It's Never That Serious: How I PR'd During a "Just for Fun" Race

I wasn't planning on running the Publix Half Marathon in Atlanta. It was just a few weeks after I was going to have finished my first marathon, and the thought of running another race so shortly after felt like a stretch. But a week after completing my first marathon, a friend asked if I would run the race with her. I was feeling good, so I figured, "Why not?" There was only one condition: we promised each other we wouldn't take the race seriously AT ALL.

We agreed to treat it like a "silly for fun" race, and I couldn't have been more ready for that mindset. When I've raced in the past, I've always ben laser-focused on finishing. I don't talk, I don't pull out my phone, I skip over all of the race-day-fun — it's just a highly curated playlist, my thoughts, and the pavement.

This race would be different because the goal wasn't a time, it was to enjoy ourselves. And enjoy ourselves we did. The race became a blur of chatting, dancing, beer handouts, and jello shots (thank you to my roommate!) We even made the questionable decision to take a Tito's shooter courtesy of Balance Run Club. You read that right, Titos. I can imagine BQing is tough, but have y'all ever tried taking a Tito's shooter at mile 9?

The miles kept flying past and before we knew it we'd both crossed the finish line with a new Personal Record. It turns out that the secret to a faster time isn’t in focusing on the finish—it’s about enjoying the race to get there.

At the end of the day, it's really never that serious. So have fun, enjoy the race, and who knows? You just might surprise yourself.