My First 10 K!

This morning, I ran my first 10K today with Queen's Engineers Without Borders (EWB) as part of their Run to End Poverty (R2EP) campaign.

I heard about this EWB's R2EP in September at the Orientation week sidewalk sale this year. This run came at a good time because I was looking for my next run. I had started to run as a hobby in the spring, and ran my first 5 and 8Ks this past spring and summer. Running helps me start the day off right, gives me the time and energy to think about how to tackle life's ups and downs, and destress after a long day. When I learned about EWB doing this R2EP, I thought: Why not run for a cause? Why not run to Help Others?


There was a good two weeks in early October when I didn't run AT ALL. Man, I was stressed. But during the end of term and exam season, studying was more important, so I didn't put on my runners for a while. I didn't think I'd make my goal for this run, but I pulled through in the end. =)

Thoughts along the run:
1-3K: Maybe I should've brought my toque. (It was a bit chilly).
5K: There's the sun! Glad I didn't bring a toque. =) Where's the water station? I thought they have one midway! >_<'
6K: (Downhill stretch) Go go go! Get that downhill momentum for the 2nd half!
7K: There's the water station! (And then I proceed to spill 2/3 of my little dixie cup and carried the crumpled paper in my sleeve the rest of the waste because I didn't want to litter)
8K: Almost there. I'm feeling pretty good at the moment.
9K: Push push push! If this older gentleman in front of you can do it, you can too! There was a 67 old man in front of me for the last 1.5K and he was my motivation for this last stretch. I was about 3 strides behind him for a while until it got to about the last 300 metres when I found that last bit in me to sprint past him and push past with everything I had to the finish line.


I had a goal of finishing in 55 minutes and was able to cross the finish line in 54 minutes! My overall pace was slower than my 8K this summer (which I finished in 42 minutes), but I am happy to have finished under 55 minutes for my first 10K. =) It felt exhilarating to finish and I loved every minute of it!

For my R2EP campaign, I had asked my OT class to donate any spare change they had and told them that for every dollar they donated, I would donate too! (Up to $70, because I'm a student too!) My 66 classmates donated $87.63, and with my $70, our class donation came to $157.63!!

Thank you to all those who supported me in my R2EP campaign! I'm so proud of all of us for raising over $500 towards efforts to outsmart poverty in Africa! =)

Now, what should be my next race?