Finish a 10k

“I remember taking my first walk break because the incline of an underpass was not something I was familiar with. The burning in my legs and chest was different and not something I was prepared to handle. I remember losing my friend at one point because she was faster than I was and I needed a break. And I remember later catching up to her, and being so darn proud of us, as we crossed the finish close together.”

“And as I ran the Lululemon San Diego 10K, repeating those words, I found myself recognizing them not as a motivator, but as an acknowledgement of truth. One mile, three miles, six miles in. As my legs ached and lungs burned, it wasn’t positive reinforcement: it was a declaration. I can do hard things. Each step forward, evidence.”

“During the race, I ran into two small hiccups. One was that I lost all focus on my running form as the race adrenaline hit me, which made me overstride, which made my right foot go numb. Two, my fanny pack kept riding up onto my stomach and it was uncomfortable to run with, but I had opted for it over my vest because I thought it would be simpler. Next time I will just use my vest! Newbie things.”