The First Race

I was reminded a few weeks ago that it has been five years since I ran my first race, which was a 5k. Something I wrote that day after the race really stuck with me:

if you asked me 2 months ago if I thought I could run a 5k, my answer would have been no. yet here I am, and its amazing what you can accomplish when you put your mind to something and stick with it.

I think that "5k" could be interchangeable with a lot of accomplishments since then. If you had asked me two years ago if I thought I could run a marathon, I would have likely responded with "no", yet here I am training for my second. If you had asked me after my first half marathon if I thought I could take 10 minutes off my time, the thought would have been incomprehensible. 

My first 5k was something I signed up for on a whim since it sounded like fun. There is no way I could have known how training for that race would have sparked a love affair with running and 5 years of subsequent training and races. While I do not always enjoy the act of running, I love what running has brought to my life, most importantly the feeling I described right after the race which is that there are no limits to what you can accomplish.

My first bib, and yes, I still have it

Looking back it makes me smile to think of how I trained and raced that 5k. I put just as much time and effort into it as I have with marathon training. Every day I followed the Couch to 5k training plan I printed off the internet and watched as my ability to run further and longer increased as the weeks went on. It is that feeling of accomplishment that makes something seem achievable. Sure, you don't know if you can really do something until you actually do it, but building the confidence to take on something challenging is half the battle. 

I remember being terrified the night before the 5k, and how overwhelmed I felt on race day as the race started and hundreds of people were running all around me. Just as with any race, I briefly doubted my ability to finish in the later miles, but I stuck to what I learned in my training and finished the race. Most runners always fear being the last person to finish, and I was mostly glad that I finished the race and was not the last person to do so. That instant feeling of accomplishment was something I wanted to stay with me forever. It was that feeling that made me want to keep running and striving for longer distances. 

I did it!

The wonderful thing about running is that if you follow a training plan that is right for you, you can build up to just about any distance. Whether it is a 5k, half marathon, marathon, ultra, the miles always seem daunting at first. But as the weeks go on, you realize you are getting stronger and faster, and what you are capable of. I think new runners sometimes get discouraged because they want to run for longer, or be faster, right away but it takes time. If you take your training day by day, week by week, you will get to where you want to be. Some people are born with a natural ability but for others, it takes years of training to become the best version of a runner you can be. There are many lessons to be learned along the way, with nutrition, injury, etc. that only come with experience. 

That race changed my life because it changed the perception of I had of myself. The strength I saw deep within me during that race helped me strive for better things in running and in life. I realized that I was stronger than I thought and that I was deserving of better things. There are a lot of forces in life that try to bring us down. It is very easy to think negative thoughts and believe that you deserve what comes your way. Progressing from a 5k to a marathon has helped me realize that I am not to be underestimated. I can take on challenges and work through them. I am worth more than people give me credit for, and I deserve nothing but the best. When challenges and difficult life events happen, I have the confidence and ability to know that I will get through them. These are all things that I wish everyone would realize, whether they run or not. Running helped me to become the person that I am today and this is why I always encourage people to find something in their life that they are passionate about and pushes them outside of their comfort zone. 

I think running and self confidence are like the chicken and the egg. I don't know if running has helped me realize my capabilities and given me the strength to approach tough situations, or if belief in myself has helped me get through endurance races. I think they go hand in hand. Years ago I never would have imagined how far I would come, but I am thankful for that first 5k race as it opened doors to some amazing experiences and friends.