Overcoming obstacles - and overwhelmed by success at 57:13

 (PHOTO CREDITS: All photos courtesy of Mary Ewen. Instagram and Twitter: @maryyouwin)

This past Friday night, I joined my CrossFit family for my very first 5K - a trail run/walk on the hiking trails of the National Whitewater Center. Just six months ago, I never dreamed of being able to do any sort of 5K. Though I had helped others affix a bib to their clothing before, I never dreamed of wearing one myself. My body was in a constant state of rest and laziness when it came to anything fitness-related. But, with the progress I've made through CrossFit and the encouragement of my CrossFit family, I registered for the race about a week in advance - and promptly began regretting that decision.

My self-doubting voice kept saying things like:

"You're still fat. You think you can handle THIS?"

"It's going to take you forever to finish. What if you get lost in the woods?"

"There's no way you're ready for this."

But, with my friends' support, I silenced those voices. After achieving two PRs on Thursday night (95-lb front squats during the regular WOD and 95-lb squat clean and jerks during Oly class), I felt readier than ever to tackle the 5K. I also had been assured that a number of my friends would be waiting for me at the finish line to cheer me to success - no matter how long it took me.

And then the race began on level ground that quickly turned into twists, turns, steep inclines and declines, rocks, roots, snakes (*shudder*), bugs and the land of dehydration. It quickly became a mind game, especially after the first and second miles seemed to take forever (Side note: You can only swallow so much of your saliva to stave off thirst. Be prepared with a hydration pack or belt.). However, Dawn (a CF family member - in the foreground (pink shirt) of the second picture) stayed by my side the entire race to push me and help me along. She even helped to smash cramping calves and tense shoulders, and assured me that this was likely the hardest 5K I'll ever do thanks to the terrain changes. I don't think I could have fought past the negative voices without her there - and I'm sure there are more races in my future.

In the last quarter-mile of the race, I was so motivated by thirst and the cheers from afar that when I saw the clearing, I got a second wind and ran the last bit through the finish line. I realized that after more than three miles, I am capable of anything that I put my mind to. I have turned my life around from a lifestyle of depression and laziness to a lifestyle of activity and health. I collapsed to my knees after I crossed the finish line not because I was sore, dehydrated and tired (though I was), but because I was overcome by thankfulness and the emotion of finishing something I never thought I could. I've been surrounded by people who believe I can and who encourage me to achieve my goals, no matter how stubborn I am - such a difference from where I was previously.

I finished that race in less than an hour - 57:13 - and while it's not as fast as most people, I wasn't the last to finish and my time was better than I expected it to be, considering I can barely run 400m at a time. God gave me the ability, strength and determination to do more than I had ever imagined. 57:13 will stick in my mind forever as a reminder that I can do anything I put my mind to - and to never shut out the positive influences in my life.