Running a half-marathon wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Running(mostly walking, to be honest) through 30 km/h wind, rain, and beach was absolute hell, but after 8 km of coastal fun, it was smooth sailing. Once clear of the beach and into the cobble-stone winding trails following the sand dunes, I only had to deal with hip and knee pain, but I found that focusing solely on breathing and running technique helped me “zone out” and get into a rhythm that stayed unbroken for the rest of the run(21 km).
Rest assured, I made sure I got my entry ticket’s worth in banana ingestion.