So with that being said, I ran my first 5k on Thanksgiving. While most of you were waking to the smell of turkey cooking and pies cooling, I woke up to a bowl of oatmeal and tennis shoes.
I didn't think I would be so nervous, but I was. I had thoughts that I would do terrible. That I would get going and have to stop, walk or crawl and look a fool. Or maybe I would just throw my hands up and say 'forget this!'. Once I got there, however, all my apprehension melted away as I saw all ages, sizes and fitness levels. There was a buzz of excitement as people milled around waiting for the race to start.
Me, having never done a 5k before, just stood there like a fool. Then I thought that perhaps I should get my music all ready. I had just bought an arm band, and was ready to just zone out. Needless to say, I couldn't get the stupid thing on just right and once I did, the race started (which I wasn't even aware of until I saw the wave of people around me moving). Then my music stopped. So I ran the entire race with no music and my headphones in my hands because I had no pockets. Fantastic.
So, I had one goal and one goal only - to beat my fellow runner (no need to mention names here, he knows who he is!). I saw him ahead of me after the first 5 minutes. I kept him in my line of sight.
One mile passed and I actually felt pretty good. I thought to myself, I got this. A woman jogged up next to me. She looked fit and looked the part with her running outfit, headphones (her music was working just fine) and running shoes. She asked if she could pace herself with me and I thought - seriously? I feel like a stampeding rhino and you wanna run with me? She spoke with ease while I wheezed and puffed out a meager - "yea, sure".
As I turned a corner, I took that moment to push a little harder and soon passed he-who-shall-not-be-named. I was in the zone. When I run, I typically am unaware of nothing else other than what I am doing. This was my first time running outside. However, on the treadmill I break it down into sections - 1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles then the .10 mile. Here, I had no idea where I was. All I kept doing was looking straight ahead and focusing on pushing through. I kept telling myself - "You got this. You can do this. You are doing this. You have done this before on the treadmill. Don't stop." That was a big one because a couple times, I just wanted to stop and walk like some others were doing. However, I knew if I did that getting back up to a good pace would be near impossible. I just had to keep trucking.
It was a good thing that I didn't have music because he-who-shall-not-be-named was behind me. I could hear him catching up and everytime I thought he was close, I would push through a little harder and get a few more feet between us. The finish line was soon in my sights and I could hear him getting closer. I pushed with everything I had (and feared falling on my face) and finished with him right behind me.
I did it! The high I felt was unreal. I just ran a 5k; I just ran 3.1 miles. I was a runner! Say what?! Seriously, I look back on this journey and never thought I would be here.
Granted, I still hate running. I don't think I will ever like it. But I like the challenge, I like the competition (even with myself) and I like the feeling of empowerment I get.
I am running another one this weekend. The gauntlet has been dropped. I have a feeling I am going to have to push even harder because someone will make it his mission to beat me this time around.
Challenge accepted.
By the way - my time was 31.24; which blew my mind. He-who-shall-not-be-named? 31.26 - that's right.....2 seconds!
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| I finished! |
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| We did it! |
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