Week 10 + 11 – Never Say Never

Nadia Jones will be covering her training for the 3 months leading up to the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon. If you would like to follow her journey, you can visit this blog each week for updates!

Here are the weekly summaries so far if you want to catch up, if not scroll down for Week 4+5 updates!

• Week 1 – I cover The Galloway Run Walk Run Method, and I attempt to define the word “postpartum.”
• Week 2 – Stop trying to buy your training shoes yourself and go to a running specialty store. I also discuss how NOT to clean your running shoes.
• Week 3 – A good book, a New Year’s resolution, and some lessons from my first love (basketball) gave me some good #thoughtswhilerunning.
• Week 4+5 – Lessons on Self Discipline from Navy SEALs and how it relates to physical training
• Week 6 – How "getting benched” can produce perseverance, a reflection on Jalen Hurts’ journey to his big Super Bowl win and how we can grow during challenging times
• Week 7 – Being “Type A” and adopting the mantra, “Done better than perfect.”
• Week 8 – #ThoughtsAfterRunning, need I say more?
• Week 9 – “Committed.” Contemplating why I keep getting up at 5 am to train when I just want to sleep.

We finished our last “long” training run for the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon (THM) Sunday and I have to say that I am incredibly grateful for the taper in Week 11. The 12-mile training run in Week 10 caught me off guard with how difficult it was physically and mentally, but thankfully the next time we increase our mileage will be race day!

On that note, IT'S RACE WEEK! I have reflected a little on my past experiences with the THM and 5k. I have run the THM three times and the 5k two times since 2016. A little timeline for reflection:

2016: My first THM was for my bachelorette weekend – talk about a wild time. My goal for this half marathon was to complete a half marathon, period. I lost my toenail running down Queen City Avenue when the finish line was at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. Thankfully, that made for a faster pedicure on wedding day. 

2020: I ran my second THM unofficially with friends during the pandemic. My goal for this half marathon, prior to it being canceled, was to complete the half without walking. We lost over half of our Physiolete Training group at the end of February 2020, but we did have several that stuck around and wanted to run the 13.1 miles on race day. Two things we didn’t consider when we decided to take off at 10 am that Saturday to run the race: 1) it would be extremely hot halfway into it with a late start time and 2) there would be no water stations. Lauren Buckalew sent an SOS text about finding a water fountain to our friend that works at the University of Alabama Recreation Center. We finally found a fountain out by the Rec fields, but it looked extremely questionable during a time where we were all paranoid about germs. That water fountain was by definition a super spreader of something. We were so thirsty we overlooked how contaminated the water fountain looked and gulped the hot water down, feeling life return into our bodies. One of our fellow runners desperately ran through the drive-through at Arby’s for a cup of ice water. Our friend who finished before everyone actually had time to drive to a convenience store and buy everyone a Gatorade – I am usually a picky Gatorade kinda gal, but that day it didn’t matter if it was orange or yellow, I inhaled it graciously. I napped the rest of that afternoon believing the lack of water stations wrecked my body, about a week later I found out I was actually pregnant. Even though I walked (a lot) during this half, even considered crawling to the water fountain, it was still one I will never forget. 

2021: I had Rory back in December of 2020 and knew that training for a half marthon was not realistic for me. Between learning how to keep a human alive, breastfeeding, and returning to work – I elected to do a couch to 5k training plan. I found so much joy in running with Rory outside during this season of my life. My goal for this 5k was to go sub 30. The actual THM 5k was memorable that year because I did it with one of my best friends who also ran it with her newest little nugget. As we struggled to get up the hill on Greensboro with our jogging strollers, my friend reminded me that a 5k was actually 3.1 miles - I had estimated I would run each mile in about 10 minutes. While I missed my goal that year, I have great memories crossing the finish line with Rory in tote.

2022: I did every single long run training for the THM with Rory and my Bob stroller. My goal for this race was to finish the 13.1 miles with Rory, no matter how many snack breaks she would have to take. Friday before the race, Rory was sent home with a fever. While I contemplated waking her up and running with her anyways on race day, I decided it was best for her to get some rest. Lauren Buckalew, our fearless leader at Physiolete, had also been running with her < 1 year old for many weekends. We agreed that running with a stroller probably had some positive training effect and we decided on race day that we would just run hard. We ran way too fast for what we trained (didn’t have strollers on race day) and around mile 8 or 9 we agreed we would walk for just a second, woof what a mistake. When we attempted to run again, we were both limping and in survival mode for the remainder of the race. With flashbacks to our pandemic desert run in 2020, we finally saw our families at the finish line and got a little boost. The picture they snapped of us crossing the finish line did not capture the pain we (I) felt seconds prior.

