Though I have yet to sign up for my next "race", I am preparing to get back to the committed weekly training. My husband is gaining quite a following on his Twitter and FB accounts for his motivational ruminations and running tips for every level of athlete. All that positivity is bound to rub off on me, right?! Time will tell. In the meantime, enjoy this re-post.
"It’s all a matter of perspective…a few weeks back, I was conversing with a co-worker and the topic of our impending Family 5K came up. I mentioned I had been training for several weeks, and Logan had been my reluctant partner on many of those occasions. My co-worker’s jaw dropped…”Only a 5K? Doesn’t your husband run ultramarathons, and the like? A 5K is barely long enough to break a sweat! Seriously, how much do you really have to train for that?” And after that, she (who will remain nameless), turned around and walked away.
Since my mouth was then agape and I am notoriously deficient when it comes to quick, witty responses, it is only now I can effectively put into words what I should have verbalized then.
Well, needless to say, I’m not my husband. He is an incredible man who has found a passion in long-distance running and inspires me daily with his courage, dedication, commitment, and love for the journey! He has been my biggest cheerleader and tireless supporter in everything I choose to pursue.
I, on the other hand, carry a few too many pounds, would NEVER be confused with an “athlete”, and most days I LOATHE the mental preparation and physical endurance running requires. Additionally, I am a severe asthmatic who just a few months ago, could not jog around the block without gasping for air.
I would not today, call myself a “runner”. However, while training for this 5K (just in hopes of not completely embarrassing myself or my family), I have come to actually enjoy some aspects of the process. And, I have learned I am stronger and more capable (and more competitive!), than I thought I was. It has not been easy, but it has been worth it! I have no idea what to expect tomorrow (from nerves, to shin splints, to leg cramps, to laughs, to tears and everything in between), but I fully expect this will be just the first of the 5K’s I register for in my attempt to continue striving toward a healthier me. Then again, I have no aspirations to become a marathoner and run alongside my husband…that is his world, not mine. But somewhere in the middle we have a found some ground we can comfortably and safely share.
So, WHEN we finish the race tomorrow, no matter how long it takes, or what condition we all are in (invariably, my husband will need to run an additional 20 miles once we get home:)), I will not be ashamed of the pride I feel of our accomplishment, I will not allow our efforts to be diminished by the fact that “it’s only a 5K”, and if they happen to be handing out 3.1 bumper stickers at the finish line, my truck will boldly wear our declaration of achievement!
Reminder to the haters: Don’t assume everyone has the capacity to complete a task you find unremarkable…Don’t belittle the achievements of others in an attempt to improve your own self-worth…and Don’t laugh at the 3.1 bumper sticker on the white Ford Explorer driving around S.E. Michigan:)"