2) Run a 10K (Well, it was a 12K)

# 2 of the 25 Things: Run a 10K

Bay to Breakers is not a 10K, it's a 12K and it was super awesome!

Less than a year ago, I participated in my first-ever race-- Color Me Rad 5K in Chicago. At the time, I wasn't much of a runner. Running a mile was pushing it, and I ended up having to walk a big portion of it. As my year in San Francisco progressed and more challenges arose (personally and professionally), I needed an outlet to relieve stress; I began to run. I had no goal in mind with my running, I just needed to get out and blow off some pent up steam.


Each run, I challenged myself to go a little farther. Sometimes that happened, sometimes it didn't.

At first, running a few blocks was really hard and I thought "How pathetic? I can't even run two blocks!"

After a while of feeling defeated by just those few blocks that killed me, I decided to stop listening to that voice in my head that was telling me I couldn't do it. "No, I'm running. I'm slow. I'm not running far. But I'm running and I want to run farther."

Then, I worked my way up to a mile. I remember the day that I ran the whole way from the convent down to 16th Street, which is exactly a mile. I felt like a champion.

The champion in me wanted to try another 5K and run it more seriously this time. So, I did the City Beer Run (a very serious race... well, not so much) with my convent-mate, Angela. I tried my best to train for it and I was pleased with the result. I ran most of it and was pleasantly surprised with my time. Also, got a free beer and won a door prize. Runner's high + a free beer + a door prize? I was on cloud 9 and made plans to run more and more... adding a little more distance each week.

San Francisco is basically a 7-mile by 7-mile square. By the end of my time in SF, I planned to run the distance of the city-- 7 miles. So, when I heard about the Bay to Breakers race (a race that runs from one end of the city to the other), I knew I needed to sign up.

Bay to Breakers. Think State Street in Madison on Halloween... and everyone running. That's Bay to Breakers. Interestingly, it's also the longest consecutively run footrace in the world-- 103 years! It's a crazy time and a staple event in San Francisco-- something everyone should do at least once.

Around mile 3 was the Hayes Hill challenge-- to run fast up this gigantic San Francisco hill. With adrenaline and Carly Rae Jepsen's music pumping through me, I ran up the hill. The whole hill. And then I ran the rest of the freaking race. I had to stop a couple times because of my knees and hips (they don't lie). It took me 1:29:35.


I was as slow as a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter, but I ran it... and nothing can beat that runner's high.
#2, check.

Up next, a few fun 5Ks and... a half marathon!