Most of you know by now I ran another half marathon this past Sunday, and most of you know that I didn’t really train for it. I ran maybe three times within the month leading up to the race, the furthest distance being 5 miles. I am here to share with you what follows after a half marathon that you don’t really train for (strictly from my experience.) I will note that I did run a half marathon October 13, so I wasn’t completely at square one.
First and foremost this was the first half that I ran with hunger pangs. I tend to not be hungry for hours after a long run, but I started to feel my stomach beast knocking around mile 9. Surprisingly I only ate two of the six Shot Bloks I had with me, I was more in the mood for real food. I already shared my decadent donuts with you all, but for good measure I’ll show them again…mainly because I just love looking at them.
Directly after the race I ate a donut. Not the smartest idea, but I earned that shiat and I wolfed it down like a dog protecting his kibble. Once I made it home I was so hungry I was loosing my vision. OK not really, but I nearly fought my cat for a scrap of PB. Not really again..I don’t know where I am going with this. OH yes, after the race. I ate this..
Plus another basket of fries. I was in such a carb coma I thought I was seeing unicorns made out of bread. It was pure magic. After walking around a bit I came home and ate more sugar. Clearly my body was saying, “HEY, I was not prepared for over two hours of running..fuel me up NOW..with sugar..and carbs.” Now I must detox from sugar.
The real fun part of the aftermath was the next day. I woke up and nearly fell out of my bed. I was SO unbelievably sore it wasn’t even funny. Every time I had to bend down at work I let out a loud moan that sounded like I was being stabbed in the back. Note to self: recovery is SLOW when you are under-trained!! PREPARE TO BE SORE! I was sore through Tuesday, but somehow managed to go to spin class. It totally helped.
Long story short here is what I learned going into a half marathon unprepared:
- It’s possible. You CAN run a half marathon unprepared. It will hurt, you will want to die, and you will want to stop..but you won’t and you will get donuts when you’re done.
- You will immediately be sore, and continue to be sore for DAYS after your race. MAJOR DOMS up in this biatch.
- You will be hungry all day compared to having a minimal appetite. This part I loved.
- You will feel like a boss, because you pulled 13 miles out of your back pocket.
- You will realize anything is possible.
- You will walk like a pregnant turtle with baby eggs stuck to her backside.
- You will decide it was all worth it, and you will want to look for another race just like you do when you train.
- Water helps…DRINK IT. Oh and stretch, a lot.
- The runners high of finishing a race is still amazing, if not better.
- Did I mention donuts?
Q: Now who’s ready to sign up for 13 miles of pure awesome pain bliss?!
Blissfulbritt 
59 thoughts on “The Aftermath”
Her Happy Balance
I cannot even imagine the hunger that you must have felt. If I work out for 3 consecutive days I feel like I need to eat the world on the 4th to recover. So yeah, you’re a boss with that run and you did totally deserve all the carbs. Eat all the carbs!
di @ life of di.
Ugh. I can totally relate! I ran two of my three half marathons unprepared. Not my best plan. The second one wasn’t too bad of a recovery but after the third one (last month), I was SO sore. It was definitely a delayed muscle soreness but, when it arrived, it stayed for quite some time. I like these tips by the way! Wish I would’ve had them last month. Haha.
PS – Those donuts look SO good. YUM.
Amy @ A Desert Girl
4.You will feel like a boss, because you pulled 13 miles out of your back pocket.
You’re awesome.
jessiebearwhat
Hahaha omg, I hate that feeling. I don’t run races or anything- but I’ve definitely gone to events under prepared and ate my face off after and then felt sore for dayyys
pickyrunner
Hahaha yep, I can imagine that. I was SO sore after my half in October and I had a pretty solid 3 weeks of training, plus some sporadic miles between injuries. I felt unprepared and my time wasn’t great but I was a starvin’ marvin’ for like a week and my body felt like it had been hit by a truck. There’s nothing like donuts and fries post race. I may use that as run fuel this weekend… for my 5k.
Laura
Love this post and congrats! I did an ultra on minimal training, and was surprised to finish and then, after two full weeks of recovery, as ready and dedicated to training for-real for the next one!
Brittany
Ummm, Laura… an ultra on minimal training puts my measly half marathon to SHAME!!! I cannot believe that..amazing!!
spectacuLAUR
LOL
Heather @ HeatherRunsFast.com
I love the pregnant turtle thing. Who comes up with that stuff?! Oh, your crazy ass. You’re such a baller for finishing with such little training. I want those donuts. Now. Isn’t part of the reason we run to eat delicious food after? Umm yes! Hope your soreness goes away soon. Keep the stretching up!
Brittany
I’m outta control man! HA! Oh yes…I definitely run to EAT! I’m not sure if that’s a good thing because my pants KEEP GETTING SNUG!! Sugar detox startsss…NOW!
