The Geneva Half Marathon delivers a stunning course through the Geneva countryside before returning along the shores of Lake Geneva. Laura Lyon, coached by her brother and RunMotion coach Julien Lyon, was one of the 17,000 runners on the start line across the weekend’s races. Here is the story of her race.
Racing in the moment and staying fully present
The first few kilometers go well and I feel great. I run as if I am being carried by the current of a river. Things start to get more difficult toward the end of the first third of the race. My breathing speeds up and I feel my energy dip. Two women pass me, I start to lose confidence, and my thoughts begin to drift. What if I cannot finish the race? Maybe I went out too fast. Then I remember what my coach, Julien Lyon, told me before the start: embrace your race fully and stay in the present moment. I refocus on the race and on my sensations.
The downhill at kilometer 12 gets me back on track. I find speed in my legs again and a mental boost. I gently lift the pace and start reeling in one runner after another. I soak up the cheers along the waterfront and find fresh energy in the faces of the spectators.
A 1:27 personal best and a brilliant second place in her age group
At kilometer 18, I pass one of the women who had overtaken me in the first half. I spot the second runner about a hundred meters ahead. Then I catch her in the final kilometer. I manage to go by, digging deep for the last bit of energy I have left in the closing stretch. I cross the finish line in 1:27:03.
Happy with my performance, a new personal best, and second place in my age group, I get back to training with another PB in sight for my next race!