My first 6K.

It's been almost a month since my first ever run in St. Louis. I wrote a bit about running in a few previous posts. I wanted to kind of take a post to really write about that day though. I woke up early around 5:30AM so I could have breakfast before. I stayed at the Hilton at the Ballpark, so I was very close to the stadium. I had toast and an orange and some water. I made it to the ballpark at 7AM to register. The line wasn't too long, and I made it right through.

I waited along with everyone else by the Stan Musial statue. I was a little anxious, but mostly just ready to run. The nerves didn't hit until I took my place in line. I took a position towards the back since I wasn't sure I could keep a good 10 minute pace the whole time. As I listened to the national anthem play, the nerves really hit and all I wanted to do was RUN. We were getting a late start as it was since they waited an extra 15 minutes for everyone to get registered.

I had read we weren't allowed to have earbuds. Most of the participants had them though. Definitely never running without them ever again. It was really, really hard running without my music. I'd never done it before that day. I walked a bit of the way around mile 2 because my foot went numb. I wasn't thrilled with how I ran (I think I would've done better with my music!), but I was proud of myself because I finished. And really, a 13 minute mile isn't that bad.

Overall, the experience was very good. I more than reached my goal (my goal was to run a 5K before the end of the year), and, for once, I really stuck to something I wasn't sure I could do. It sounds cliche, but it showed me that if I work hard, I can do anything I want to. Crossing the finish line inside Busch Stadium was amazing.

I hated running prior to starting my training, but now I really love it. All I could think of after I finished was "I want to do this again" and "I want to go a longer distance" and "I want to keep doing this". I am considering running in the St. Louis Half Marathon. There are thoughts in my mind that I won't be able to run 13.1 miles, but then again, I thought I couldn't ever run 3 either. Either way, I am definitely doing the Cardinals Care 6K again.

Here's to going futher and pushing yourself.