Let’s be clear, I hate running. I’ve never enjoyed it, but I’ve done it on and off to keep myself in shape. However, somehow I found myself agreeing to run a 10k race with my boyfriend’s mom and her sister last weekend. A 10k is only about 6.2 miles, but for someone who does not run by any means, that’s a lot! I did not train or prep in any way that I should have, that was mistake number one, but by the end of it, I learned some things.
1: It’s okay to walk
That sounds asinine, but it’s true. I don’t know why I always felt ashamed or embarrassed by needing a walk break, but you’ll find that 1) you’re going to need it and 2) everyone does it. Okay, maybe not everyone, but enough to where it’s common. I found myself in a pack of people who sometimes I’d see them run 20 steps and then walk. Then run, then walk. If your body needs it, that’s okay. Just make sure you raise your hand to signal to the people behind you… I didn’t realize that was a thing. I’m sorry for the runners behind me before I realized.
2: Carbs, carbs, carbs
Before the race, my sister told me to carb load. I thought “yeah, okay, sure.” When I got to the finish line, what was the reward (besides a super cool medal)? Pizza. There is a whole scientific process there that I am just not equipped to adequately explain, but if no one has told you yet, carb load.
3: People are kind
Runners are nice. Way nicer than I thought they’d be. Maybe it’s because you’re all embracing the suck together, but they’re kind and supportive. Same with the people handing out water and cheering on mile markers. Maybe this race was just a particularly kind bunch, but everyone was supportive.
4: You’re going to be sore, like really sore
Maybe this is a given, and going into it I knew I’d be sore. I just never expected the “where”. For example my back hurts. I need someone who studies the human body to explain why my back is so sore. My neck, my feet, my quads and everything else is stiff. I should have stretched. That’s another thing, STRETCH! I did a little, but for the most part I really chose to just cold start my body on that run like a V6 in winter. Rookie mistake.
5: It’s a mindset game
The more I thought, “I hate this,” the more I hated it. A friend of mine once told me you can trick yourself into running longer by just telling yourself you can. Like the ‘little train that could’ going up that hill, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.” I don’t know if that’s true, but the more I told myself that my legs didn’t burn that bad and that I could keep going, I found myself doing it.
What I really learned was that I really don’t hate running all that much. It’s brutal and painful, but the endorphin high at the finish line is worth it. The laughs and exchanged remarks with the people you’re running with is worth it. Plus, the medal at the end is pretty sweet. Sure, it’s a participation prize. But it’s not just for showing up, it’s for the commitment to just do it. You need some motivation, this is it. Get up, go for a walk or a run or hop, skip, frolic down the street. Whatever you need. Just do it.
