Just 16K

I used to think that running was not for me. I used to see runners as this elite kind of humans that I definitely did not belong to. I always admired them but, in my mind, they belonged to a different race, especially those who run half marathons and full marathons. Who in hell can do that! When I started running I could not run more than a kilometer without having to stop (and I was good at cardio). I moved from running 10 minutes to 15, to 20, to 40 until I got to the full hour. When I reached my first 10k I felt so proud of myself that I could not even believe it. I thought I had reached the top, I had done it. During my second 10k race I saw this older guy running in front on me. I found it very cute to see an older guy running and I was completely sure that sooner than later I was going to be passing him. 10 minutes after, I still had not been able to pass him, but even worse, he took the turn to the half marathon course! The older guy was running a half marathon! And I, the younger lady, was doing just 10 cute kilometers. There is when I said “if he can do it, I can do it.”
After 4 half marathon races under my belt, and 4 more to go during this year, I still can’t believe I have made it this far. Every time I finish a long run I feel proud of myself, I feel tired and exhausted but at the same time I feel strong. To be able to overcome the pain, the tiredness, and the mental barriers to run 22k is a very profound experience. I can’t imagine what the feeling will be when I complete a full marathon.
But as practice makes perfect, I can say now that 20k has changed from being a goal to being a morning run, and I say it because when I finish running 20K I feel that there is more in the tank to keep going.
Every time I tell my no running friends that Sunday I am just running 16k or 18k, they open their eyes and say “f*you! Just 16k, you make it sound as if it was easy!”
My animal lover note: I arrived home today at 11:40am, after running 22k, took a quick shower and headed to a vegan potluck that started at noon. We arrived 15 minutes late but it was just in time to enjoy the delicious food we always have when we go there. The best thing of the potluck: I do not have to ask a hundred times if what I am eating is vegan; I don’t have to ask for ingredients, I just grab my food and enjoy it.