ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Three CBS Atlanta News reporters will take on the Publix Georgia Half Marathon on March 17: Katie Brace, Tony McNary and Sonia Moghe.
Brace has been running for 23 years.
"It helps with the stress, it keeps me fit, and I've just been running, running, running," she said.
Brace has run more races than she can count, but this will be her first half marathon.
"Usually, the most I race is seven miles," she said.
McNary is a self-described "gym rat" but doesn't do much distance running.
"I like to lift weights, but running is something I've never done," he said. "But I enjoy it - sometimes."
McNary has participated in a triathlon and a couple of mud runs.
"I like to take on challenges and this is a challenge and I've never done it before," he said. "I decided I'm going to do it, so that's what I'm doing."
McNary's goal is to beat Moghe, who ran her first half marathon last summer.
"I went through a really bad breakup, couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, was just so upset," she said. "My mom said, 'Just go run.'"
Moghe has been a distance runner for about five years.
"There's some shirts out there that say 'I Run So I Can Eat Bacon' - I love that. So I run just to stay healthy, but I also run because it's relaxing," Moghe said.
She and McNary started training together several weeks ago, and a rivalry began.
"I have my personal goal, which is to beat Tony and I'm going make it happen," she promised.
Endurance trainer Trey Harris was called in to help all three crank it up. He led the team on a training run through Piedmont Park and fielded a lot of questions along the way.
With three weeks until the race, Harris said half marathoners should be able to run at least eight miles.
Brace said she's topping that off with a weekly mix of ballet and pilates.
"It strengthens muscles you don't strengthen while you're running," she said. "Because running, obviously you're just going forward, so a lot of times, with ballet it's the side muscles, it's the hips."
And when they're finally ready to rise to the challenge, Harris had this advice for race day: Get there early, don't rush, stay calm, and once you get out on the course, listen to your body.
"Your training program, the efforts and the time and the long-distance running that you've put into the race are going to carry you through the race," he said.
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