I Beat My Time!
I thought I was not going to make it. Furthermore, I tasted red dirt and felt beads of sweat rolling down my body in the August Colorado heat. My legs were in pain… similar to putting in too many hours at the gym: that type of pain. My breath was shallow to the point of my diaphragm aching to the touch, and nobody was around to pass me a liquid refresher to quench my thirst. The trees seemed alive as if they were rustling in the wind, caressing my skin very little as I paced myself with one foot after the other to make it to that finish line. I started this battle; and I was going to finish it no matter how long it took and what time it was that day. Each try, my time got better. I learned new skills in my newfound joy and researched everything I could about it; from reading books, articles, and videos to better my stride each and every time… My first race was in January, 2022 in the midst of the Pennsylvania cold; the pavement was literally black-ice to where there were threats that would cancel the race for another time of day due to the very frosty climate that day. Destiny said that was my day to run. I trained for that race for over four months with no prior background in running growing up. I had participated in previous years in festivals at school and won a medal that every one in that class did for participating. Then in gym class we had our drills of running around the racetrack a few times, and I was pretty good at keeping speed. Running for the school bus was no challenge for me! Pushing though training and, practicing day in and day out, was a commitment I was willing to take as an adult. It didn’t feel pretty with having experiencing body adjustments to the new movement of running long distances and learning breathing techniques to help me that much faster in running around the concrete pavement. Running had become my life for those 4 months.
Preparing for my first race and preparing me for my future racing. I altered my diet with eating less snacks and consuming more fruit and veggies. When the weather on the TV chimed that the streets were icy outside and below 31 degrees; I did not bat an eye, I ran on the path that the cars drove to save my ankles from the black ice of the sidewalk. Alone at night was when running was my pilgrimage. I became also obsessed about the new passion that fulfilled my heart, that put a lot of nitrogen in my lungs. I would buy workout gear pertaining to running; that way it would strengthen my stride. My neighbor would see me and cheer-me-on in their cars as I ran on the sidewalk to my invisible finish line I had created for myself. They saw a runner and at that time, I was not ready to take on that title yet. Until I ran my first race, then I felt I was a runner. I knew inside me that as long I completed the race no matter what time I came in, I am a runner and a champion runner at that. I did not need validation from anyone or anything. Furthermore, I have always been a champion of many things and this race was no different, then another boulder in life. Getting in to the habit of daily running helped me to value my body even, more. I love the change in my physique and that “runner’s high ” other runners spoke about was definitely present. I ran even more to feel that euphoria feeling of dopamine that helped me radiant positive energy and I felt excited all day. That high was as if I had an IV of coffee running through my veins. For my first race, I wore unnecessary layers I could do without because when that gunshot went off, everyone stop freezing in place and we all became a clusters of people running for deals on Black Friday. Old and young running towards their motivations that was staring at them in distance like a dangling carrot on a stick as they humanly can.
When I ran during the race and what I heard was my breath and my feet hitting the pavement, one foot after the other. I kept that rhythm going for awhile. The cold around me did not hinder me. I kept pushing on towards that path following the other runners like a beam of light to towards their nirvana while we were enduring this self-inflicted journey we put ourselves though in those few moments. Each stride I would pick up speed and at time, I did get slower. Then I picked up again with velocity that I didn’t know where it arose from. I felt like I had wings on my back! The way I was flying past my fellow racers. Then I saw the finished line. My first finished line. I thought I was never going to make it. Afterward, an unbelievable cramping occurred my calves that may me bucket. I popped my runner’s cherry. I felt officially a runner. I have trained partially every day until the day of the race for four self sacrificing months which was a very strange for someone that has never ran and had no type of athletic background before. I always came in at 40 -60 minutes during my training times. Then, game day came around, my time I surpassed was 10 minutes from my training time. I was over the moon! I celebrated because I couldn’t believe I actually ran in this climate and I beat my time at 10 minutes to. I receive so many realizations for running, that it has saved my life from so many circumstances. I am stronger mentally and physically from that simple activity. I went to an open mic one day and I wanted to perform however, I didn’t have any materials. I written a poem on the spot and guess what it was about… you guess it on running. After that first run, I ran several races after that which I through was over my head however I did it and made it. I left my footprint on that pavement. I had race 2 half-marathons and 3 5K’s. There is more stride to come for me for those are just the beginning of my running journey.
By: Samantha Todd
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