6 Reasons I 5K (And So Can You!)

I may have mentioned that I ran my first 5K in March of this year. Here I am, triumphantly embarking with my companions:

Note my friend's "I'm a champion!" pose.

Last week, in a conversation about my 2nd 5K coming up on Thanksgiving Day, I was asked a question by my boss that no one's really asked me before: 

"What made you want to run a 5K?"

 A few different responses popped into my mind before I ended up with: "When I ran the one I did in March, I really liked the feeling of setting my mind to something and accomplishing it."

That was a pretty good answer on the fly, but there's really a lot more to it than that, and I couldn't stop thinking about it once the conversation was over. So I decided to compile a list. Some of the details are specific to me, but the general concepts are ones I would use to urge anyone considering a 5K or any other type of fitness challenge to go for it. 

6 Reasons I 5K (And So Can You!)*

1. Empowerment

The (slightly) long(er) version of the answer I actually gave: This last year, or rather- the last few years, have been incredibly difficult for several reasons. Debilitating medical emergencies, financial strain, loss of community- a lot of it has been beyond my control.

Feelings of weakness and powerlessness were ever-present in those situations, but I surprised myself on the day of my 5K by not only finishing the entire race without stopping, but by doing so in better time than I had expected. That rush of feeling that I was strong, that I could despite the craziness that littered the rest of my life, was enough to make me hungry for more. 

2. Discipline

One of my mantras this year (borrowed from Jon Acuff) has been, "Discipline begets discipline." I'm one of those people who often has grand intentions for starting new habits or kicking old ones, with little follow-through when that initial optimism wears off. Sound familiar to most of you, New-Years-Resolution-Makers? 

Because I've set a goal for myself to beat my last race's time during the Turkey Trot, I've been motivated to train consistently. I've adjusted and given slack to the schedule as needed, but just about every week for the last nine, I've followed my training schedule. And that discipline has spilled into other aspects of my life, too. 

I feel like never before that I'm able to hold myself to an unmovable standard while also showing myself grace in the event that I need to change my plans. No more feelings of guilt and shame, just adjusting the plan so that I still accomplish the goal, even if it's through a different route than originally planned. 

3. Mental Stamina

My mind is so much stronger than my body sometimes. At one point during my training, I realized I could trick myself into running the distance I was supposed to run that day. Here's how the conversation went:

Body: I can't do this! My legs hurt!

Mind: Just keep going until that stop sign.

Body: Okay, fine. That's not too far, I can do that.

Body: Okay, I reached the stop sign, now I'm done. I can barely breathe.

Mind: Just a little farther. You can make it to that truck up there.

Body: Okay, fine. I guess I can make it to the truck.

Mind: Great! Now keep going until you're finished.

Body: FINE! But I don't have to like it!

It's kind of like the trick my mom used to play on me when I didn't want to finish my food growing up:

Me: "Mom, I don't want to finish this." 

Mom: "Come on, just eat half of what's on your plate." 

Me: "Okay, I ate half."

Mom: "Great! Now eat the other half."

Is it trickery? Yep. Does it work? You bet. My mind can tell my body to do things my body didn't know it could do. Now, when I'm at the beginning of a run and my legs hurt, I don't even have to trick myself to know that I can keep going. I remember from the times before, when I proved to my doubting body that I could.

4. Fitness

This one's fairly obvious, but we all know cardio's not bad for you. Admittedly, there's a lot of debate about whether or not cardio by itself provides the most sustainable health for the human body, but I figure if it's running or nothing, choose running. At this point, I can't afford a membership or a bunch of equipment, but I can afford a free app and I already have shoes. Bonus: it's always nice when you catch a glimpse of your legs in the mirror and are surprised by how great they're looking. Thanks, Running!

5. Shared Experience

My first 5K was shared with the previously pictured BFFM (Best Friends From Michigan). Afterwards we celebrated with the best bacon ever at the best brunch spot in town. The Turkey Trot experience will be shared with my brother and followed by our family's Thanksgiving Day festivities. Completing a challenge with someone, big or small, is one of the best bonding experiences, as is celebrating that accomplishment together. It creates memories that aren't soon forgotten.

Post-race, pre-bacon.

6. So That. (A.K.A. Building toward future goals)

 I realize that 5K is not a huge distance, and is considered pretty small potatoes in the running world. I don't care. I'm just starting out, and these small victories are crucial for any more progress to happen.

 I'm running another 5K so that I can solidify the success of running a smaller race and build toward longer races that will multiply the benefits I've already experienced. My plan is a 10K sometime in 2014 and eventually a half marathon. At some point, I think it would be awesome to do a triathlon, but that's a goal I'll set later.

My conversation with my boss ended with me telling her that if I could do it, anyone could do it. And that's what I truly believe- if you have any inkling of a desire to do something like this, do it! What do you have to lose?

*Yes, I do know English doesn't work this way. This is obviously a reference to Stephen Colbert's cleverly-titled book.