This past weekend, I ran the Yuengling Shamrock 8k with my boyfriend and his mom on March 21 in Virginia Beach. An 8k is roughly five miles, shorter than other races I’ve done in the past.
Every race I’ve done, however, I’ve allowed myself walk breaks – which I still firmly believe are important and there’s no shame in taking one – but this time I didn’t walk. Not once. I may not have run at a groundbreaking pace, but I didn’t walk.
The days leading up, I would go on runs and seriously struggle to do a mile. I didn’t understand – sure, I haven’t been as consistent as I used to be, but my muscles are fit for it. My endurance is fit for it. So why was I struggling?
I went into Saturday’s race not really caring what happened. I just wanted to have fun and spend time with the people I care about.
We joined our corral, stretched and set off.
Like most sane individuals, I run with headphones in and music on top volume. 99% of the time, I refuse to even entertain the idea of running without music.
This time, my airpods sat bouncing in my shorts pocket for the entirety of the run.
Instead, we laughed and talked and joked the entire race. From the start to finish line, Gage and I ran side by side laughing and chatting. I even told him that if he jumped and did a heel click in front of one of the cameras, I’d buy him a bagel after the run. I now owe him a bagel.
His mom stayed with us for most of the run, sometimes separating, but we all crossed the finish line together.
That run was the most fun I’ve ever had.
That doesn’t mean it was entirely easy – I had moments running in the direct sun of the Virginia Beach boardwalk where I contemplated walking, where I couldn’t talk in super coherent sentences for the entire stretch.
I wanted to walk – I told myself, just get to this mile marker and you’ve earned the rest break. That break never came though.
Every time I’d feel like quitting, just for a second, Gage was there encouraging me to keep going. His words in those moments meant the world to me. He was single handedly stopping the voice in my head telling me to quit. That’s because it was no longer just a solo sport, he shared that burden with me.
It’s important to note that he’s not a runner. He is, but not in the type that does it for fun and to get racing medals. He runs for exercise and to cut weight for his training. Nonetheless, he’s still in much better shape than I am.
It took so long for me to convince him to get up at 5AM on his day off to come run around for a super expensive medal and mediocre food and T-Shirt.
So the fact that not only he showed up to do it with me, but he was also coaching me through it, meant the absolute world. His support was endless.
Had I not had someone beside me, talking me through it, I don’t know if I would have ran the entire time. Sure, this wasn’t some momentous feat, but it still meant a lot to me.
It made me realize that running didn’t have to be me battling my own thoughts. It didn’t have to be a sport in solidarity.
So, if you’re struggling to increase your mileage on runs, try finding a buddy to tag along. Might just help you out.
