Half a marathon, whole lot of fun

Students run 13.1 miles around the San Diego Bay  

Lili Kim / Contributor / The USD Vista

When most people hear the word “marathon,” images of Olympic gold medalists and “Forrest Gump” pop into their minds. Originating from the city of Marathon, Greece, running a marathon has become popularized all around the world as a bucket list item or a lofty athletic goal. San Diego hosts many running events throughout the year, from marathons (26.2 miles) to 5K races (3.1 miles). On Sunday, April 23, thousands of runners lined up to participate in the annual San Diego Beach & Bay Half Marathon, including many USD students and faculty. 

While running a marathon, or even half a marathon, may seem like a daunting task, you do not need to be a “runner” to participate. 

One self-described “non-runner” who ran the half marathon is USD junior Kate Haarmann. Haarmann signed up for the race in November with a group of friends just for fun and started at the beginning of the spring semester. At first, Haarmann was not sold on the idea of running for so many miles. 

“I didn’t get the hype…why would you willingly run that far at one time?” Haarmann stated.

Nonetheless, she participated in a 12-week training program, during which she ran four times a week with an increased mileage every week, building her endurance from barely finishing two miles, to confidently running ten. Haarmann emphasized the importance of being disciplined and showing up for yourself every single day during training. 

USD senior Maile Nomura also began her training with nearly no previous running experience. Similarly, Nomura began training in February by running five times a week and sticking to an organized schedule through a running app. Nomura decided to sign up for the race to surprise her family and friends, trying to disprove the assumption they held that she does not exercise much. 

Alongside runners who began training specifically for the marathon were people like USD senior Oscar Rubio, who has been consistently running since he was in high school. As a member of USD’s cross country club team, Rubio signed up to join some of his friends on the team only a month before the race. While a seasoned runner, Rubio still faced roadblocks during his training. Unfortunately, he injured his Achilles tendon only two weeks before the race from running twenty seven miles in two days. This did not stop Rubio, however, and turned his perspective from running as competition to running for fun. 

Like most half marathons, the San Diego Beach & Bay race started early in the morning at 6:30 a.m., forcing runners to wake up before the crack of dawn to prepare. Experienced or not, everyone felt the nervous anticipation in the air.

“I was a bundle of nerves,” Haarmann recounts. “I don’t think I slept at all the night before.”

 The race began by the bay on E Mission Bay Dr, and continued past SeaWorld to South Mission Beach, up to Pacific Beach before looping back to the start. 

While running is a solo sport, the half marathon participants emphasized how it was the support of their friends and family that helped them cross the finish line. Haarmann explained how her sorority sisters, roommates and parents stationed themselves at different points on the course to give her a boost of encouragement. 

“At mile eleven, I saw my friends drive alongside me in the parking lot, videoing me and cheering me on,” Haarmann explained.“That’s when the run got really hard, so they kept me going for the last tough bit.”

This sense of community was also created within the half marathon runners themselves. Both Rubio and Nomura met people along their run who encouraged them to keep going. Rubio met a fellow college student at mile eight, who he built an immediate bond with. The pair pushed each other until the very end, supporting each other when the other felt tired. He also noted that he ran into one of his USD professors, who gave him a handshake after completing the race.

 Nomura, who ran the race alone, felt support from complete strangers running alongside her.

 “At mile 10 I started walking, but a woman behind me wouldn’t let me and yelled at me in support to keep going.”

All this encouragement led these USD students, alongside the 2,500 other runners to the finish line. Just having completed a major accomplishment, crossing the finish line entails a huge celebration of hard work and (finally) being able to sit down. Subsequently, the rest of the day requires lots of rest, food and water for the runners. While physically draining, the adrenaline and pride a half marathon provides is unmatched. 

“It’s a different type of reward,” Nomura said. 

As it was their first ever half marathon, all three of these USD students did not know what to expect. After training, running and recovery, the consensus was unanimous: everyone who’s able should run a half marathon at some point in their lives. 

“Do it, do it, do it!” exclaimed Haarmann. “You are so much more capable than you think.”

 Even without much official training and an injured ACL, Rubio was likewise enthusiastic about anyone running the race. 

“It surprised me what your body could do if you really set your mind to it” Rubio stated. 

He shared plans of signing up for the next half marathon in San Diego on May 20 in La Jolla, as well as hopefully a full marathon in the future.  

The half marathon brought together a community of seasoned and new runners alike, demonstrating that as long as you have good running shoes and determination, you can push yourself past your limits and cross the finish line.