Challenge yourself to a 5k and become a runner: mentally and physically
It all started with one 5k. Three miles, two feet, and one long blonde ponytail flying behind a skinny 7 year old girl with the biggest smile on her face. I’m still uncertain whether it was the endorphins from running or the door prizes given out at the end of the race, but from the moment I finished my first road race, was sure of one thing: I was a running adict. As a member of the cross country team in high school, my passion for running and all types of exercise grew. I set my sights on running in college, and am currently a member of the Elon track and cross country teams. This blog isn’t about training to become an elite athlete. There’s plenty of blogs like that on the Internet, and, they’re intimidating, I know. This isn’t meant to intimidate, it’s meant to inspire. My goal is to share the how and why of exercising. This summer, I challenge you to make a change. Become more active, even if you already exercise daily, make some kind of change so when you return to Elon, your friends, and most importantly, you will notice a difference in how you feel, act, and look. Whether you’re an experienced runner or new to the sport, summer is a great time to train for a road race. It can be a 5k, 10k, half marathon, or marathon. Set a goal race to participate in, and start training. Go out for runs, do core work, and actually train. If you don’t see yourself as a runner right now, start thinking “I am a runner”. Eat like a runner, think like a runner, if you’re going out for runs consistently, you are a runner. I really improved and started to love running when I began seeing myself as a runner.
