The Diary of a Beginner Runner in San Diego
Highway 101 above Swami’s Beach | Photo by Madison Parker
Vitals
Age: 37
Neighborhood: Mission Hills
Half Marathons: 1
Miles Logged: 385
Favorite Trail: Coronado (a perfect loop with minimal stoplights) and Mission Bay (several paths to map out a run of any mileage, plus there are water fountains and bathrooms)
Running Anthem: Podcasts (How I Built This, Armchair Expert, Second Life, and of course San Diego Magazine’s Happy Half Hour)
Jennifer Rea, San Diego Magazine’s director of marketing and brand development, is no stranger to spinning, boot camps, yoga, and a 5 or 10K for fun, but long-distance running wasn’t usually on the schedule. That changed when her boyfriend, an avid marathoner and triathlete, encouraged her to try one longer race and sweetened the deal with a promise of dinner at Little Italy’s Born & Raised after the finish line.
Rea began training last July for October’s Temecula Half Marathon. She bought running shoes and insoles, proper running socks (“blisters will kill you without them”), and shorts with pockets for her keys and phone, as well as a lightweight Camelbak for longer nine- and 10-mile runs in the summer.
“Running outside, being up before the rest of the world, and seeing my split times improve week after week became addictive,” she says. “I do wish someone had told me that there will be bad days. Breakdowns in the middle of your run, screaming at a driver who doesn’t stop for you, questioning why you are doing this. Now I know that those moments pass and the next run will be better.”
She’s also learned more concrete lessons. “Electrolyte tablets are crucial. My favorite are Nuun. A sprinter stick with plastic beads that massage your muscles became my recovery tool. And don’t run on trash day! Nothing is worse than a five-mile whiff of garbage.”
Following her race, Rea kept her training plan as a reminder of the accomplishment. “Having a goal to work toward is motivating. I also love exploring the city this way. It makes my neighborhood feel new all over again.”
Next up? The Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon in July. “Yes,” she says, “there will be wine at the finish line!”
