Breaking Through

It’s Time

I didn’t set out to break a personal record today. I just did.

There was no crowd. No medal. No race shirt. No one in sight.

Breaking a sub 20-minute 5k goal was always within reach, I just put it off until next March. Every year.

On September 16th this year Eliud Kipchoge woke up in a hotel in Berlin and set out for a new personal record in the marathon. This was his humorous way of implying a World Record that has eluded him for the last 7 marathon majors. His relentless focus and commitment has never faded.

I always wanted to break the sub-20 barrier but never believed I could. Not even this morning.

Less than twenty paces into the start of my lunch run today I decided this was it.

My legs felt off. I had a rough bike ride in to work. I was tired from too little sleep. I wasn’t focused.

Yet I did.

With a mile remaining I was doubting my efforts. Can I do one more mile?

“Why am I pushing this pace? I’m not training for a 5k. My next race is 68 miles long. This is crazy!” I thought to myself.

Today I finished my run and joined hundreds of Nike Athletes* breaking their personal records.

It’s only crazy until you do it.