Laguna Hills Half Marathon

Memorial Day is traditionally a time for backyard barbecues and relaxing weekend getaways. This past Monday, however, my holiday morning looked a little different. At 5:30 AM, my alarm woke me up and I got ready to head to the starting line of the Laguna Hills Memorial Day Half Marathon.

Thirteen point one miles lay ahead of me. It was a distance I had never officially tackled before, but after two months of dedicated, early-morning training, I was ready to see what my legs could do.

The Prep and The Plan

My training journey began exactly eight weeks ago with the purchase of new Brooks running shoes at Road Runner Sports. Week by week, I slowly built up my endurance, ultimately working my way up to a peak long run of 9 miles. My training routine was typically two shorter runs at around 4 miles during the week and then one longer run during the weekend. Jumping from 9 miles to 13.1 on race day is a classic running milestone, and I felt confident in my base.

Going into the event, my ultimate goal was to maintain a steady 12-minute mile pace. I knew the Laguna Hills route was notoriously beautiful but notoriously challenging, featuring rolling hills and an undulating path through the local parks and trails. Thankfully this was the route I used for training as well so I was familiar with the terrain. My strategy was simple: conserve energy on the inclines and find a rhythm.

Crushing the First 10 Miles

When the race began, the adrenaline took over. To my absolute surprise, I felt fantastic during the first leg of the event. My legs felt light, the Southern California morning air was crisp, and I found myself cruising well ahead of my target schedule.

For the first 10 miles, I locked into a blazing 11-minute mile pace. I felt completely unstoppable as I tackled the initial climbs along Alicia Parkway. Seeing the mile markers tick by faster than expected was an incredible mental boost. It was also really cool to see the retirees and Veterans in Laguna Woods cheering on the runners.

Taming the Hills and Hitting the Wall

However, distance running has a way of keeping you humble. Around mile 10, the cumulative toll of Laguna Hills' extra-challenging elevation changes began to catch up with me. The constant uphill battle finally started to wear down my stamina. Additionally, I noticed my Garmin watch was about .25 miles ahead of the mile markers. It was a mind trick at times thinking I was at mile 10 when I actually had another quarter of a mile ahead of me.

The last 3 miles became a true test of mental grit. My feet were hurting intensely with every stride, forcing me to make a tactical decision to slow down. I transitioned into a mix of jogging and walking to manage the pain and ensure I didn't injure myself so close to the end. It was tough watching my pace drop, but I kept my eyes forward, knowing every step brought me closer to the finish line.

The Ultimate Reward

Despite the grueling final stretch, I crossed the finish line and officially accomplished my goal of an overall 12-minute mile pace!

But the absolute best part of the entire day wasn’t checking my watch or receiving my finisher's medal. It was the moment I turned the final corner and saw my wife standing in the crowd, cheering me on at the top of her lungs. Seeing her face made every single ounce of foot pain and hill fatigue instantly worth it.

I came, I saw, I conquered the hills—and I couldn't have asked for a better holiday weekend victory.