Impossible to Possible... My First 5K (Run for the Bagel 5K)

U.S. Olympian PattiSue Plummer once said, "Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."

Recently, I signed up for and completed a 5K Run (Run for the Bagel 2012) and it was one of the most exhilarating experiences in my life. Crossing the finish line in 33:01 was nice (under my goal of 35 minutes) but it was much more symbolic than just completing a race... Crossing the finish line felt more like a beginning to a new life. I have always been an athlete, but for some reason, I felt as if "running" was not possible for me. I, like many others, had a "great" excuse that prevented me from being able to run.

From previous sports, my knees had taken some pretty intense damage... and if I ran my knees would fill with fluid, swell up, and I would be laid up for days... Running is impossible!

My Church's Running Team - Teams First 5K

I have always been competitive, but it the sports i played involved competition against other people. At 29, I was facing my biggest competition ever; myself.

The difference is simple, I told myself that I could... and I trained for it smart. I spent two whole months not running a single bit. Instead, I focused on cycling which built up my knees and my cardio without having a major impact on my knees... After that, I starting my running with a few mini goals:

1. Run without major discomfort
2. Run a Mile without stopping
3. Run a Mile in under 9 minutes
4. Run 2 Miles 
5. Run 5K in under 35 minutes

Those mini goals really helped me get to where I am now... I can now say that I ran a 5K and I finished... and my knees held up without being in pain the next day. From here, I'm going to keep pushing forward... I am excited to say that I finished my first 5K, but I am even more excited to continue my life with a better perspective.