Kristina at damntenpounds
Ok, what the hell with the race hunger? During my second half, I had the same sudden hunger pains around mile 9 and I’ve had them every single race since. I think some of us should have the option of burritos (or donuts) instead of medals! Thank you for this post. I haven’t run in a couple months and have a half at the end of the month. I’m not sure what I’m going to do, but you’re pushing me closer to the “suck it up, buttercup” end of the spectrum 🙂
Brittany
OK so first..I LOVE food more than the next crazy runner…BUT I COULD NOT GIVE UP MY MEDAL…I would need both a burrito AND the medal. HAHA!! Second..you are a wicked awesome runner and can TOTALLY bang out that half at the end of the month..seriously DO IT. You’ve got nothing to loose!! If you have to walk half of it..WHO CARES!! Get your ass a burrito while wearing your medal at the end!
Britta
AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I absolutely love the way your write. I laugh my face off most of the time! Gah, you are such a badass for doing that and now I really want to run a half! But I am waiting patiently until Spring because well… its winter. and its cold and no thanks. Those donuts make me swoon every time I see them and THOSE FRIES. omg. I mean, I love the burger too but the fries look just like the kind I would like…soft on the inside (I actually really like mushy fries..I’m weird), crisp on the outside. mmmm. Honestly, Sometimes when I run longer distances I get excited for all of the food that I get to eat where my body just tells me “EAT NOW” – I love that feeling. It’s weird.
Brittany
Not weird at all..I often day dream mid run about what I am going to stuff into my suck hole.
Rach @ This Italian Family
Atta girl! You make me think that even I could run a half. 😉 I’m just not sure I’m ready for that kind of pain, haha!
kathy @ vodka and soda
3 of my tough mudder teammates did the whole thing with little no training. they just about died the next day and for the rest of the week but it was so worth it!! congrats again and like you, i ate like a king after the race and didn’t give two shits what i ate!!
Ashlee@HisnHers
haha well congrats for getting it DONE anyway! I really dont think I could run a half undertrained though, my mind is so weak it isn’t even funny! So high five to you because not everyone could do it!
PNWRunner
Props to you for doing a spin class! I haven’t been able to do that. My dang hip flexer is still mad, but it has been getting better over the past few days. I’ve managed to do the elliptical and stretch. Yes lots of WATER has helped. I think I am going to start training for a full. I caught that dang bug and people keep asking. So maybe I might as well just go for it.
Brittany
YES YES YES YES!!! You would totally KILL a full, and you MUST run one!! DO IT!!
PNWRunner
You should too! Then I’d have a partner in crime. 😉
Nicole @ FruitnFitness
Running even short distances sends my carb loving side into overdrive, I’m sure your body needed that to recover. Glad your feeling like a boss!
kadeecramer
I don’t think I’m quite ready for 13 miles but I’m soooo ready to run in a real race! I really want to do a turkey trot next year! Gotta start somewhere ;p
Brittany
A turkey trot is a GREAT place to start!! My first race was a 5K run for arthritis two Decembers ago, and a lot of people wore holiday stuff!! Holiday races are always great and people are there mainly to have fun, minimal pressure!
Change of Pace
Those fries!! They look so divine, especially as I eat a spinach salad now craving greasy carbs! #4,5,7,9 = correct! You are a boss who can do anything!
katymarie5
This post somehow is making me want to find another race 😉
Amy
Running, pain, blisters, and soreness are ALWAYS worth donuts and fries! Those are basically the only two fried foods I eat, but I have absolutely no self-control with either. So dangerous! (Especially those thick-cut ones in your photo… And beer-battered. YUM!)
I’m still SO impressed that you managed to run a half with barely any training at all! You are absolutely incredible Brittany. Hope your soreness goes away soon so you can get back to enjoying that cute red Starbucks holiday apron! 😉
Alex @ Cookie Dough Katzen
Haha awesome job getting the run done though!! This sounds like something I would do too. Those donuts look awesome!
P
Looking back to how I fueled post-race for the two halfs I ran, my meals/cravings were very much carb-centric. If anyone got in the way of me and those carb-o-licious foods, they would have been in HUGE trouble, haha…
I didn’t have supreme soreness the days following my races, but I did have some light soreness in my hamstrings.
All of the food you ate is very much deserved 😀
brickhousechick
Brittany, the sad thing is that what you describe you do after running marathons and working out is what I do on a regular day!!! Did I tell you I LOVE food??? The “high” one gets MUST be worth all that pain, huh? You must feel so alive. Unfortunately my Rheumatoid Arthritis brings me pain without the high! LOL.
Amanda @ .running with spoons.
Donuts… got it! I can’t even imagine pulling 13 miles out of my back pocket, so you’re kind of a rockstar in my books. Go girl!
Matt @ Runner Savvy
I have three half’s so far next year! Planning two full’s as well!
Brittany
Hot damn!! That is WAY exciting! Cannot wait to read all about these!
Elizabeth
eat them carbs girl- you earned them!! 🙂
DOMS are no joke- hope you’re feeling a bit more limber!!
jessielovestorun
Those donuts would be worth every untrained mile! Heck, I may just pretend I ran it with you & get some today…. even if it’s a week later. Ha Ha!
