Yesterday, I ran for 3.1 miles – marking my first ever 5k run.
Early this summer, I took up running. I gave myself a worthy goal – to hit a consistent 10-12 minute mile before the end of the year. I am not a strong runner. I’ve never really been a strong runner.
My training started relatively easy. I ran for 30 seconds and walking for 1 minute. I started at a 15+ minute mile. Each week or so, I would increase my run interval by 5 seconds. I’ve made it to 1 minute and 30 seconds now, and have hit a 12:05 minute mile and hope to keep increasing that and eventually decreasing my walk time.
To give myself a more short-term goal, I signed up for an official 5k that takes place on October 19. That’s now less than a month away. Time to buckle down on my training!
Typically, I run 3-4 times a week. Most of the time, it’s during my lunch break at work, which means my time is limited. I can typically get 2 miles in, sometimes 2.5, but I’ve never ran the full 3.1 miles of a 5k. I figure that I don’t want my first time to be on race day, so yesterday, feeling the urge, I ran.
I ran at 1 minute intervals, figuring that the added distance would mean I should probably pace myself a bit.
And I did it.
I ran down my hilly dirt road, back and forth 4 times, in order to get the full distance in. My pace was slow, as expected (average pace of 14:54), but I did it. And it felt good to know I can do it. I am deliberately pushing myself, making myself stronger and increasing my endurance. And I am seeing and feeling a huge difference.
I am moving ONWARD.
The Loebick Mindset 