I was on the treadmill at the gym the other day when I noticed something: Running is easier for everyone else than it is for me. I’m serious, as I looked around, every single person on a treadmill looked like he or she was just bouncing along on a cloud, effortlessly as can be.
I, on the other other hand, looked like this:
Only I probably didn’t look that happy!
Running, for me, is a necessary evil: I don’t always love it, but I know it has major benefits. I’ve run a variety of races, from 5K’s to half-marathons, and while I don’t always enjoy the actual running, I do always have a sense of accomplishment when I’m finished. That, and I’m a sucker for a free t-shirt.
When my friend Emily and I lived in Shandon, we would run the Shandon Turkey Trot together every November. Of course, I’m using the word “together” rather loosely because Emily always crossed the finish line a good six or seven minutes before I did. This actually worked to my advantage since it meant I always had somebody cheering for me at the finish line. One year, Emily’s time was so fast, she won a turkey for finishing first in our age group. I, on the other hand, cracked a bone in my foot stepping off the sidewalk before the race even started and won myself three months in a boot. Now that’s talent!
After another Trot, my mom, who had looked at the results online, called to ask if I knew an 80-year-old man finished before I did. As a matter of fact, Mom, I did know that, seeing as how I watched him pass me about 100 yards from the finish line, but thank you so much for pointing it out again.
For me, running races isn’t about winning (obviously), it’s really more about motivation and goals. When I know I have a race coming up, I’m more likely to exercise consistently. Running a race is a concrete goal that has a clear beginning and end, and that goal has come in handy on more than one occasion. When I interviewed at BC, one of the questions my principal asked was to describe a recent goal I had accomplished. Normally, that question would have thrown me for a loop, but that year, I had run the Columbia Half-Marathon, so the question was easy to answer. Mr. Morton didn’t need to know I closed the course!
To be honest, I should probably say I have “participated” in a variety of races because, truth be told, I have never run a single race start to finish. I do more of a combination of walking and jogging, but this year is going to be the year I change that.
In January, I chose “determined” as my word of the year, and I am determined to run a 5k without stopping. I’ve been listening to Emily P. Freeman’s podcast The Next Right Thing recently, and in Episode 69, she says if you want to get serious about something, the first thing you need to do is tell someone. So, there you go, I’ve said it out loud . . . let the training begin!
I have chosen Get in the Pink, a local race that raises money for breast cancer, as my goal. The race is here in Columbia on May 11, and if you’re interested in running with me, let me know. The more, the merrier! You can find race information here.
I’m planning on using the C25K app on my phone to guide my training. It’s an 8-week program, which is perfect since there are nine weeks until the race. That way, if I get off track, I have an extra week of cushion. If you are an experienced runner, I’d love to hear your racing tips. If you’ve never run a race before, this could be the perfect opportunity to give it a shot. There’s nothing to be afraid of . . . I guarantee I won’t let you be the last one to cross the finish line.