Worth the pain in the end
I used to hate running. It seemed too hard and pushing outside my comfort zone was not something I was raised to do.
In fact, I wouldn't have become a1if it weren't for my husband Charles. He had been a serious competitive runner for many years. After our marriage, he wouldn't stop talking about how much he missed it.
"So start running again, why don't you?" I was getting 2 of hearing about it.
So he picked it up again, and after about a year, I started to join him at the track (跑道). Just a few weeks later, Charles signed us both up for a five-kilometer race. I 3about doing it. It was too soon.
But on 4 day, there I was.
The gun went 5. Thousands of runners pushed forward.
The first kilometer was 6.
"I don't think I'm going to make it." I was already breathing heavily and painfully aware of the group of runners 7 past me.
"No, you're doing 8", said Charles. He was trying to encourage me, to get me focused on something other than my 9.
"I can't, " I said, 10 audibly (听得见地).
He tried a different way to 11 me. "Just make it to that house and let's see how you feel."
After another minute I saw the three-kilometer 12. All I could think of was that I was dying and that my husband was torturing (折磨) me.
Miserable doesn't even begin to describe 13 I felt. And there was so much 14.
"You'll be fine. You've got less than a kilometer to go."
I rounded a corner and saw both sides of the street thick with people watching the race, all cheering the runners on. I 15 my legs to keep going.
Then I looked up and saw the clock. The seconds ticking away (一分一秒地过去) gave me an incentive (助力). I knew that if I finished this race, I would have achieved something. So, I straightened up, and kicked it.
I had my arms held higher when I passed 16the finish line. A volunteer put a 17 around my neck.
"You did great! I'm so 18 of you!" Charles was thrilled that I'd 19 it.
"That was AMAZING! I want to do another race. This running stuff is amazing!" I proudly hugged my medal as we started to walk to the post-race festivities.
My lungs and my comfort zone both 20.
