Reed Dunn, Senior Recruitment Marketing Manager:

Waiting is the worst. I don’t have much patience for it. But before I know it, this will all be a distant memory.

In just a few weeks – we’re less than a month away, people – I will be running the Las Vegas Strip at my first half marathon. The Las Vegas Rock ’n’ Roll Half Marathon on December 4 will be my first half marathon, and I’m pretty certain it will not be my last.

Through the course of my training, I have come a long way mentally and physically. Last week, I said I was certain I was ready for this race. Now, I’m just anxious. Running 13.1 miles seemed daunting six weeks ago. Maybe even impossible. Now it feels very feasible and like something I should just be doing on a regular basis.

Maybe I’m saying this because my last week of training was somewhat light. My longest run was just less than seven miles, and no other run was longer than five miles. I did challenge myself with some steep hill sprints to try and improve my speed, but I would call it a fairly easy week overall.

The rest of my training schedule has been ultra light, as well. I’m still healing from a severely sprained and/or broken finger on my dominant left hand. I have not been able to do any strength training in the last three weeks – it’s hard to grab a barbell when you can’t make a fist – and that has been a problem for me. I also have abstained from yoga, which I need to keep myself as stretched as possible.

While my finger is not healed completely, I am planning on returning to my regular personal training and yoga schedules this week. It seems crucial to my continued development and overall fitness goals. It also will be a chance to learn some new exercises and techniques that I can incorporate into my routines until my finger is back at 100 percent.

Next weekend, I will probably be running the longest run before the actual race. I’m not sure, but I’m planning on somewhere around the 11-mile distance. My personal trainer will confirm. That, I’m sure, will be a challenge. But I’m also still feeling highly confident in my abilities.

Now I just need to figure out what songs will make the cut for my race-day playlist. Even though there will be bands along the route, I think it’s best I control as many of the elements as possible.

Reed Dunn is senior recruitment marketing manager at Alere Wellbeing. Follow his journey with regular updates on the Alere Wellbeing blog, as he prepares to run his first half marathon on December 4 in Las Vegas.