A 10k used to be my goal

Last year, when a friend approached me about running something longer than 3 miles, I told them I think I would ever only want to run 10k. I’d get bored with running something farther I thought. But in all honesty, I didn’t think I could actually run a marathon. I didn’t think I was disciplined enough to train. Not athletic enough to represent. I didn’t think of myself as a runner even though I ran on a semi-irregular basis. That has now changed.

This past Thursday on Thanksgiving, I ran my first 10k race. And I ran it in an hour. And if felt pretty darn good. I wanted more. I also finally considered myself as a runner. I didn’t feel like I was pushing myself too hard in the run. I’ve done 5k’s in the past where it seemed so hard and I had to push myself through it. The 10k, was a run, a fun run and with a goal I knew I could reach.

Not to be immodest, but you know what? I’m proud of myself. I’ve reached a goal I wasn’t sure I could meet. It’s not that the 10k was the goal, or the running it in 60 minutes, it was that I enjoyed the act of running. It felt pleasant, natural and freeing. I just smile when I think of it.

I’m looking forward to my next run.