I desperately despise running. I don’t enjoy it at all. Partially because I’m not very good at it. Sure, I know the old adage that practice makes perfect and eventually I could become better or faster, but that’s not right now. I typically tend to steer clear of things that I’m not good at. When my friend posted that she was interested in a 5k event, I thought “I could do that.” That one little thought of “I can” transformed into “I will”.
That was back in October and I’ve been running one 5k a week since. How did I get myself to do something I don’t enjoy and that I’m no good at? Virtual Races. There are various websites where you can sign up for races online, run based on your schedule and enter your time online. The one I use is Virtual Strides. The biggest plus for me is that I get a completion medal. That’s right, a participation medal, not a winning medal. I’m not advocating for this specific but their “Bend the Knee” challenge race is shaped like the Iron Throne and I wanted it so bad that I entered for it.
After that I was hooked. I didn’t feel like a slow poke because when I was running a virtual “race” there was no one else around me to compare myself against and then judge myself for being too slow. I loved getting the medals, it made me feel better about myself because it felt like more of an accomplishment. I liked the feeling of having pushed through and succeeded. One of my friends is an avid runner; she has a running board where she displays all of her bibs and medals (the kind you get for actually winning). I wanted a display for this accomplishment too.
I may not be winning at anything but I am accomplishing something. Something that I am proud of, something that I want to see on my wall that says “I can and I did”. Sometimes that’s all we need, is a gentle reminder, a visual aid, that we are capable. So every weekend I run and I get a little bit faster, I feel just a smidge better, I get a tangible item letting me know “I can, I did, and I will again”. Running is still my nemesis but it’s not insurmountable.
So if you’re like me and you loathe running (or physical exertion in general) and you need some small encouragement, try a virtual race.
Virtual Strides: https://www.virtualstrides.com/
