A month ago, I ran my first 10K race.
Last year, me and a couple of girlfriends decided we would set a health and fitness goal to train for a 10K race. None of us were runners and we purchased the app called “Couch to 10K.” It sounded perfect!
One-by-one we each suffered various injuries with our relatively minimal training efforts. As the race approached, my friends decided, for various reasons, they would cancel their entries to the race and get their money back for the registration fee. We each had purchased the cancellation insurance, “just in case.”
I decided, even though I had not trained that much, and had not even run 3 km, that I was going to show up the starting line of the 10K race. I didn’t want to let myself down and not follow through on this goal and I thought to myself, there is value in showing up.
I had 3 goals…
1. Get to the starting line
2. Get to the finish line
3. Don’t die or injure myself in between 🤪
When I was at the starting line, with hundreds of other runners, including Duncan, my friend and colleague in the IAJW, I closed my eyes and…
I recalled being a runner in high school. I used to run cross country plus sprints in track and field. I often won ribbons for placement in these races. I thought to myself if any part of my body remembers being a runner, it would be a very good time to access that body memory now!
And…
I thought of the the words my friend texted me “may Angels be at your feet” and I imagined them at my calves, knees, and quads too. 😉
The race started and I began running. Duncan was beside me and was taking off for the half marathon. We were only in stride briefly until I fell into my own rhythm and pace. I had no idea if I could actually run 10K because I have never done it before. But I thought, all I have to do is keep running.
I kept hearing “just keep swimming” from the Finding Nemo movie we watched many times when my sons were young!
And I did. I just kept running. I passed the 1KM sign. Then the 2KM sign. And I just kept running. There were tons of people in front of me and some people behind me too. I had no idea how many, and it didn’t matter.
I reached the 5KM marker and I thought to myself: “Wow, I’m half way and I haven’t walked or stopped yet. ALL I need to do is run this amount AGAIN and I’m done.”
I was nearly out of breath, my legs hurt, my back hurt, but I just kept running. I needed a drink of water badly and had none.
Then I passed 6KM and then 7KM and then 8KM signs and I still had not stopped to walk! I was shocked. I thought to myself, I can do this. I only have 2 more kilometres to go and I just kept going.
There were people cheering from the sidewalks, I was passing people who were walking, faster runners were passing me.
Then I crossed the 9km mark. I thought to myself, what would a self-respecting or “real runner” do right now?
They would speed up. They would finish strong. They would push it to the finish line.
And so, I picked up my pace. I turned a corner in the road and saw the big red balloon archway that marks the finish line off in the distance (it is amazing how long 1KM is when it is stretched clearly out in front of you!)
I ran as fast as I could. I passed other runners. Some runners passed me. We were all aiming for the same finish line, each in our own way, each about to accomplish something, for whatever reason we were there.
I crossed the finish line and heard my name over the loud speaker “Lynda Monk from Salt Spring Island.” 🏁
It was invigorating!
“WOW, I did it!” I thought to myself. I was actually shocked that I ran the whole thing.
Then they put the medal around my neck. Hundreds of people were all around. About 2,000 people enter this race. They were all a blur to me. I felt tears in my eyes. Tears of happiness and something more too.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela
Me vs. Me
This race was not about getting a time, or winning, or even noticing anybody else, it was “me versus me” it was a mindset race, as much as a physical one.
It was about showing up to the starting line and seeing what’s possible, even when I was not as prepared as I wanted to be.
It means pushing, even when it’s hard.
It means trying, just trying.
It means setting goals and being willing to commit to them, which is always about committing to myself in some way.
There have been times in my life when I have abandoned myself in various ways. Showing up at this starting line, was about showing up for myself.
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In the near month since running this race, I notice this experience has changed me.
Recently, my 27 year old chosen kin niece, Olivia, was visiting me and she suggested we go for a 5 km run together. I said “sure.” And we got up the next morning, put our running shoes on, walked out my front door and ran 5 km, while we each listened to our play lists and kept stride together. It felt great!
I am a runner.
And just like that, I went from “not being a runner” to “being a runner.”
I went from all the reasons I can’t do something like this, to being the version of myself who can.
When we let that version of ourself show up in life, anything is possible!
Journal Prompts Inspired by a 10K Race
- What goal would you like to accomplish?
- What is one hard thing you have done lately? What did you learn about yourself from doing it?
- Is there something you would like to do, a stretch goal, that is in service to your health and well-being in some way?
- How can challenging yourself empower you and remind you what you’re capable of?
- Have you surprised yourself lately (in a good way)? If so, how?
- What’s possible?
“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” — Fred DeVito
Author: Lynda Monk, Director, IAJW.org writes, speaks and teaches about transformational journaling for personal growth, healing and creative self-expression. She believes in the power of good questions to inspire our journaling and our lives! Get her free Journaling is… gift here >>
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