{"id":1107,"date":"2011-07-31T15:33:33","date_gmt":"2011-07-31T15:33:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/?p=1107"},"modified":"2012-08-31T16:03:12","modified_gmt":"2012-08-31T22:03:12","slug":"the-power-of-a-challenge-my-10k-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/?p=1107","title":{"rendered":"The Power of a Challenge – My 10K Race"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Race<\/p>\n

Yesterday I had planned to run a 5k with my sister and my brother at our hometown\u2019s yearly \u201ccelebrate-our-lovely-little-village\u201d day. You know, with a parade, mud bogs, baseball tournaments, exhibits, and races. We thought it\u2019d be a fun experience and I hadn\u2019t run a 5k in a long time.<\/p>\n

Last time I ran a 5k (photo below) was maybe two years ago with my two brothers and my sister-in-law. It was a horrible race, my first 5k and I had just gotten back from over a month long music tour with the family band. Not only was I terribly out of shape, but I was recovering from the H1N1 flu that I managed to get on the trip home. I ran the 5k in maybe 35 minutes or so, but I felt sick most of the run.<\/p>\n

\"Old<\/p>\n

SO\u2026I was excited to have a nice little experience with this 5k, run with two of my sibs, and try for a good time.<\/p>\n

But once we got to town, I started wondering if maybe I should do the 10k. I talked to \u201cMr. Man from the City\u201d who was running it and he found out I have ran half marathons and a whole and he wondered what on earth I was doing running the 5k.<\/p>\n

A phrase popped into my head. \u201cChoose to be extraordinary.\u201d<\/strong> Almost everyone was running the 5k and only a handful of people (mostly guys) running the 10k. I knew very well I could easily be like\u2026second last\u2026maybe even last. (I\u2019m not exactly a speed crazy runner, kind of average). It might not be pretty. My brother started to encourage me to run the 10k instead.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know about you\u2026but it\u2019s a little weird running in your hometown where people sort of know you. I didn\u2019t even want to run this race, but I wrote it down as a goal on my 2011 Resolution List, haha\u2026so I knew I\u2019d do it. And because there aren\u2019t many runners there I had this fear that I would run in to the finish line with the Grandmas.<\/p>\n

Now I\u2019m a little weird in a few ways (okay, a LOT of ways), but one of my quirks is that when something scares me or makes me nervous it\u2019s like I have<\/em> to do it…conquer that fear no matter what. It\u2019s like I want<\/em> to do things that scare me. Like bungee jumping. SCARES me to DEATH, but I will be doing it. Sometime or other, I know it. Yes, yes\u2026glad you know one of my quirks now.<\/p>\n

Maybe this quote sort of makes things make sense.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t run away from a challenge because I am afraid. I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet.\u201d \u2013 Nadia Comanect<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yup, best quote ever.<\/p>\n

And as for the race bit, it\u2019s not like I was scared to run a 10k\u2026that distance is not really a deal, but I was scared to come in with the late bunch. And mentally, I didn\u2019t feel prepared to run a 10k\u2026I haven\u2019t run that far since the marathon a couple months ago. I was also nervous because I\u2019d never run that far (outdoors) without music. (Yes, I loooove my music when I run) And agreed, it\u2019s pathetic and un-runnerish to be so attached to my ipod. Whatever. As silly as it sounds\u2026running without my iPod kind of queered me out. I knew my mind would be yacking at me the whole time, which I despise. And I hate hearing my breathing when I run.<\/p>\n

But I asked the lady at admissions to change my information for the race.<\/p>\n

\"Race<\/p>\n

Then the race started. I was near the head of the pack\u2026maybe a dozen people ahead of me. It was nice. I felt good. I wasn\u2019t last\u2026just sort of average. Then a mile and a half into the race, the 5k runners turned around and suddenly I felt sort of\u2026in shock. There was only one human ahead of me.<\/p>\n

I was second! Me…in second. Average runner Charissa, who had a fear of being last.<\/p>\n

I could hear two guys huffing behind me. They were close. The thought struck me\u2026I have a chance at being second or third\u2026but if these two (who were obviously sticking together) pass me\u2026I\u2019d be fourth. I wouldn\u2019t even get a medal. At that moment I determined to be 2nd<\/sup> or 3rd<\/sup>. I knew I had a chance\u2026if I could keep ahead of them.<\/p>\n

I started saying nice things to myself like\u2026\u201dIsn\u2019t this fun? I could do this all day.\u201d<\/p>\n

My body replies, \u201cLiar. Not fun. I couldn\u2019t do this all day. Those dudes are like right behind you. You can’t keep this pace.\u201d<\/p>\n