2024: After not exercising since the birth of my second in April 2024, I decided I would sign up for the THM 5k and just run as hard as I could to maybe go sub 30. I did not run with Brady in the Bob because Brady despises being buckled in anything. That darn sub 30 goal postpartum. I should have known I was really going to be in for it when I signed up for the WRONG race the week before the 5k. Yep, I signed up for the Mayor’s Cup 5k not the THM 5k. My mind and my body were not communicating well because mentally I assumed that I could “push through it” and run the 5k in under 30 minutes without training, but physically my body was severely undertrained. My airpods died in the first 30 seconds and I hit a wall about 3 minutes in. As much as I wanted to quit, I wanted to finish to show my daughters that you don’t quit things that you paid to do. I honestly don't remember my time because I was seeing double when I crossed the finish line, I don't think I met my goal though. I did end up running the Mayor’s Cup a few weeks later, because remember I don't quit things I accidentally paid to do. It went a little better because I lowered the bar big time for that one.

2025: Here we are! In lieu of a memory for 2025 (hopefully will have some from the actual race Saturday), I want to share a huge lesson I’ve learned since Physiolete and Wagner’s kicked off our annual Tuscaloosa Half Marathon (THM) and 5k training back in January. I digress….

Never say “never” when making a sport or fitness goal – It sounds cliché and it 100% is, but just don’t do it.

If you put a hard and fast label on something by saying you’ll “never” do it, you may never know what you are capable of doing. Last fall I was talking to my colleague Claire (Running Expert & Book Enthusiast from previous weeks) about how I didn’t consider myself a runner “anymore.” I felt that since I wasn’t running (or exercising period) AND I wasn’t training for any sort of race, that calling myself a runner was blasphemy. I even went as far as correcting people if they called me a runner as if they had mistaken me for a criminal, “I am sorry, you've got the wrong girl. That’s definitely not me!”  Postpartum whatever hit me really hard after the birth of my second child. Between riding a hormonal roller coaster, months of sleep deprivation, and just plain surviving – the word “never” was at the tip of my tongue from 2023-2024.

I said I would never run for exercise again.

I said I would never run over 3 miles again.

I said I would never sign up for a race again.

In January 2025, I was inspired by our pastor at Capstone Church to try the Galloway Run Walk Run Method. In my brain, this was a way to participate in the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon and 5k with Team Physiolete, but also maintain very low commitment to training. In January, I committed to exercising 3-4x a week - 3 of those days included running for exercise. Funny thing is, I’ve probably averaged 5-6x a week of exercise since January. By February, I signed up for the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon and actually paid the organization money to run 13.1 miles again, what the what? Never say never.

The “nevers” didn’t stop there. Even when I was in a routine of running, I still said “never.”

I said I would never pace myself running.

I said I would never push myself running.

I said I would never get a watch that would help me pace or push myself running.

Well low in behold, your girl bought a $38 watch on Amazon (it’s now unavailable and $56) and began the push and the pace at Week 10. In early March I realized that a sub-2-hour half marathon wasn’t just a lofty goal as a Run-Walker, but a realistic one. I’ve been hesitant to share my goal of finishing the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon in under 2 hours because I’ve never challenged myself with a time goal for the half marathon. I high jumped and threw a javelin for a reason. The thought of pushing myself while running 13.1 miles gives me the heebie jeebies and honestly writing the goal makes me want to throw up a little. 

Whether you are running the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon or the 5k, tell a good friend your goal for the race. I think sharing your goals out loud helps you see the finish line a little clearer, regardless of if you meet the goal or not. If your goal is simply to finish the race, I assure you that sharing your goal with someone you love will give you the encouragement and accountability you need to cross the finish line. If you aren’t running the THM and 5k this year and you have a goal to do it or another race in the future, share that goal out loud as well. Find a buddy to train with or at least hold you accountable to training. 

I’m not saying with 100% certainty that I will reach my goal of a sub 2 hour half marathon on Saturday, but I have taken many steps to get to where I think it’s realistic. Sharing the goal with my friends this week provided me with the encouragement I needed to prepare for the last week of training. Regardless of what happens, these training days and marinating on them here on this blog have been more helpful than my goal itself.

Rain or shine, I’ll give my very best – unless my headphones die. If my headphones die, in the words of Rihanna, “S-O-S please someone help me.”

Quote of the Week – Week 10 + 11

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky

Playlist Week 10 + 11 - These are 3 songs that I did not grow tired of after 3 months of training

1. Wake Me Up - Avicii - This may have even made a previous list, but I'm not going back to check. Good song for when you are coasting a bit.

2. Edwin Diaz taking the mound to Timmy Trumpet is everything we hoped for and more. - You must watch this video, sports fan or not. Play Timmy Trumpet on your final stretch and I can almost guarantee you that you will run a little faster. 

3. Praise - Elevation Worship - "As long as I'm breathing, I've got a reason to praise the Lord." Cue this song when you see the mile 13 sign, you still have 0.1 to go - Praise God!