I AM A homebody!! I love being inside - it's where I get most of my work done, and where I feel most relaxed. But today is an exception! Today is February 29th, and the day just cannot get any more beautiful than this.
I wanted to get out of the house.
I wanted to go for a run.
and So I did.
I ran 5km for charity.
What a coincidence how I came across this event on Facebook earlier this morning. It's for a good cause and a great way to seize the day (oh ya, and lots of health benefits). All funds raised from the Trot for Tots will go towards buying supplies for underfunded schools in BC.
I RSVP right away.
Initially, I wanted to go for the 11 AM and 12 PM runs. I'm so glad I didn't.
It was nothing like running on a treadmill
I was breathing heavily 5 minutes into the run. It was sunny, windy, cold, and hot, all at the same time. My heart rate quickly rose as we (me, Miki and Mitsuho) ran uphill. I wanted to stop multiple times along the way, but Miki and Mitsuho were so persistent that they kept me accountable until the very end. I was very behind both of them, but I finished the first lap in 24 minutes.
Different from running on a treadmill, there is no button to control your pace when running outside. It was very hard to keep track of how fast (or slow) I was going. All I could see was the breath vapor when I exhaled; All I could hear was myself panting and running against the wind. But on the brighter side (literally), the sky was blue-so-blue, the air was fresh-so-fresh, and the weather was nice-so-nice. Just a perfect day to be outside.
It gets better the second time
My friend Jeong Ah joined me for the second round. We also made a new friend - Lanli. She's a first-year Arts student, and is also not much of a runner, like me and Jeong Ah đ. As I was more accustomed to the track, I was able to track my pace and my breathing this time. I could even hold a conversation while running (haha).
What I love most about running, is to cross the finishing line. Whether it's the "YESSS I DID IT" moment or "OH GAWD IT'S OVER", I love the feeling of completing what I started with. And YNOTFORTOTS embraced that spirit very well. The exec team, volunteers, and the doggos đ¶ cheered everyone at all the stops, and cheered even louder as we reached the end of the race.
It was a really fun Saturday morning, and I'm really proud to finish that 5km run. I'm really glad I went outside today - on February 29th. I can't wait to read this article again in 2024 years and go "Ah, so this was what I did 4 years ago. Maybe I should go outside today đ€ïž".
Thank you YNOTFORTOTS UBC for putting together a spectacular event.