How I completed the Milwaukee Half Marathon... with No Prior Running Experience

Kahleag Terry
Apr 30
4 min read

My passion for the outdoors and fitness—combined with a steady diet of athletic inspiration on my Instagram feed—ignited a new fire in me: running!

Since moving to Wisconsin in August 2025, I’ve been on a mission to find more ambitious ways to get back into the gym regularly. While I’ve always been a generally fit person, I felt it was time to elevate my routine with a set objective in mind.

Last April, I decided to take a step back from regular content to redefine my creative direction as a photographer and dabble with my other hobbies.

By the end of 2025, I backpacked over 60 miles, biked 70, and averaged over 30 running miles a month. To fuel this, I completely overhauled my nutrition, maximizing my macronutrients and maintaining a substantial calorie surplus of 3,500–4,000 calories a day.

The Foundation:

August – December

My training was structured around six active days and one rest day, utilizing a Lower/Push/Pull split to ensure recovery while hitting the pavement.

Monday: Leg Muscles Day
Tuesday: 2-mile recovery run.
Wednesday: Push Muscles Day
Thursday: 3–5 mile tempo run.
Friday: Pull Muscles Day
Saturday: The Long Run (consistently chasing that 13.1 goal).

By November, I was ready for my first B Race: the Milwaukee 8k Turkey Trot. I treated it like a full-scale dress rehearsal, carb-loading two days prior and sticking to my routine. The race was packed, but the energy was electric.

Crossing the Finish line at the '25 Turkey Trot

I managed to hit my PR (Personal Record) at 10:03min/mi with my fastest mile being Mile 3 at 9:48min/mi - thats my absolute fastest time yet! The entire time I felt very relaxed and even calmer after passing the finish line. (Check results here!)

To train for my marathon I've been using the Runna app to plan my run training and Strava (@KahleagTerry) to track through my Apple Watch.

Runna has these amazing premade playlists for your specific training day so for the race I listened to a precurated race day playlist which really kept me vibing the whole race. I only stopped to catch my breath for about 30secs throughout this whole trot which was also a first for me!

Shifting Gears for 2026

As the New Year hit, I turned up the intensity. In January, I clocked my highest mileage month yet: 66.4 miles.

To support this, I adjusted my training to include a fourth "Sports Performance" day in the gym to strengthen my compound running muscles and build the physique I need for my backpacking goals.

(Jan. - Feb.):

Monday: Heavy Lower Body
Tuesday: Push Session + Tempo Run
Wednesday: Rest & Mobility
Thursday: Pull Session + Easy Run (3mi+)
Friday: Accessory & Running Performance Work
Saturday: The Long Run
Sunday: Rest & Mobility

Closer to the race I started to Taper down the mileage and intensity of my workouts to ensure total muscle recovery. I still maintained a solid calorie intake of 3000-3500cals a day but focused on a higher carbohydrate intake.

I also switched up my weekly workout routine:

(March - Present)

Monday: Heavy Lower Day
Tuesday: Tempo (Speedy) Run
Wednesday: Push Muscle Day
Thursday: Easy Run (3mi+, very slow run)
Friday: Pull Muscle Day
Saturday: Long Run (6mi+)

Race Day: The Milwaukee Half Marathon

After 8 months of training and over 300 miles ran, I woke up at 3:30 AM on race day ready to attack. After a simple breakfast (a rice cake with peanut butter) and a cold brew, I took a long, thoughtful walk through downtown Milwaukee to the start line. I wanted to soak in the cool air coming off Lake Michigan and ground myself.

The Starting Line of the 2026 Milwaukee Marathon

I was placed in Corral D (2:10:00 pacer group). My plan was to chill for the first three miles at an 11:00 min/mile pace, then gradually turn up the heat.

Here's how it actually went;

Miles 1–3: I hit the massive hill at the north end of the lakefront hard to get a jump on the crowd. I felt incredible, clocking a 9:04min/mi at Mile 3.
Miles 4–7: At this point I was passing the Hoan Bridge, snapping a few photos (the photographer in me never sleeps), and clocked a 9:09min/mi at Mile 7.
Milwaukee Hoan bridge (Yes I took this photo while running 9:30min/mi)
Miles 8–11: I stuck with the pacers, using the beautiful lakefront views to distract from the fatigue. I started "hunting"—picking a runner ahead of me and attempting to surpass each one every mile to keep me engaged and moving forward in placement.
The Home Stretch: The final leg was tough. My form started to slip, and I felt a strain in my hamstring, but I channeled the energy of the crowd and put it in gear. I finished Mile 12 at 9:29min/mi and crossed the finish line with a 9:47min/mi final mile.

The Result

I was greeted at the finish line with a cold Lakefront Brewery beer and a beautifully designed MKE finisher’s medal.

This journey has been about more than just a race. Since starting in August 2025 at 138lbs, I have gained a solid 18 lbs, weighing in at 156lbs today. Managing that growth while running high mileage was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I have never been more proud.

Special thanks to the team at VASA Fitness —specifically Ava for the mobility coaching and Alejandro for the power and strength training.

You both helped me to rebuild a habit I hadn't utilized in a year prior and turn it back into a lifestyle again!