The Vegan 8
Lmao Brittany!! I love #3, #5 and #10!! I laughed so many times reading this post, your sense of humor kills me! I actually know it’s possible because I ran a half marathon over 3 years ago with barely training either and never even was a runner. I thought I was bad ass, but yeah you’re right, I thought I’d die. By mile 8 I was struggling with it band pain and by mile 11, I fell over in a ditch from extreme leg pain I’d never felt, nor NEVER WANT TO FEEL AGAIN, in my life. It was all mental to finish and lots of praying. I struggled greatly, seriously the hardest thing ever. BUT, I finished and it was a moment I will never forget! My hubby was so proud of me and that was the best part 🙂
Brittany
OH MY GOSH, you fell into a ditch!?! HOW AWFUL! Although at the same time the mental image of that made me kind of chuckle..I am such a cold soul!! I would have totally helped you though!! AND YES, such a proud moment!
The Vegan 8
LOL! Hey, I laughed as I was writing it! A lady actually did come help me and she basically walked/slightly jogged the last 2 miles with me. I swear, she was an angel!!
Jan @ Sprouts n Squats
Lol love this!!! Drooling at all the carbs especially those fries (and the donuts too).
I don’t think I’d ever be game to just run a half on no training, knowing how painful it felt for me on pretty much full training except for an early taper. But I think it is so amazing you were able to do it.
Catherine @ A Two Storey Home
Hahahaha I love this. And it’s so true. After training for and running a few half marathons, I pulled one out of my back pocket, as you said, and ran it in about the same amount of time as the ones I’d trained for. After that I got cocky and thought, “13.1 miles? No big deal.” I ran a couple more with minimal training, then eventually got tired of my times not improving, so I started training again 😀 And oh, the soreness from not training is ridiculous.
You are a beast though. You can now do anything.
Davida @The Healthy Maven
I’d run a half for donuts…just sayin’
thoughtsappear
I need to know what was in the middle of that chocolate-covered donut.
This post reminds of the episode of How I Met Your Mother when Barney runs a marathon, and then he gets stuck on the subway because his legs don’t work.
Brittany
It was a vegan vanilla butter cream, and it about made me loose my pants it was so good. I’ve never seen that episode, yet just reading about it made me laugh out loud..because it’s very accurate.
karla @ finding my fit
DONUTS! You rock lady. I couldn’t run 5 miles anymore…even if I was being chased AND there was coffee at the finish line. I just don’t enjoy it anymore since my knee injury.
My muscles get to experience DOMS daily-Crossfit is kicking my arse.
katalysthealth
haha nope still not signing up for one, but I can still cheer you on!!
I feel you on the sore thing though. My 1st soccer game of the season each year typically makes me sore for 2 weeks. It takes forever for my legs to recover, especially since I keep training ON TOP of the soreness, so they never really have time to fully recover before Im back out on the field again!
sincerelylily
yayyyyyyyyyyyyyy i think the race was worth all the pain and soreness just for those fries!!!!!!!!!! yummmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyy you rock.
sincerelylily
this comment was so lame. ugh. im le tired!
An Unrefined Vegan
I LOVE that hunger level! And the righteousness that accompanies it: I CAN EAT ANYTHING I WANT!
Madison @ Eating 4 Balance
Is it weird that I focused more on the donuts in that picture than your race medal? It wasn’t until I was reading the comments section that I went back up and saw it. Lol. Just being honest 😉
I love the hunger that comes after a jam-packed, active day. Whether it be a half marathon, a day out on the farm, a grueling day of school work (I’m sure it happens to some! 😆 ) I just love that feeling.
Luv What You Do
Meeee!!!!
I think I need a spring half to keep me running through the winter.
Kind of random but I came up with a blog post idea for you…I think you should do a top Starbucks beverages that aren’t on the menu…you know…the good stuff that you guys make for yourselves : )
Happy weekend!
Christina Does It All
Hahahahahaa. I love you. Really, I do. These are basically the same things I learned from running a half unprepared! You summed it up rather nicely. 😛
olivetorun
Rockstar status! 🙂
I am just coming back from an injury and have a half in January. Not quite sure how it is going to go… I’m just listening to that ole’ body of mine 😉
allieksmith
You are awesome!! I think it’s so cool that you whipped a half marathon out of your back pocket. And donuts. Donuts 🙂
GiGi Eats Celebrities
I am ready to sign up for a MOVIE NIGHT with WOODY AND THE GANG!!!!! Care to give the middle finger to that 13 miler and join me?
Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
If only I could run! I’d love to have a few donuts right now! Way to go, sore or not you did it!! Congratulations!
Life After Swimming
#6! HAHAHAHA THE TURTLE.
Meredith
You rock, lady! Love the donuts, LOVE. you totally earned it, and you’re a boss, seriously!!
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
I would have loved to see you waddle like a pregnant turtle with eggs strapped to her back. I would have loved to eat your donuts, and I would have loved to see you and the cat duke it out over a scrap of PB. My money’s on the cat. Sorry. I’d also love to take part in your carb loading, especially if it involves unicorns made from bread. I would have loved to take part in every aspect of this race, minus the actual running part. I knew you could do it. Great job rockstar!!
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