Hello from Austin! I’ve been here for the Sunshine Run, a 5k/10k race that benefits Austin Sunshine Camps. It’s an important race for me because last year’s race is what started my running journey.
Last year, I received free entry passes and handed them right to my boyfriend, who has run a marathon before. Rather than simply accepting my generous offer, he suggested we do it together. I don’t remember why, but for some reason I decided to give it a go (despite my life-long declarations that I’m “not a runner”). Over the next two months, we trained for the 5k and I complained A LOT. I was a terrible running student. It was hot, and I couldn’t imagine running for 30-40 minutes straight. I didn’t know what a tempo run was or why I should care about speed work or my heart rate when I was fighting to keep moving. I truly cannot emphasize enough how annoying and stubborn I was.
Thankfully, my threats to quit were all just a front, and once I started making improvements, it got a little bit easier. The impending race day and my coach’s willingness to continue training me brought me to the starting line last May. The race was hard, but I didn’t stop running. I finished with a time of 36:47 or an average pace of 11:52 per mile. Woohoo!
Since then, a lot has changed. I ran another 5k race, ran a 10k race, and trained to run 10 miles. I started crocheting, playing tennis, and climbing. I got a promotion at my agency job, worked hard, learned a lot, and after many difficult months of reflection and attempts to make it work — I realized that the career path I was on was not a fit for me. So, after two years in my first job, I’ve decided to step away and take some time to figure something else out.
The first half of this year has been incredibly difficult to navigate as I worked towards this conclusion, but continuing to run consistently has kept me grounded and healthy. When I feel like I am not reaching my goals or feeling fulfilled, running gives me ongoing milestones and a feeling of achievement after every run. I know that each run brings me closer to something I could not accomplish when I first began. A run gets my heart pumping and takes my mind off of stress, or helps me think more clearly about how I want to tackle a project. Most importantly, following strict training plans and going on longer and longer runs reinforces the fact that I can do hard things. One of my goals for this year is to run a sub-30 minute 5k — something difficult but within reach. Around the time I decided to go for this goal, I also decided I needed to leave my job.
Two-ish weeks ago I put in my notice that I was resigning, and this Friday afternoon I found myself en route to my parents’ house in Austin for the 2023 race. I felt relieved and excited to be done with work, but also nervous about the uncertainty of the months ahead. On Saturday though, running (once again) came to my brain’s rescue and I tossed and turned that night thinking only about my game plan.
After a slow start, we began our run. Unfortunately, the Sunshine Run wasn’t too sunny and the clouds brought high humidity. Despite these setbacks, I gave it my all. The last .75 mile was the most challenging, and I was breathing loudly and heavily. My Apple Watch stopped recording halfway through, so I had no idea what my pace was. This ended up being a blessing in disguise, because I knew I was probably on track to hit my goal, and I needed to keep pushing to finish strong regardless of what the number on the screen.
I zoomed across the finish line at … 30:09 (9:44 pace) — a new personal record by over 2 minutes! Although I didn’t reach my goal of running a 5k in under 30 minutes, I got pretty dang close, and a lot closer than I thought I could have a month ago. 2022 Elyse would be blown away by this achievement. One year of running shaved off over six and a half minutes from my 5k time.
Reflecting on the race, I keep thinking — if I was able to make this kind of improvement in one year, with dedicated practice, how far will I be a year from now? I started from a limited cardio base, and I am now able to run 10 miles in one go (and I’m ready to do more). In all areas of my life, I find it incredibly motivating to look back at what I was doing 6 months, 1 year, or 2 years ago.
This achievement was both a great way to close the book on my first job, as well as kick off my sabbatical and this new period of growth. With my full, undivided attention given to my passions, just what can I accomplish in 3 months? 🌱 How will I see the flowers of my work bloom over the next year? 🌸 What fruit will they produce? 🍊
Here are some runners that helped motivate me over the past year:
Here’s my equipment and what has helped me train:
New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v12
Apple Watch SE 40 mm
Hal Higdon’s training plans (5k intermediate, 10k, 10 mile)
Add me on Strava
Let me know what you thought of this blog and if you have any questions or need any suggestions about incorporating running into your exercise!