I (try) to Compete against Myself

I’m running my third 5K next weekend - the Newport Coast Festival 5K. I’m about as ready as I’ll get. I’ve been running a 5K once a week on Tuesdays and have come through with pretty standard times (for me). I even pushed myself Thursday, completing two miles in 20 minutes.

I always have a “goal” for my 5Ks: the first goal was to actually complete one (DONE) and the second goal was to complete one without walking (DONE). My goal this time is to complete in under 30 minutes, setting a personal record (PR in runner dork words).

Even though I am running what is technically a “race,” I don’t compete against anyone but myself. I internalized this idea, but it took some thinking on a post on Cranky Fitness for me to really accept it.

The gist is that you’re sabotaging yourself and what you can do when you compare yourself to others. I’m a 5′4 woman with short legs and a larger, more muscular build. I DO NOT look like the women in my runner magazines. But by setting my own goals, I have achieved more than I ever thought I could. When I started running, I couldn’t even run a mile without feeling like I would throw up blood. Now, I can run three miles or more at a time at a sustained pace.

I can’t wait to post next week that I have completed a 5K in 30 minutes!