My First 10K

I completed my first running 10K this January after months of training using the "Couch to 10k" app, and I learned a lot -Not only about training & running, (which you can read back on previous training blog posts- first ten weeks) but about myself.

*This post is going to be a general reflection of the race and the process leading up to it, but I will post another one about the specific event itself later.

Here's a list of my bigger expectations vs. the realities:

Expectation: I wouldn't want to run this distance again. I'd want to stick to shorter runs, 5Ks, etc.

Reality: After completing the 10K, I want to see how much further I can go. I want to see if I could beat my previous time. I want to stick with it.

Expectation: I'd feel out of place among the other runners. After all, I just started being consistent in running.

Reality: I felt an overwhelming sense of community, support, and kindness. It's true there are all ability ranges that were there- some walking, others sprinting, but everyone was supportive of one another (at least that I saw)

Expectation: I wasn't sure how I'd feel at the end of the race. I thought I'd be tired and worn down, in need of a nap.

Reality: I felt so energized, and confident and capable in my body. I've done a lot of things in my life, but nothing was as much of a confidence boost as running my first 10K was.

Here are a list of the things I learned throughout the process, (and I wish I would've known at the beginning for what to expect):

- The shoes make a world of difference. Get good running shoes from the start. Running stores will help you find the best fit for you.

- Improvement is happening, even if you don't feel or see it right away. I've never been the most patient person, so this took me awhile to get my head around, but the progress is happening.

- Track your progress. This is related to the previous bullet, but track the training and your progress so you can look back at it, especially when you're feeling stuck. There are a ton of fitness apps, trackers, and watches- just find the one that works best for you.

- Find a friend to run with or to help keep you accountable. This makes a world of difference. Having a support system that can go alongside you, or cheer you on will keep you going more than you could imagine. And the reverse goes the same for this too- if you know certain people in your life are naysayers - the type that likes to shoot down your goals before you've even started, avoid sharing this part of yourself with them. Their negativity won't help you. I could go into great detail here, but it's best to just share this goal or process with the supportive folks in your life.

- Treadmill vs. track vs. road runs are very different. Each of these ways of running are great and will likely happen over the months of training, but be aware that they're very different.

• The treadmill can feel incredibly redundant over time, but it's great when you need to squeeze the workout in, aren't feeling motivated, or have to get the workout in during an odd time/ bad weather. A downside here is- you won't be going at your pace, you'll be going at the pace of the machine. Having a show or a movie to watch will help distract from the redundancy/ make the time go faster.

• The track (indoor, or outdoor, doesn't matter) is great for increasing endurance, and working on your time. This one will also feel a little redundant over time, especially with the lack of scenery changes, BUT it's a great in-between from treadmill to road runs.

• Road Runs/ Trail Runs are ideal. I never thought I'd say that, but here we are. Road runs allow for a lot of change of scenery, and makes the distance feel smaller. The changes in incline can help quite a bit while training. This is also the closest to what an actual race route will be like, so more miles like this will make race day easier. For me, this one was the hardest one to mentally prepare to do because it meant running more "in public" and when you're new and feeling more insecure in your abilities, that's a hard mental obstacle to overcome, but worth it once you get past that insecurity.

- Find a comfortable bathroom right after the race. I won't get too into details here, but your stomach may feel very weird after a long race.

-Have back-up plans. This goes for workout times, what you eat, and everything in-between. Mentally prepare yourself for different situations. During the winter months, I bought a membership to the Rec. Center near me as a back-up for bad weather days. I didn't end up having to use it, but knowing I had the option helped keep me on track.

- Be gentle with yourself. It's easy to get tied up in the negative thoughts of: "oh I missed a day" "I didn't get a great time there" etc. etc. HOWEVER, it's important to remember that it's all a process. It takes time. There will never be a "perfect" time to train. Life will happen and knock you off course. Some days you won't be in the right head-space to workout. All of that is fine. Just keep moving forward.

Overall, I'm so glad I set this goal for myself. It's also a workout style that helped me gain confidence, and mental clarity, and I fully intend to keep going.