I ran a 5k yesterday. It should have been unremarkable, but the terror attacks on Boston last week transformed a standard race into an act of patriotism. We had a moment of silence, wore yellow & blue ribbons and there was definately a coming-together vibe in the air.
Thirteen races in 2013 is my running goal. So far, I have completed 5 races and people have begun to think I like to run. Ha! I run to get better at running. For the first few races, my goal was simple- run, no walking. Simple to say, but not simple to do (especially once others start walking- so tempting). But I stuck it out and ran every race through.
By the fourth race, I had enough confidence to know I could run a 5k, so I started thinking about how to run faster. My strategy involved "chasing" someone. I used the first mile to find my running rhythm, then I pick someone running ahead of me and try to catch up with them. Instead of thinking about being tired or hurting, I am focused and moving. When I catch up with that person, I pick a new person to chase.
My mental game is definitely improving. My physical ability remains the sames- right around 32 minutes. I mentioned this to a friend and she said "what is hurting-your lungs or your legs?" I said neither and she replied that I am not pushing myself hard enough. Really running is suppose to hurt? I thought I was going to really push myself in Race 5, but honestly I was just not on my A-game (I blame allergies). So I worked with where I was at and just ran the best I could.
This should have been a standard 5k, but there was a little something extra- people ran with more purpose. It was strange that instead of wishing me good luck, people said "Be Safe." Americans disagree on many things, but we all agree that terrorists are assholes. And just like we haven't stopped flying on planes, we aren't going to stop running. In fact, more of us are probably going to start running.
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