I ran the Velvet Hammer 5K again this year.

And I managed to shave 8 minutes off my time.

I lined up at the front of the pack.

And within the first few minutes, people were passing me.

Older age runners, kids, people my size striding past me with ease.

I started regretting not training harder.

My calves felt like cement blocks.

And for a second, I thought about walking the rest of the way.

Nobody would have blamed me. Nobody was watching that closely.

But I kept running.

Not fast but determined and forward.

The Finish Line

When I finally saw it, I was completely gassed.

Everything in my body was asking me to slow down.

But I did the opposite. I pushed all the way to the end.

If you’re reading this and wondering “so what?”

This isn’t about the race.

You don’t have to run a 5K.

Your race might be a goal you set months ago that still feels out of reach.

A hard season you’re in the middle of right now.

A version of yourself you’re still working toward.

Whatever Your Race Is

The middle is going to get hard.

People are going to pass you.

Keep going anyway.

The finish line is waiting.