When I first started running, I had no idea how much fun racing could be. This weekend was no exception. Held in the beautiful Shelby Farms park, the Celebrate everyBody 5k was a blast! The race was small but well attended, the course was beautiful, the event organizers were friendly, and the weather, while a little on the cold side, cooperated nicely. All in all, a fantastic experience.

This race was different for me than any other race I’ve run. While I was concerned only with finishing in my previous races, I set a goal of running a sub-30-minute 5k this time around. Before the race, I calculated the pace I would have to maintain to achieve my goal and envisioned the finish line clock reading 29′30”. During the race I pushed myself as hard as I could, spending most of the race in physical and mental pain, constantly worrying about my pace. When I passed mile marker 2, I knew that I wasn’t going to finish in time, and crossing the finish line was bittersweet. Instead of feeling the joy and excitement that usually accompanies finishing a race, I spent a lot of time giving myself grief about my pace and what I should have done differently. I never congratulated myself for a job well done.

When I got home and reviewed my race data, an encouraging picture emerged. (UPDATE: How could I review race data when I forgot my Nike+ receiver? I recorded splits at each mile marker with my trusty stopwatch!) It turns out that I ran a fantastic race! My second mile was faster than the first, the third mile was faster than the second, and my dash to the finish line was even faster! I crossed the finish line with an unofficial time of 31′29”, a great, consistent time for me. That’s when I realized I had shortchanged myself. This weekend’s run was the most beautiful run I’ve ever taken, and I wasn’t able to enjoy it because I was so worried about my pace. I learned an important lesson this weekend, a lesson very similar to Scott’s “Winning is for Losers.”

Running is a sport that takes time. It takes time to run, time to build endurance, and time to build speed. A mentor of mine once told me that T.I.M.E. stands for “Things I Must Earn.” I’ve spent the last four months earning the ability to run a 31′30” 5k. The simple fact is that I haven’t yet earned a sub-30 5k, but with time, patience, and determination I can and will. I look forward to that day. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy my running and not beat myself to death on the track.