When I asked Gina Solis to share her most recent experience in the OC Half Marathon, here is the awesome and inspiring story she shared: First off, I have always enjoyed running. It’s a personal, therapeutic, and mind-clearing time for me. It’s just me, my music, and my thoughts. Until recently, I’ve only been mentally and physically capable of doing 10K races; however, it has always been a dream of mine to do a half marathon. I have always been in awe of people I knew who had done them, but never thought I would ever be able to achieve such a goal. Last August, I decided it was time for a change. I dropped 23 pounds, and started running, routinely. I also incorporated boot camp at Crave PT into my regimen, and began to feel strong and healthy. By January, I had signed up for the OC half marathon, which was May 1st. This motivated me to commit to a training schedule that was gradual and doable, with plenty of time without too much pressure. I also made sure to attend yoga each week to help keep me centered. Race day was exciting. I wanted to take it all in, and just have fun! The course was beautiful, from Newport Fashion Island, along the coast, up through back-bay, and into the OC fairgrounds. There were such gorgeous views along the way, that I had to stop and take a few pics! The whole time I tried to focus on the enjoyment, the people, and the energy. The course has lots of hills, but I took them on, full throttle, like a demon! I believe my strength training routine at Crave PT helped me get through that. Throughout the race, I noticed so many different body types; it was quite astonishing! It put it into perspective for me that it can also be a mental challenge, as well as physical. I have also learned that the mind is a powerful muscle that is just as important to train. “Believing” you can do it is equally as important as the physical training required. I finished in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 39 seconds, with an average pace of 9:50 min/mile. I crossed that finish line with tears in my eyes. I was so happy and proud of myself. I felt so accomplished! The completion of that race hallmarked so many milestones in my life, and now I can’t wait to do another! I am planning on doing the Long Beach half marathon in October, and my goal is to finish in under 2 hours.