommend?

Any favorite races you’ve done with stunning views? Let me know which ones you recommend! Or share your favorite learnings from any runs you’ve done (runs of any distance!).