I started commanding myself, \u201cI can do this. I can do anything I set my mind to. I just have to keep this pace and I\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the three mile mark, the dudes behind me sort of just fell behind. It was wonderful. I had no more competition. I would be second. It wouldn\u2019t even be hard, I could maybe slow my pace just for a minute or two\u2026I felt like I had been running really hard. Then I looked back and saw a female form in purple behind me\u2026not too far. She could totally catch up.<\/p>\n

I started running hard again. But every time I snuck a little glance behind me I knew she was closer. I had been second almost the whole time and now this Purple Ninja was going to beat me. No. She. Wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

By this time, the half a bagel I had for breakfast was not sitting well with me. I had cramps even up my neck. I was feeling sorta nauseous. And my legs started to shake. And the Purple Ninja was getting closer.<\/p>\n

Mental conversation was driving me nuts. \u201cYou can\u2019t do this. You\u2019re exhausted.\u201d Over and over on the repeat setting.<\/p>\n

I prayed, \u201cGod, give my mind and my body strength to finish strong.\u201d I remembered my favourite life verse which is Philippians 4:13<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By this time \u201cMr. Man from the City\u201d has won the 10k. I\u2019m not sure what I think of him\u2026he came from his city to our little \u201ccelebrate-our-little-town\u201d today, did his thing, picked up his gold medal, and then motor biked back to the big city. As nice and pleasant as he was\u2026I\u2019m not sure I agree with the idea of someone from \u201cout of town\u201d participating in these races. I think it\u2019s different in a city, or even a bigger town, but when it\u2019s some small race for the locals\u2026I\u2019m not sure I think that\u2019s entirely right. Anyway\u2026back to me and the Purple Ninja.<\/p>\n

I felt she was closer. I tried to speed up, but suddenly I heard the Purple Ninja breath right beside me. This is like \u00bd mile away from the finish line! I had held 2nd<\/sup> place for almost 6 miles and now I couldn\u2019t get it together.<\/p>\n

And then she passed me. She beat me in the race by maybe\u2026one minute.<\/p>\n

But whatever! The point is I challenged myself, took myself to a place I never thought I could get to and I faced my fears and guess what? Wonder of all wonders I placed 3rd<\/sup>! I never would have dreamed that I would (Granted, it was a really small race in a small town!). But for me that was good. I\u2019m an average runner and this race pushed me in a different way than any other race has. Often we think that we can\u2019t do things, we\u2019re not good enough and we sell ourselves short. But we can do things! But we\u2019ll never know unless we try!<\/p>\n

\"Race\"<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know about you\u2026but I\u2019d rather live a life of \u201coh-wells\u201d than \u201cwhat-ifs\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

I mean\u2026look at this man!<\/p>\n

\"Race<\/p>\n

He is 88 years old and he did the 5k yesterday! Isn\u2019t that amazing!? He\u2019s almost 90! Sure\u2026it took him 1:15 to get across the line, but he did it! That\u2019s what\u2019s cool! Facing a challenge, take a chance, digging deep and doing what you can, and then whatever happens happens!<\/p>\n

\"Medal\"<\/p>\n

And then there\u2019s my brother Andrew (the only brother you haven\u2019t met on the blog yet!). Yesterday he ran his first 5k\u2026which was his first race ever. He didn\u2019t even train for it (and sorry ladies, he ain\u2019t single). Andrew even won a bronze medal for being 3rd in his age category! He and my sister never even stopped for a walk. I\u2019m so proud of them!<\/p>\n

\"Andrew\"<\/p>\n

\"Sibs\"<\/p>\n

I know that it\u2019s just a race. It\u2019s nothing that amazing. But it\u2019s these small challenges that make us who we are. They make us stronger and they help us realize that we\u2019re capable of more than we think. I challenged myself to run without my iPod.\u00a0 I ran the 10k instead of the 5k even when I was scared I\u2019d be one of the last. I fought my mental battles. I raced hard for 2nd<\/sup> and placed 3rd<\/sup>. I did what I could and took a few chances on looking stupid and failing. Sometimes it\u2019s just the fact that you\u2019re willing to face failure for something better that matters.<\/p>\n

I think it’s worth it.<\/p>\n

\"Sibs<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What do you think about non-locals racing in small community races? How do you feel about conquering your fears? Have you had any of those “Aha” moments where you realize that you are capable of so much more? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I had planned to run a 5k with my sister and my brother at our hometown\u2019s yearly \u201ccelebrate-our-lovely-little-village\u201d day. You know, with a parade, mud bogs, baseball tournaments, exhibits, and races. We thought it\u2019d be a fun experience and I hadn\u2019t run a 5k in a long time<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75,74],"tags":[266,265,268,267,269],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1107"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1107"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1134,"href":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1107\/revisions\/1134"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colourfulpalate.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}