Guest Post- Paul Bautch 10K

My running journey began almost a year ago. I signed up for a class on how to run a 5K and with my class fee, I was signed up to run a 5K. I was very nervous and apprehensive. During the running classes, we would go out for a mile and a half and run for about 10 minutes at a time. I thought I would collapse. We gradually increased the running time and distance. By the end of the training, I was very scared to run the 5K. The day of the 5K came. I worked that day and had the run after work. I was very worried about running the 5K. I just decided that I was going to run the whole thing. I ran my first 5K and ran the whole way.

After a year, I’ve now run my first 10K. As you can imagine, I was very apprehensive. The park, behind our house, has a three mile looping path. It’s easy to run (nearly) a 5K. I’ve only run twice around, so far. Each time, I think I would run two times around, I would come up with an excuse to run only once.

My biggest problem is and has been random thoughts popping into my head. The thought that my leg hurts, so I should stop. The thought that I’m a little tired, so I should stop. The thought that I’m too thirsty to continue, so I should stop. My training has been just about the same amount of running as it is training my mind to think of something else and getting those random thoughts out.

Like Mariah, I’ve been struggling with eating lately. I’ve gained some weight back. Even with my weight gain, I still ran the entire 10K, in the time that I wanted. I wanted to come in under one hour and ten minutes. I finished in one hour, eight minutes, and 57 seconds!

Mariah and I are contemplating hitting the gym this weekend. My first thought was “I’m going to run on the treadmill. I’m going to run as much as I want” Then I thought “What If I get tired? What if I get bored?” I can do it. I can run as much as I want. I’m going to train to do a marathon and I’m going to lose the weight I want. Because I decide what I do and I’m the only one who can stop me.

Paul “10K runnin’” Bautch