Five Reasons To Run A 5k

Saturday I ran my first 5k. I didn't plan on running a 5k. When I woke up Saturday morning I didn't know I was going to run a 5k. I didn't train for a 5k. But I ran a 5k. I've been chasing Jade around for 18 years now and since she's started running and gotten pretty fast, I'm going to have to start running myself if I have any hope of catching her. First, let me give you the bad: I'm in worse shape than I thought; it took me 45 minutes to run 3.2 miles (the winner did it in 23 minutes!!!); I had "dead legs" for two days. Now for the good.

#1 You need to know your own abilities/limits. I had no doubt I could do 3.2 miles walking. What I didn't know was how long I could run during the 5k. The answer was about 1 mile. I've always loved the Tyler Durden quote from Fight Club where he says, "I don't want to die without any scars." That was my approach to the 5k. I need to hurt, burn, get winded, sweat, be thirsty, be pushed to my limit and then push through. I may not like where I am, but at least now I know where I am.

#2 It feels good to accomplish something for the first time. I don't know if I'll ever run a 5k again (I'm guessing I will), but I know I'll never run one for the first time again. It felt good when I crossed the finish line to sit down and reflect on the past 45 minutes. I thought about the hills (oh those brutal, cruel hills), the turns, the long straight stretches, the goals I met and those I failed to meet. Ultimately I smiled because I had finished the race. I didn't finish first, but I finished. I won because I was racing myself and the course.

#3 The camaraderie is uplifting. In the moments before they fired the starting pistol everyone was high fiving one another, pumping each other up and sharing words of encouragement. Although it's been a long time since I experienced this, it reminded me of when I used to play football and baseball, and the moments right before the game began. Everyone was filled with optimism and excitement. I only knew about a fourth of the people, but it felt like I was among friends.

#4 Approaching the finish line makes you feel like the whole world is on your side. Too often in life we hear nothing but negative voices and criticism. People tell us what we can't do and why we will fail. In that last stretch leading to the finish line dozens of people, most of whom I didn't even know, were cheering for me, calling my name and telling me to keep going, push harder. For a moment I got distracted from the running and was caught up in the moment, feeling the rush of all of these voices blending together to tell me I could do it and then that I had done it. I was running!

#5 You get to be outside. Saturday was July 16th and usually this time of year is hot, hot, hot! Saturday was an exception. I think my favorite part of the race was just being outside, feeling the wind blowing on my face, looking up at the blue skies, listening to the sounds of the world around me. I loved running past the buildings of downtown Pulaski and through all of the neighborhoods. Truth is, we spend most of our time indoors and it is liberating to be outside, even if it's 90 degrees, even if you're out of breath and even if you're running a 5k.