I had a great half-marathon race this morning. Funny story about this race: I totally forgot about it until yesterday, when I was supposed to go and get the race kit. If not for my friend and race partner Hải checking up on me, I would have missed this race entirely. I checked the email for the QR confirmation and went to get the race kit just one hour before they closed. In a way, this was a surprise 21km that I didn’t plan for, which was an interesting experience, to say the least. Regardless, I achieved my goal of running a sub-2:15 half-marathon, crossing the finish line after 2 hours and 13 minutes.

I ran this race while listening to a 2-hour-long run, guided by Coach Bennett on Nike Run Club, checking off a Long Run scheduled in my marathon training plan. I started off with an easy effort and slowly picked up the pace the longer the run went on. There was quite a distance between each water station compared to what I’m used to in other races I’ve done (around 3.5km between each), and there were also not many photos taken by the organizer after the 10km mark. I followed the 2:15 pacer group quite closely throughout the race. I took two energy gels—one was blueberry, and the other was salted watermelon—and I also took three salt pills. I kept my breath under control, taking deep breaths through my nose, utilizing my belly and diaphragm, and slowly exhaling through my mouth. My steps followed a rhythm, and I was able to maintain my posture throughout the run. I was mindful not to tense up my shoulders and paid attention to avoid any wasted movement that might deplete my energy. I stayed focused and in the game, thanks to the guided run in my ear, the music from my Spotify Race Playlist to hype me up, and maybe the caffeine in the energy gel too. The feeling of starting the race while the sky was still dark, the road lit by moonlight and street lamps, and seeing the first sunlight and dawn of the new day while finishing the run was exceptional. It’s even better when you finish the race strong and meet the goal you set out to achieve.

There was only the present moment; the past is in the past, made of memories, and the future is you projecting those memories into what’s ahead. Informed by your past runs and inspired by your future runs, focus on being greater instead of being great—you don’t need to be greater than anyone but your past self. Every step brings you closer to a better version of yourself. As long as you keep moving forward and don’t give up, greatness will surely come. The fact that you are running and trying is extraordinary.

This is about running; this is also not about running.