I didn’t think I could run the Freepa International Half Marathon. Here’s my story

DETROIT (WXYZ) — It’s been a week since I finished the Detroit Free Press, and it’s an experience I’ll always remember – not only because my muscles are still sore, but because it was truly enjoyable. I’m serious. Here’s the thing: I’m not a runner. In fact, I didn’t even run it all. Some might say I’m “confused” (that’s a combination of walking and jogging).

I signed up in April, but my wife Carol signed up in January. After our friend Leah ran a full marathon last year, Carol wanted to challenge herself while also raising awareness about Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).

A little background: Carol was diagnosed with T1D back in early 2023, just a few months after we got married and after having to deal with the challenges of being misdiagnosed with type 2. It took us by surprise, but she diagnosed has been on a mission to raise awareness of T1d ever since.

Registration was easy, but the training was not so much. While I’m an active person—I do cardio and rock climbing—I’m also not a stereotypical runner. I have a bad knee and two ankles, and I’m incredibly clumsy. I was worried that even with a training plan, I wouldn’t be ready for the race. My anxiety was intense and only really subsided the minute I got to my spot at the starting line that morning.

I’m sharing my story and training plan in hopes that it might inspire someone who isn’t a runner to think about lacing up their shoes and hitting the pavement.

Ahead of the race

I started training in early July following the training plan provided to me on my Garmin watch. I didn’t have to pay for a data plan and it was all on my phone and tracked on my watch.

I ran 186.94 miles in 16 weeks. I ran 0.7 miles on July 1st and that number continued to grow each week.

My strength grew through a combination of sprints, progressive runs, and long runs, and I watched the miles add up. By the end of August, I had completed eight miles in one run, the longest so far on the plan. The day before Labor Day, I ran a fasted 5K at a race near the Mackinac Bridge with the Yooper Running Club, and I recorded my longest run on September 28th when I ran 12 miles along the Paint Creek Trail.

Watch the video of crossing the bridge and returning to the tunnel below.

Video marathon for the Internet

After that long run, I learned about tapering, which means shortening your mileage before a race. This turned out to be the most difficult part of the entire training plan.

As race day approached, my anxiety became more intense, the runs became increasingly difficult, and I began to feel overwhelmed. Runners on the Detroit Free Press Facebook group and many Google users assured me that I would feel worse during the gradual portion of the workout. I discussed this often with my wife and then with my therapist, and in the days leading up to the race I started to feel good and more excited.

The day before the race, several family members ran a 5K along the Detroit waterfront. Thousands of people took part in this race. We visited the show, got our bibs, did some shopping, and the countdown began.

Competition day

I woke up excited at 5am and knew it was going to be a good day. I slept well after an early nap and felt fantastic. We packed up and headed to the Campus Martius, about a mile from our apartment. It was dark, just after six in the morning, but the city center was filled with thousands of runners and people cheering them on as they got ready to start.

We entered our pen, second to last, and so began the 45-minute waiting period. Due to the full house we were unable to cross the starting line until 7:30 am.

The only thing I wanted to focus on was not running too fast. I’ve heard stories from people who got too excited and got burned out too quickly. Luckily, that didn’t happen after the 12 minute mile.

My goal was to finish in under three hours, which was approximately 13:45 per mile. In training, I averaged about 13 minutes at a pace and have maintained it until now.

I had two main challenges during the race: running across the Ambassador Bridge and then exiting the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

We walked up the bridge rise and it turned out that I hadn’t paid much attention to the incline. Instead, I focused on the beauty of Detroit as the sun rose over Windsor and the bridge, bathing the city’s skyline in an orange glow.

Crossing the bridge was my favorite part of the race. It was an incredible feeling when you crossed the Canadian border and were cheered on by thousands of Canadians on the other side, greeting you with jokes and smiles along the almost three-mile route.

The Underwater Mile started at mile 7 and I was still feeling good and my pace was at the right level. Running through a tunnel is really fun and I know a lot of people suffer from claustrophobia, but I didn’t experience that. You’re surrounded by people and you know it won’t last too long.

You come out of the tunnel at mile 8 and then you’re running through downtown Detroit with more people cheering you on, and when I reached mile 10 in Midtown, I just kept telling myself there was only 5K left.

Overcoming the pain in my right Achilles, my pace got a little better as we neared the finish line, heading back up Cass, Woodward and Washington through Midtown and Downtown.

As we approached the 12.75 mile mark, I switched the podcast to a playlist because I thought why not cross the finish line with Eminem playing in my headphones.

We saw our friends right at mile 13 and then our family at the finish line as we ran, smiling and celebrating.

The people who completed all 13.1 miles of the course made a huge difference. They always had something good to say, cheerful signs and brought an energy that kept me and many others going in the race.

There were also thousands of volunteers handing out water and Gatorade, cheering you on, and making sure everything went smoothly during the race.

I’d just like to end by shouting out all the people who supported me throughout training, came out on race day and celebrated with us with pizza and beer.

This was my first Detroit Free Press Half Marathon, but it won’t be my last!

Trying something new—whether it’s a half marathon, a new hobby, or a recipe—is a great reminder that we can all do hard things.