Week 0: Signing Up

I do not have a true athletic background. As far as team sports with competitive play goes, my resume is not spectacular. The “somewhat” athletic experience I have are at fitness centers where I am working out to my own pace.

With that being said, I do not know what it takes to be a true athlete pushing myself beyond my physical limits. Although I played some sports in more fun than competitive leagues, I do not know what it is like to practice daily for countless hours conditioning and training my body for the next game. My current body and mind have very little discipline to become a true athlete.

In Week 0, my wife and I signed up. Excited, yet nervous, I know we will do well. Signing up was the step to prove to myself I can run one. No need to focus on what I have not done in the past or what the other runners have done, I am challenging myself to do something I did not envision I would be doing in my mid-30s. Before taking a step on anybody’s treadmill or running a single mile outside during South Carolina’s unpredictable Fall weather patterns, I told myself I can do this. Running my first 5K in my mid-30s sounds crazy but that feeling of a runner’s accomplishment and the preparation before the actual run feels like it will be more rewarding when it is all said and done.

So, with that being said, why do I want to run a 5K? And not just a 5K, but my very first one. One that I will be running in my mid-30s when most started running 5K’s in their teens and twenties. It is simple. It has always been on my mind to be able to run long distances without getting tired after a short run. I have tried running on my own in the past at my own time and pace, but it got me little results or reaching my goal. I want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, so signing up for a 5K would motivate me to continue conditioning even after completing my very first run. It will discipline me to stay on a healthy routine. Just like school, I am more disciplined to studying when there is a test involved. Well, I see this 5K as a test to my physical health. Will my health and endurance improved when I am challenged to run/walk 3.2 miles in a race to the finish line with other runners? Going against my norm, what am I made of when I am running on the day of the 5K? Will I surprise myself or give in to fatigue? Most importantly, how well will my training and conditioning be leading up to the 5K run day?

I cannot answer those questions at the moment. However, I will find those answers through training. Through the process of training and conditioning I hope I find out just how determined I am to reach my physical fitness goals.

Stick around. My journey to running in my first 5K is just beginning.

Written By: Preston Thompson