If you wait for the right time to do something, you’re never going to do it. There is never going to be a right time. You’re never going to be fully prepared. It took me about 3 years of recreational running to finally sign up for my first 5k that took place on April 1st. I really had no idea what to expect out of an actual race. Well, no, that’s incorrect. I DID expect to be extremely slow. I expected to be surrounded by other competitive racers that have way more training and experience than I did at the time. As I mentioned, I had been running for some time but never considered myself an actual “runner”, meaning I never competed or actually pushed myself. The days leading up to race day, I became more anxious and excited. I had a mini shopping spree and bought new shoes, sports bras, and even a new activity tracker. The week of the race, I went to my first weightlifting class, which was a huge mistake because I was so sore that I couldn’t run for a day or two. And if that wasn’t bad enough, I CAUGHT A COLD. No amount of zinc tablets could have prevented it; Trust me, I tried. I spent the next few days drinking my body weight in tea and taking cold medicine while complaining to my mom daily.
Finally, the day of the race came and I still wasn’t feeling very up to par but, after a few internet searches (because if it’s on the internet, it must be true, right?), I decided for myself that I was well enough to run in the race. First things first, if you think you’re going to be the odd one out in a crowd of super fit looking people, you’re wrong. There’s all different kinds of body types at the starting line. Running is a very personal sport and there’s some pride in it, even for the slowest person in the group (which most likely, you won’t be), because you took the steps to get there (no pun intended). There’s no pressure to try to keep up with everyone else. It’s totally okay to walk if you feel the need to, but you probably won’t want to stop. Your adrenaline is going to be pushing you forward and if you choose a race close to your community like I did, you’re going to have a ton of support.
I definitely could not have created a personal record for myself if it wasn’t for the other runners, course guides, public safety officers, and walkers who pushed me forward and encouraged me to keep going the whole time. It was such a great experience that I immediately signed up for my next race to take place in November. I’m hooked. If you’re thinking about competing in a race but aren’t sure if you’re good enough, my advice is to just do it. Stop waiting for the right time, or until you consider yourself a “runner”. I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes: “Mirror mirror on the wall I'll always get up after I fall and whether I run or walk or even crawl I'll set my goals and achieve them all” - Chris Butler
