September 2nd 2024, Labor Day.
I spent the night before my race registering and washing my race day outfit, a black Nike tank, and some running shorts. I was not excited for this race; I had been slacking with my training, blaming the summer heat, and my general boredom.
I signed up for the race last minute to further my mission to run a 5k in every state, and to have something on hand to write about.
I snoozed that morning, quite a few times actually, and ended up having to race on my bike to the starting line. I made it on time with just five minutes to shake off the stress of the ride and mentally prepare myself for the race.
I've done 3 races in my college town of Davis, and have run, and biked many different routes across the city and campus, so I was sure I would be ready for wherever the race took me.
While warming up, I noticed that a friend and coworker of mine, Faith, was a volunteer at the race, and she was guarding the awards table until the results would be posted. I was relieved to see a friendly face, and I didn't realize how much I needed her words of encouragement until I left to line up at the staring line.
I queued up my mom's playlist, and got my NRC app ready to start tracking my pace as soon as I crossed the starting line before smiling for this picture to commemorate the occasion.
As soon as I crossed the line in the crowd I realized we were swarming towards the tunnel towards the next town over, I hadn't ventured this way out of town before. As I emerged from the tunnel, and the sun gleamed ahead of me, I felt at home with the other runners around me, and knew it was going to be okay.
The race was hillier than I thought, but I finished...eventually.
At the finishline, I saw my friend Faith, and my boyfriend Alex cheering for me. I was so relieved to have made it and I was proud to have gone running on my one day off work.
Crossing the finish line was a mix of exhaustion and pride. Despite the last-minute decision and my shaky start to the day, I had completed another 5K and taken another step toward my goal of running in every state. The course may have been tougher than expected, but seeing familiar faces like Faith and Alex cheering me on reminded me that every race, no matter how challenging, is worth it. This Labor Day run became more than just another notch on my race belt—it was a reminder of why I started this journey in the first place: to push myself, experience new things, and find joy in every step.
Sometimes, the hardest part is just showing up. But even when I’m not at my best, the community, the challenge, and the small victories—like finishing a tough course on a holiday—make it all worthwhile. One race down, and many more to go. On to the next adventure!
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