Throughout my life, I have always been active. In Junior High, I was part of a lunch running club, I used my bike as my primary mode of transportation, and joined my first gym at the age of 16. Although the gym and biking stuck with me throughout the years, running did not. This was not due to a lack of trying, as I attempted to become a "runner" on numerous occasions during my early adult years. Although I really liked the thought of doing a 5K, my body did not! I consistently found myself getting shin splints, iliotibial band syndrome, and just did not find it enjoyable in the least. Eventually, I came to terms with the inevitable, which was that running just wasn’t for me.

However, every May, whenever our local Bluenose Marathon Weekend rolled around, I kept thinking about my goal, and maybe signing up “some day”. But, the years continued to pass, and the older I got, the more the thought of trying to run any kind of distance felt further and further away from my grasp. In 2007, my son was born. Then, when he was 7 years old, I got to experience the Bluenose for the first time as a spectator since he did the kids run with his dad. It was such a fun event, but again, I accepted that a spectator on the sidelines of the track was likely all I would ever be.

Journey

When Covid hit, gyms closed, and I started walking 5-10km/day to enjoy the nicer weather, while also social distancing. When the gyms finally reopened, I really wanted to go back, but lacked the motivation. Initially I found myself feeling fearful, then once I finally became comfortable, I slowly discovered I also wasn’t enjoying myself like I had in the past. Everything became a struggle, from dragging myself there, to getting through my workouts. Although I kept my membership, my attendance continued to dwindle, and I just wasn't sure how to get the spark back.

Fast forward to early 2023, at which time I won a free 2 month membership with Orange Theory at their Bedford, NS location. I signed up, redeemed it, but honestly didn’t think it was going to be for me. Little did I know this was what my body and soul needed! The workouts were challenging, but also fun, so I found myself wanting to get in as much as possible! Motivation was no longer an issue, but a back injury became my new obstacle, which forced me to take a break from the workouts between April and August of 2023. Once my back healed, I decided to become a permanent member, and terminated my membership at my other gym. I got in for 3-6 classes weekly without effort, and set a goal for myself, completing 100 classes by the end of December.

Training

Along with weights, and rowing, each class also has a block on the treadmill. Everyone does everything at their own pace, so I became a power walker, but kept working on increasing my speed with my incline. Then, one day in April of this year, I thought "why not try to jog, since I’m already walking fast enough"? During that class, I completed the entire tread component jogging without too much difficulty. I thought about the Bluenose 5K once again since it was just around the corner, and decided to sign up on April 24. The 5K was May 17 - only 5 weeks after I started jogging. However, I was determined to do it, whether that meant completing it at a slow jog, or taking a few walking breaks whenever I needed to. Every class I attended from that day until May 17, I jogged/ran each of the tread blocks, and found it was getting easier and easier. Two days before the race, I decided to try running outside for the first time. It actually did feel more difficult, but I just told myself my goal was to complete the 5K by doing the best that I could, as there was no backing out now!

Race Day Experience

Race day filled me with excitement as I stood at the starting line with other runners. Although I was there alone, I felt a sense of community and support. I put in my air pods, started off and kept a slow and steady pace. As I ran, I counted the minutes down in my head, and told myself I was going to try my hardest to complete the entire 5K without stopping and without walking. When I felt myself beginning to struggle, I put on an upbeat song, and got extra energy from the crowd on the sidelines cheering us on. The finish line became closer, and I knew if I stopped at the water station I would struggle to get myself going again. I decided to continue, and kept counting down the minutes in my head. As I approached the finish line, I picked up the pace crossing it with a sense of accomplishment and a huge smile on my face. At 54 years old, I had done my first 5K and had also met my goal without stopping or walking!

Conclusion

This journey has reinforced my belief that age is just a number and that you are never too old to set a new goal. Having said that, if you've had something on your Bucket List, it's never too late to try to cross it off! I believed in myself, and this shows you can do whatever you set your mind to do.

I hope my story encourages you to pursue your own dreams no matter how big or small they may be. Believe and You Can Achieve!!