99 - Applying the things to run a race
Notes on a 10K
On the 6th of October 2024, I ran my first 10k.
I’ve always admired people who run but I’ve always considered it too hard a thing for me to be consistent with. So when a colleague suggested signing up for the local 10K a few months ago, my initial response was NO.
However, the seed was planted and I started considering it. After mulling it over for a few weeks, I decided to sign up about 8 weeks before the race day. The entire experience from training to D-day reinforced some things I already knew and taught me some new things so of course I decided to share them with you today.
Start with what you have but don’t be afraid to splurge on the basics. As a non-runner, I didn’t have any running gear. I already had a couple of shoes for my workouts but I wasn’t sure they were designed for running.
I decided to be sensible and start by buying a pair of running shoes. I found a running shop where I was able to do a test to check my gait and determine what type of shoe would fit me best. I narrowed down my choices to two pairs and was sorely tempted to buy them both but in the end, I chose the more comfortable pair. It cost significantly more than any of my other gym gear but it probably saved me from injury and definitely made my running experience less painful.
I was sorely tempted to buy some of the cool gear I’ve seen worn by the runners I follow on Instagram but realistically, they would probably have weighed me down and made me even slower.
Help comes from speaking up. As soon as I decided I was going to do this, I started talking to the few people I know who run. One lady in my sewing group suggested the shop where I bought my shoes. Another lady in my pole group suggested some coaching apps. My sister was on hand to kick me out of bed on the days I didn’t feel like going for a run. If I hadn’t spoken to all these people about my plans, I may not have had all this help. I could probably have gotten some help from Google, but having these people in the know about my plans also helped keep me accountable.
Make a realistic plan. I knew I only had about 8 weeks to train for this race but I also didn’t want to make things too hard for me to stick to. Based on my already existing workout schedule, I decided which days I would be more likely to train successfully and set myself a goal to run 3 times a week. Anything more than this would probably have felt too difficult for me to maintain and I may not have followed through.
I started with the NHS Couch to 5k app which is designed to train for a 5k. Now 5k is only half the distance of the race but I figured that if I could at least train to run a 5k, then on race day I would just run two 5k races. I did not set a goal time for myself either. My only goal was to finish. To be completely honest, I was not sure that it would be possible but I was willing to give it a go.
Go at your own pace. I’d never run a race before so I didn’t know what to expect. When the starting whistle went off, I surged forward with all the other runners until I noticed I was starting to feel winded a few minutes in. I checked my running app and saw that I was going at an unrecognizable pace for myself. I slowed down as most of the other runners went ahead of me. I watched people decades older than myself, people with disabilities, even a woman who was running and pushing a wheelchair ahead of me. I had just crossed the 2km mark when I saw people already on their way back. It was truly humbling. I had to remind myself that these people probably had more running experience than myself and I would probably need emergency services if I tried to keep pace with them.
Focus on consistency and the rest will come. One thing I have learnt over the years is that it is hard to remain terrible at something you do regularly. When I started training, I was running for only 60 seconds and walking for 90 seconds in between and I would be gasping. Within 6 weeks I was able to run for 20 minutes straight. My pace was still slow but I could see and feel the improvement from when I started. I’m still asking myself when the speed will come, but I know that if I can go from barely being able to run for 1 minute to doing a 10k in 8 weeks, then the speed is only a matter of putting in the time.
Find ways to make hard things fun. I always run with music playing, and for the race day, I took time to create a playlist with songs from my favorite genres and this small thing made my run so much more enjoyable. I think it even contributed to my speed because hearing Rema shouting Ozeba in my ear is probably why I was able to do one of my splits in 6:14 min and finish with an average pace of 7:36, two things that have never happened before.
Encouragement is a really nice thing to have. The atmosphere throughout the race was one of encouragement. Many of the runners had their families present at the HQ. The whole course was littered with random strangers cheering everyone on. Some people had placards with words of encouragement. There were kids handing out treats, volunteers clearing the route, handing out bottles of water. It was just such a positive atmosphere and I know it definitely helped me keep going.
The fastest way to know if something will work for you is to try it. This line probably summarizes the entire experience for me. I’m learning not to say I hate things before I’ve tried them. I have never run consistently in the past and before I started training for this race, I had never run a full 5k. While training, the farthest I’d run was 6k but somehow I managed to finish a 10k. I started crying when I got to 9k because I could not believe I had actually gone and done it. I can kinda see myself doing a half marathon one day but for now, I’m basking in the feeling of accomplishment this 10k has given me.
Recently I read
Sugar, Baby by Celine Saintclare - I remember seeing this book on twonightstands a few months ago but my library didn’t have the audiobook so I abandoned it. Thankfully, I found it on Audible and dived in instantly and it was love at first read. It’s a very honest account of the realities of sex work in the age of the internet. I found it to be unpretentious and well-written. It is a debut novel and like most debuts, it feels almost autobiographical. I feel like the author had front-row, if not first-hand experience of the sugar baby lifestyle and gave a realistic account. I really liked that it wasn’t written as a scary cautionary tale. Quick and fun read. Would definitely recommend.
Recently I listed to
Sweet Bobby - I saw an announcement about a new show coming to Netflix and I heard there was a podcast so I thought I’d check it out before watching the show. I’m super fascinated by love scams, so I was keen to check this out and it was the most unexpected and unusual one I have come across.
I found myself having more sympathy than I expected for the protagonist. I’m glad she’s not allowing shame to keep her from speaking up. We live so much of our lives online now and if this has happened to one person, chances are there are even worse stories of this nature out there. I hope the law catches up soon enough and starts to enforce consequences for such acts.
The days are getting shorter and colder and I can feel my mood starting to dip. The pressure of my upcoming exam might also be a contributing factor. I have started taking my Vitamin D supplements early this time around in the hopes of preventing a major dip. Otherwise, life is good.
Here’s wishing you a week + lifetime of trying the things you think are too hard for you to do.
Chioma.