Things change and people run. These are the two conclusions I came to while training for Toronto’s first Nike Women’s 15k race. And let me clarify something: I don’t just mean literally run, but figuratively as well. Change is scary and it’s only natural that many people would want to run away from it – both physically and mentally. (That’s not to say there aren’t many brave souls who sprint straight towards change with wide-open arms.)
When I started my #Roadto15k, I was running towards a specific goal for the first time in a long time. A goal that was close and tangible. All my other ambitions in life had always been abstract or easily dismissible – even graduating from university was not as big of a challenge. There was something exhilarating about growing significantly over the short span of 10 weeks and witnessing firsthand the power mind had over matter, not only for myself but the team I was training with as well.
This exhilaration inevitably extended to other parts of my life. I won’t lie I did become a tad obsessed with running. Yet this obsession wasn’t single-minded. It showed me what I was capable of and how I could direct this energy to other projects – specifically passion projects I’ve put on the back burner for far too many years.
Hence, the beginning of my blog.
One of the recurring pearls of wisdom over the Nike Women’s 15k Race weekend was this quote, “The finish line is just another starting line,” which I think I’m paraphrasing. Either way, I took this to heart. Not only am I going to train for my first triathlon this summer, I’m striking out on my own two feet in other ways. From writing my first novel to continuing to travel the world and, of course, getting my fitness on, I’m running towards the things I’m most passionate about from here on out. I hope you decide to stick around for the journey.
