Dating : My 10K: unplanned, but prepared

Running my first 10K was spur of the moment. I had trained to run a 5K, but I had recently found myself running further and further, slowly building my weekly mileage.

I had the desire to run a 10K after an article popped up in my news feed. I was reading “10 Tips to Successfully Run a 10K”. It was a generic article, one of a dozen. But the idea was then implanted in my mind on that Friday afternoon. Saturday morning, I did my usual workout routine of bodyweight exercises and paused.

I asked myself the persistent question on my mind.

Am I ready to run a 10K?

I had just finished my last three month goal, a week prior…My last three month goal was to run a 5K. I had greatly underestimated my stubbornness and accomplished my last three month goal in one month. I didn’t want to make the same mistake again.

This three month period, I wanted to make sure that I was going to challenge myself with realistic goals. I, funnily enough, always seem to struggle by setting my goals a bit too low. So this three month period, I wanted to remedy this.

Sunday morning I woke up and gazed out the window. I had my answer. I was both ready and willing to run my first 10K. The furthest I had run before was 6K.

I dressed and went downstairs. I encountered my first hiccup. It was raining, not heavy downpour but a consistent drizzle. It was one of the days where there is a thought rattling around in my head. It was not going to leave until I tried.

I went to the kitchen, had a PB&J, and then followed it up with my morning stretches. I then completed my non-negotiable workout of the day. I decided that it would be my warm-up.

Muscles warm and spirit determined, I put on my shoes and grabbed a light windbreaker. I had never intentionally ran in the rain, so it was going to be a new experience for me.

My handy SPI belt was with me and I started with a light jog. The first two kilometers were rough, my muscles didn’t seem to like the colder weather. The only thing keeping me going was my wonderful, Nike Running Club App. I was just listening to the benchmarks being called out: one kilometer, two kilometer, three kilometer….

I was finally getting my rhythm. By the fifth kilometer, I had a mini celebration which consisted of a little dance a small cheer. I looked down at my watch and saw my time. I did some quick mental math and realized that I was right on track for my goal. I had a moderate goal of succeeding under an hour and a half. It was an easy goal, but considering I had never run this distance it was a good goal

By the sixth kilometer, I was overjoyed. It was a new PR for the furthest distance. I felt incredibly accomplished. I also gave myself permission to stop. I can be incredibly bull headed so I knew that if I didn’t give myself permission to quit, I might run myself to another injury.

Only a few months prior, I had over-trained so I felt like I needed a reminder. A reminder that the run is about more than just one single run. It was about a bigger picture for me.

I am a relatively new runner. In middle school, I had a brief and hateful relationship with running in cross country. Forced into it by my parents, I hated every second of running.

It was only in July that I had a random urge to go for a jog. It was just as horrible as it was in my memories. I felt heavy and clunky. Hearing my feet hit the ground and feeling the hot sun bear down on me was so incredibly discouraging. But for reasons unknown to me, I went back again and again.

I then ran my first 5K, at least my first 5K as a recreational runner. I took part in a race and won a scarf. I was officially hooked. The feeling of accomplishment was addicting. I was running my fastest miles, my furthest distance, and even on runs when I didn’t PR, I enjoyed the sun on my face.

Running my first 10K, I was reminded of all of my accomplishments that I had made this year. I have been more successful in running than I ever imagined. Running always seemed like a skinny person’s sport, but I found my place. I found stories online of other non-stereotypical runners. I was liberated from my personal expectations.

When I reached my 8th kilometer, I knew that I was going to finish the 10K no matter what. I didn’t care if I sprained my ankle, no one was going to stop me.

I had a small secondary goal. I wasn’t as committed to this one, but it was a personal hope. I wanted to run the 10K non-stop. A big goal for someone who used to breath heavy just going up the stairs.

I had thus far managed to stay on a stable path for both of my goals. Then the 9th kilometer passed. None of the stories that I heard told me that the last kilometer was the hardest. I had always heard that the first ones always feel rough, but I suppose that I have been talking to the wrong people.

I was suffering. I had a strange numbness in one of my toes, but only one (that can’t possibly be normal). I was sweaty but somehow cold. The rain had suddenly stopped as if the sky was holding its breath until I finished. My windbreaker was sticking to my sweaty arms and I wanted to rip it off. I had nowhere to store my windbreaker so I had to just keep moving. The wind was coming straight at me. I kept moving step by step.

Then I finally heard the wonderful words.

Last 100 meters… last 20 meters…Completed!

It was exhilarating. I had run 10K. I had achieved my three month goal within one week of setting it! I was thrilled, no one in my family is a runner, so I ran to break barriers for me and my family.

…Now I need to come up with another three month goal…whoops!