Surviving My First 10-mile Race: How Running Changed Me for the Better
As soon as our plane from Puerto Rico landed at Baltimore’s Marshall Thurgood BWI Airport on the New Year’s Day of 2021, one of the things I knew I’d like to do when I arrived home was to step on a weight scale. My first trip to Puerto Rico went well, too well — indeed. On top of touring each coast of the island, my then-boyfriend and I sampled all of Puerto Rico’s delicacies: mofongos, bacalaitos, alcapurias, pastelitos, carnes fritas, and of course the famous Pina Colada. I know for a fact that over-eating leads to an increase in weight. As soon I stepped on the scale I learned that, over the period of our two-week trip, I gained 6 pounds.
The weight gain was quite a barrier to immediate future plans since we had talked about getting married in the summer, so shedding the 6-pound gain was a must. As artificial as it sounds, I wanted to look good on my wedding day. And as creepy as big data works, a few days after thinking and Googling best workout regime to lose weight and look fitter, Peloton’s free three-month trial advertisement showed up on my Facebook feed. I honestly had no idea what it was even though back during the Holidays, a Peloton TV ad made quite a buzz and our apartment building also has a Peloton bike. After comparing Peloton to Obe and AppleFitness, Peloton offered me the longest trial at the time. So, my official fitness journey started on January 11, 2021, with the Peloton App.
My Running Journey
Deciding the best workout to shed the most calories was not as easy as it sounds. My then-boyfriend and now-husband, however, has always advocated for running. As an economist who has studied the impact of calorie labeling and is an avid runner, he truly believes while our diet is the most important component, exercises especially running help create a bigger calorie deficit — which I found this true these days. Running, however, never really appealed to me as a form of exercise because I wasn’t able to hold my breath for very long in my past experiences. I could hold a jogging pace for 15 minutes, but that was it. That is why I preferred workouts such as weightlifting (e.g: Bodypump) because it requires more muscle capacity than aerobic capacity. To my surprise, although Peloton is more popular for its static bike, its app offers running courses. I found myself selecting beginner running classes on the Peloton App and headed to our apartment’s gym more often.
One of many reasons why I enjoyed my running workouts from Peloton a lot is not just because of the great playlist and selection of workouts, but also being able to find a structure and a coach who relates to me as a non-runner. That one coach for me was Robin Arzon. She did not start her running career until her late twenties — talking about a relatable female role model. During each class, she always gave a layout for each workout. She always tells you when to increase your speed and incline and the meaning behind each effort. This structure gave a sense of the goal, target, and accomplishment as a newbie. I always felt energized to do more and looked forward to the surprises in the next run. I used to be discouraged by running because I did not know what to look for. Now before any run, I always set a duration target of my run depending on what I felt or required during a certain day. For example, if I need to burn more calories, I will try to run at least three miles. Soon enough, I took my indoor workouts outdoors. The missing structure was finally found.
Positive Results that Led me to a 10-Mile Race
From January 11th until July 13th — a week before our wedding — I had taken 312 workouts from the Peloton app. That’s an average of 52 workouts a month. A total number of workouts I never surpassed in my entire life before in a given time. As a matter of fact, I accomplished some digital medals including 100 Century-Run, 75 strength workouts, and 10 rides. As you may be able to predict, I enjoyed the app so much that I subscribed to Peloton past my 3-month free trial.
At the end of March, I decided to buy an Apple Watch to better measure my workout: my calorie counts, my heart rate, and my resting heart rate — all vital indicators of my health. My resting heart rate is now around 56–72 BPM. Last year, the range was between 70–84 BPM. I am never out of breath. Also, at the end of March, my then-boyfriend proposed. At the end of May, I lost the 6 pounds I gained from our Puerto Rican vacation. I was in one of my happiest and fittest states.
The measurable positive impact running has brought to my life has built confidence and strength in myself to do more such as joining races.
In the beginning of May, I came across the 2021 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Race that was postponed to September because of COVID-19. My lottery confirmation was not announced until end of June. My virtual training with Kirk West — a MD-based renowned running coach — that was provided free by the organizer did not start until mid-July. I only had two months to train — a challenging approach for anyone especially a first-timer. Additionally, we were a week away from our Wedding Day. I tried to squeeze as many runs and workouts every week. It was mostly a hit and miss. We also took another trip to Puerto Rico in mid-August so worries about weight gain and a decrease in fitness level were weighing on me. Closer to the race day, the training duration was heightened from a 60-minute to 100-minute run. I was only able to finish 90 minutes out of the 100 minute-run which amounted to 7.5 miles because my right leg started to hurt. I did not admit to myself that I was nervous. The race was less than a week away!
Race Day
A week before the race, I tried to focus on strength workouts. It may seem less obvious, but running required a good coordination between one’s lower body muscles with core muscles and arm muscles. Although I was confident that I would be able to reach 10 miles, I was a bit worried on how my body would respond. I kept telling myself that I just needed to finish in less than two hours and twenty minutes. Based on my training it seemed doable. The night before the race, I prepared all my running gear. I slept early and hoped for a strong finish.
The sun shone at around 7AM on the beautiful Sunday of September 12, 2021 — just one day after the 20th commemoration of the 9/11 terrorist attack. I joined the slowest corral of runners. I did my first five miles just fine. However, entering mile 7, I was left behind in my pace. I looked at Strava on my Apple Watch and it showed me I had already run 7.25 miles. I grew frustrated. Entering Mile 8, the phrase of ‘pain in the butt’ manifested in my body. I was hurting. A few times, between mile 8 and 9 I did not run — I fast walked. My pace plummeted. My only focus was to finish before the race closed, which was at 10:20 AM. At this point, the only pace I care about was just moving forward. When I was able to see the finish line, around 500 feet from where I was, I couldn’t hold my tears. Not only was I happy that the finish line was so close, but I couldn’t wait to give my legs a break they deserved. I crossed the finish line at 10:15 AM. A sense of relief was an understatement.
Looking Back & Looking Forward
My first attempt in a long-term race was not perfect, nevertheless I am still proud of what I accomplished. I survived 10 miles, but I did not yet thrive. I was one minute and thirty seconds short of being considered as an official finisher by CUCB’s standard. The result bent me a bit, but did not break me. I thought of that one minute and thirty seconds when I doubted whether I should continue running or foolishly considering to get a ride from one of the race officials. It was not all rainbows and butterflies. I convinced myself that I needed to reach the 10-Mile mark in my running career. I needed to finish what I started. As Robin Arzon said in one of the running workouts, “You did not do this for praise, but you did it for pride”. The experience of this imperfect race has already better equipped me for my race next goal: a half marathon.
I know for a fact I still need to lose another 10 pounds to reach a healthy body mass index (BMI) — a challenge for my ‘five feet one inch’ body. I am not body-shaming myself and I love all the curves and scars it has. However, like many other athletes and runners, maintaining a good BMI will only improve one’s fitness level and performance.
I want to thrive, not just survive.
In the meantime, let me continue enjoying the runner’s high and the newfound feel-good motivations that my first 10-mile race and my new identity as a runner have afforded me. Thank you running, you have changed me for good.
