My new 5K Philosophy

Well – I did it!  I completed my first 5K and discovered my five new 5K Philosophies:

·        I am thrilled that so many friends joined me.  Many of them also finished their first 5K today.  It was fun to hear them say they decided to do it because I was.  I readily embrace my calling to be the person that makes people say “Well, if Larla can do it, I can!”  5K Philosophy 1: God has called us to be a Barnabas (encourager) even through our greatest weakness.

·        I wasn’t the last ones across the finish line, but I think that everyone behind me accidentally walked an extra loop.  5K Philosophy 2: We don’t all run the same race in life but we all eventually reach the same finish line.

·        My goal was 1 hour.  I finished in 1 hour and 27 seconds.   I could have been an over-achiever and beaten my goal (please appreciate the irony of that statement), but it would have meant leaving friends behind and not taking our picture at each mile sign.  5K Philosophy 3: Life’s race is too short to miss walking beside a friend and celebrating life’s mile markers.

·        I ran a few races in track in Jr. High but only because there was no one else available.  I always lost, but that was OK because no one ever expected me to win.  5K Philosophy 4: Finishing a race is winning.

·        Today I wasn’t nervous about finishing because Pat had already walked the path with me two weeks ago.  5K Philosophy 5.1: Fear runs once it’s faced.

·        The highlight of the day was seeing my Pat, my Joshua, McKenzie (Joshua’s girlfriend), and other friends cheering as I approached the finish line.  I wanted to slowed down to make the moment last, but instead I ran (in public for the first time since who knows when).  5K Philosophy 5.2: Ten seconds will always take 10 seconds to past by, but the love of friends and friends can propel you farther in those seconds then you've ever traveled before.