My First Half Marathon Ever

On 28.03.2026 I completed my very first half marathon.
And right away I set myself a goal — finish under 2 hours.

I knew I had to hold a pace around 5:35/km to make it happen. Honestly? I didn’t really know what to expect from myself. I’m not a classic runner. I usually run once a week, so I definitely don’t consider myself a serious runner.

But I love challenges.
And I love trying new sports and races.

That’s what excites me the most — stepping outside the comfort zone and discovering what the body and mind are truly capable of.

The Magic Number 8000

Even before the start, I felt this race was going to be special.

My bib number was 8000.
For some people it’s just a number, but for me it felt like a sign and good energy before the race.

I had many positive visualizations about succeeding. I imagined the pace, the atmosphere, crossing the finish line, and seeing a sub-2-hour result.

This is something that works really well for me in sports.

When you can positively set your mind before a challenge, the body often follows.

The Power of Visualization and Manifestation

For some people, visualization and manifestation may sound cliché.

But you know what?
It works.

Before the race, I often imagined myself holding the pace, managing difficult moments, and crossing the finish line under 2 hours. It wasn’t just motivation. It was mental preparation.

When you set your mind positively beforehand, you arrive calmer, more confident, and more prepared to handle difficult moments.

Before every race, start looking for positive things:

• positive thoughts
• strong moments from training
• reasons why you will succeed
• music that fires you up
• anything that mentally prepares you for a successful race

Because when the body starts slowing down, the mind decides everything.

That’s where races are truly won or lost.

An Amazing Experience

I have to say the Prague Half Marathon was an incredible experience.
Perfect weather, an amazing atmosphere, and huge positive energy around the entire course.

Everything unfolded exactly the way I had visualized it.

And in the end?
Mission accomplished.

My official time was 1:59:03.

I felt huge joy, but most importantly gratitude for another life experience.

An Atmosphere You Have to Experience

One thing surprised me a lot.

I always thought Spartan Race events were huge and massive. And they are.

But the Prague Half Marathon had more than 17,000 people.

That’s insane.

What I loved the most was the number of people cheering along the course. Constant support, music, applause, and energy everywhere around you.

That really helps during the difficult moments.

Another huge plus is Prague itself.

Running through one of the most beautiful cities in the world has a special kind of magic. The atmosphere of the historic center, the river views, and the entire city filled with runners creates something difficult to describe.

The OCR Veverky Team

Big thanks to our OCR Veverky team.

It was great having teammates there and knowing you are not alone. It definitely gave me extra energy and strength, especially during the harder moments of the race.

Sports may look individual, but having a strong team around you means a lot.

So thank you to everyone who raced and also to those who simply supported and cheered for us. You feel that support much more than people realize.

Runners Are an Amazing Community

What really surprised me was the running community.

Relaxed people, positive vibes, support between runners… no ego, no pretending. Just people trying to do something good for their body and mind.

And you can clearly see how much running benefits mental health.

For me, running is the foundation of almost every sport:

• building endurance
• discipline
• mental toughness
• breathing control
• learning how to handle discomfort

Around Kilometer 17 Reality Hit

Up until around kilometer 17, I felt great.

Then came the moment when the body started saying:
“Slow down.”

Suddenly it wanted to move at a slower pace than the one I needed to hold. But I knew that if I wanted to finish under 2 hours, I had to maintain my 5:35 pace.

That’s when the mind stepped in.

I told myself:
“Man, just keep working. You’ve got this.”

And this is exactly what I know from Spartan Race.

Especially from the Beast races, when you are basically running on pure willpower, your legs hurt, energy is disappearing, but your mind has to keep pushing you forward.

That’s where you realize that limits are often far more mental than physical.

Sport as a Journey

The more sports I try, the more I realize one thing:

It’s not only about performance.
It’s not only about medals or times.

Sport shapes people.

It teaches:

• discipline
• humility
• performing under pressure
• handling pain and discomfort
• believing in yourself when the body wants to quit

And that’s exactly why I want to keep trying new races and new challenges.

Because every experience pushes you forward.

Vladimir Veverka
Personal trainer and nutrition consultant