I’ve finally found an “official” race to enter – the Mayor’s 5k, part of the White Rock Marathon weekend festivities. Kelly won’t be able to run it with me since he’s running the full marathon the following day. I know he’ll be at the finish line to cheer me across, though.
This morning I ran a 5k training run at the gym. I have to say, running is making a different in both my legs’ muscle tone and overall cardio fitness level. This morning I also noticed that it’s teaching me some life lessons.
- Getting started isn’t easy. I have never yet thought I will survive mile #1. Just like life, getting started takes perseverance and determination, and a bit of gutting it out.
- Enjoy the groove. At some point, my body settles into a rhythm. My stride is natural. Each step seems effortless. I know what I’m doing and I barely concentrate as the laps tick by.
- Expect hiccups. From out of the blue, my calf cramps. Or I run out of water with a quarter mile to go. Even worse, I forgot to recharge my iPod and it shuts off. It’s not my idea of fun, but I can’t let it ruin my run, either.
- If you want something, expect to work for it. I want a healthy heart, I want to win the battle of the outer thighs, and I most definitely want to burn fat. The only way to meet those goals is to continue challenging myself. Sweat and hard work give me a much better chance at success than apathy and wishful thinking.