I’m writing today with the purpose of inspiring those of you who have considered running but are in that place where you feel as if going from walking to running isn’t something you can possibly do. You may think it is too hard or that you aren’t strong enough. I’m here to tell you that you do have what it takes.
I was there once and not so long ago. A mere year ago I could barely run 3K and that was after a few months of running on a treadmill several times a week. At first it did seem daunting but that was my mind playing games. I would cry because I felt like I was going to fail. I told myself that I had signed up for a 5K race that I didn’t have the physical capacity to complete. I’m not generally negative and I am utterly stubborn… so I would quit listening to that voice in my head that kept screaming “can’t”. I put my running shoes on and went to work. It helped that a friend reminded me that we all have to start somewhere and that every runner has had their challenges. I listened.
I wasn’t fast and I wasn’t particularly graceful. It would take me more than 30 minutes to run 3K, however, a few months before I could barely run a full minute. I used a free website to track my progress and I could see that I was getting better when I looked at my training summary. I was getting faster and running further. I proceeded with the attitude that I could not fail. Even if I had to walk half the race, I would still finish. I was not going to quit.
March 2011 came and nearer the end of the month, I ran 5K for the first time after 4 months of gently increasing my endurance. I did it! I really did it! I can’t express the sense of achievement that I felt that day. It was amazing. I ran the distance two more times before my first race and that gave me confidence. Sure, I was slow and I had to have walk breaks. It didn’t matter. What mattered to me was that I knew I could cross that finish line and prove that I could do what, at one time, I thought would be impossible. That’s what counts and still does.
A light bulb went on with the help of my husband Bryan. One night, when we got home from the indoor track, Bryan and I were chatting about running. I was whining that the run wasn’t one of my better times for 5K. Then he said something. Something that is quite amazing to me. “Laurie, do you realize that 5K is now your standard distance for fitness runs? You couldn’t do that a year ago.” He’s right (he’s going to love that I said that publicly – lol). That distance, which seemed so horribly difficult to achieve, is one that I run several times a week now. On Saturdays I run more than 10K now. Go figure!
I hope that you look at my progress and that it gives you the courage to quit thinking about it and give running your best shot (of course, be sure to check with your doctor first and find a good training plan). You might even consider booking a race, allowing yourself ample time to train for it, of course. That will keep you motivated especially if it is a charity run and you are collecting donations. Then you are giving yourself a great gift while doing something amazing for someone else.
Training can be tough but the rewards are worth it, I promise. You can do it!
Leave a comment