Melanie Ruiz had started training Aug. 15.

“It was hard because you have to discipline yourself, by watching what you eat and dedicating yourself to your training,” Ruiz said. “When you’re running in the Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon you have to have the right music on your iPod.”

She listened to hip-hop, oldies and anything upbeat to keep her pumped for the race. Next year she hopes to do the full 26.1-mile marathon, and dedicate the next year to training.

With all the hard training that she has been doing, she said that her knee is the only part that has been hurting, but this discomfort comes with training and dedication.

“Race was good, fun and tough, but worth it. It was harder than I thought. I didn’t beat my goal time which was two hours flat,” Ruiz said after the race. “I felt like I trained well, but if I would do it again, I would give myself more time.”

This is the fourth year of the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon and half marathon benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The marathon has brought in about $40 million annually. The week before the marathon, there is a celebration for the kids to run 26.2 miles throughout the week. The downtown San Antonio area is filled with excitement and motivation for the runners. The marathon wasn’t just for the 30,000 runners who ran on Sunday; it was also for the 1,000 cyclists and wheelchair racers; people are welcome to walk as well.

Augustus Mayo was the winner of the half marathon; Augustus is a Rock ‘n’ Roll hall of famer.

Ruiz, UTSA alumna, ran the half marathon, which is 13.1 miles, along with Crystal Rodriguez, a junior. Ruiz finished in two hours and seven minutes, Crystal finished in two hours and four minutes. There was also a full marathon, which was 26.1 miles.

Rodriguez started training in the beginning of October. She would start off small and work her way up. She said that each time she trained she was also mentally training herself. She had run only 13.1 miles once before the marathon.

“My goal was to be under two hours and my time for the half was two hours and three minutes,” Rodriguez said. “Did I meet my goal? Yes. I finished. I didn’t walk nor did I have an urge to think about it. Although physically I was three minutes shy of my physical goal, I still think I did a great job for my first marathon ever.”

Rodriguez and Ruiz have a lot in common when it comes to pain that they felt during their training, Rodriguez’s knee would hurt to point where it would interfere with her regular activities.

Of course, it’s the Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon and Rodriguez’s playlist was outstanding; she said that her music was her biggest cheerleader throughout the race.

She felt that if she wasn’t able to have her music she may not have made it to the finish line. Some of her favorites were Lil Wayne- “Going in”, Paramore- “Misery Business,” Nicki Minaj- “Moment For Life”, Shakira- “WAKA WAKA,” Nicki Minaj- “Super Bass (x’s 10),” The Early November- “Decoration,” All Time Low- “Weightless,” Drake- “Headlines,” Lil Wayne- “6 foot 7 foot.” She does regret waiting too long to start training, suggesting to anyone who wants to do a marathon to start months ahead of time. Also Rodriguez had advice for the less competitive people: just by signing up you are one step closer to finishing. Rodriguez can’t wait until the next marathon, to see her time improve. Now she knows what to do and how to train.

Before Rodriguez left, she had one last comment, “My run was dedicated to my nephew who has Cerebral Palsy because if he could walk he’d be right beside me, or better yet, way ahead of me.”