Just a 5k? I think NOT!

Saturday was a great day. Scott and I drove to Grand Rapids early Saturday morning to participate in the Fifth Third River Bank Run. Two of my girlfriends, Kristy and Carla, were running in the race and they roped me in with promises of bagels and yogurt at the finish:) Actually, our little group expanded to include Kristy's husband and Scott. Carla's husband, Jason, ran the 10-k race, while the rest of us ran the 5k (3.1 miles for you non-runners).

After the race, Scott and I were driving through Starbucks to treat ourselves for having finished the race (okay, I finished...Scott just coasted on cruise control to stick with his wife...thank you, honey for your support! You were awesome!!). The gentleman at the window said "did you run the BIG race?" He meant did we punish ourselves and run the annual 25k that the River Bank offers for those that choose such pain. We responded "no, just the 5k".

Just a 5k. It seems harmless to say - a mere three little words. But what it does is just painful. It makes my effort and the effort of my two fabulous friends seem meaningless. Just a 5k, like it is the easiest thing in the world. I beg to differ. Carla, who has never ran in a timed race before, did a fabulous job sticking to a training schedule that wasn't exactly a cake walk. Add to that the fact she just had a BABY a few weeks ago and is back working from maternity leave! Not easy. My dear friend Kristy found time to train for this race while managing a full time career, a husband and two kids. She woke up early in the morning to run and finished with an AWESOME time (29:05 I think)!! I'm so proud of both of them. And, while I did not train as much as I would have liked, I ran a respectable race at 33:30 for the first 5k of the season. I was thrilled that I ran the whole way without stopping, really pushed myself on the hills and didn't (as Scott puts it) "freak out" when I couldn't quite breathe as deeply as I would have liked.

For the first time in a long time, running was enjoyable and fun. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was doing something I should be proud of myself for.

So for me, this was not just a 5k. It was a chance to be with my dearest friends and my hubby and enjoy a beautiful Saturday morning in Grand Rapids. It was about setting a goal in our hectic life and OBTAINING IT. It was about believing that I could do something and not letting the fear of failure win. I found this quote and I thought I would share it with you:

“Life’s battles don't always go to the strongest or fastest man, But sooner or later the man who wins is the fellow who thinks he can.”

- Unknown