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Accidental Runner-in-Training

ByAlycia

if I’m being real, I haven’t met too many runners who love running, as someone would say, they love gelato or golden doodles. It’s mores they enjoy the “high”, seemed as if they moral enjoy the experience or runners high or how the body just feels after or even beyond that the self-inflicted perseverance.

In my limited human knowledge I think running is or one of the only sports where the only thing you need is yourself and the audacity.

Was it Audacity or perseverance?

It all started when I was born. Actually, maybe when I was in primary school and my mother wanted to run the Color Run with my little bro and I. It was a fun 5K where at different checkpoints they throw powdered paint on you. I’m a be honest I don’t remember running much, only the colors and the fun paint party afterwards. Pretty sure I did it twice. First time just my bro, my mom and I. The second time I invited my virgin gay boyfriend.

Since then I had no interest in partaking in any other organize running because why would I choose to do that to myself?

well in 2025 I found my why.

in the bottom of a random email said there will be a 5K at sunset on a private airport runway. Let me tell you something about me. This girl loves a good sunset and an airport.

now I’m thinking about it. I’m pretty sure both of those are my top 10 things of life that I purely enjoy.

Quick why:

Sunsets – artistic beauty that I don’t have to wake up early for. Proof I survived another day. It provides me appreciation of nature and my eyes to see the lovely blue, yellow, orange, red and purple.

Airports – I believe travel is the doorway to an open mind and heart. And on a technical level aircraft are some cool shit in marvels of technology and science and the creativity and the tool to allow ideas to literally travel. It’s beautiful.

Anyways back to our regular scheduled programming. 5K on the airport tarmac. I literally signed up for it the night before during some party because Yolo.

on the drive over I’ll ate my banana, I don’t even like bananas like that, but according to Google, that’s what runners eat. When I walked over, I’m gonna be honest I had a hangover but I was ready and excited.

GUNSHOT. the race started… I was tired in the first minute, but I kept running.

I told myself to just make it to 1 mile, but I kept running.

saw a helicopter, take off in the sun setting and kept running.

when I hit the curve to run back, I was exhausted and I could see mile 2, and kept running.

“you’re doing amazing is OK if you want to walk you’re not any less than if you need to” and kept running. (YA GIRL WANTED NO DESIRED NO CRAVED TO WALK)

there’s a point where my eyes were watering semi uncontrollably. I have never experienced that before. I truly think my body was going through something. And I kept running.

it was at the mile three marker where one I discovered a 5K isn’t 3.6 miles is closer to 3.1, and #2 I can finish.

I can really complete this

and I did.

*insert race end pics*

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Anyways, Pandora’s box has opened.

Soon after I saved the link to sign up for the Miami International Airport 5K. I say saved instead of purchased because it cost around $90. I’m still a student.

PAYING to do CARDIO it’s still quite baffling so I I’m going to have a mindset of this one girl who turns her drugs into edibles: if I’m going to take this, I’m going to make it tasty.

So if I’m gonna run, it’s gonna be a cool ass run.

3 Runs that caught my eye:

Avenue of the Giants caught my attention to hardest because seeing the redwood trees are high on the bucket list and I love the Pacific Northwest. It’s is actually a 10k/half marathon/full marathon. And is through the national park and all. It kicks off May 3, 2026.

The audacious side of me wants to register for a half marathon, not to run more, but for the ability to see more of the park, however GAHHHHHHH DAMN. 13.1 miles. A 10K sounds like a great halfway point for progress being only 6.2 miles. Which honestly still is a GAHHH DAMN.

Next, Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend.

OK, so now that I’m taking the time to look this up, I see that Disney has multiple running events which I’m not surprised and they are taxed which I am also not surprised. -.-

Wine and dine originally caught my attention because it would’ve been at EPCOT, and there would’ve been wine. There’s another marathon weekend happening at Magic Kingdom in January 2026, but of course, due to it high demand that shit has been sold out. I’m pretty sure the Wine & Dine was sold out back in February. The race was in October.

The Conquer the Cave 5k interested in me because you run through a stalemate cave and if you don’t know what that is, it’s has pointy stuff comes out of the ground and since you’re underground, the ground is above you and under you. hahahhaaa.

Anyways it’s located in Alabama, maybe the only reason I ever go to Alabama. Just like the only reason I went to Ohio was to go to the Lost Lands Edm music festival. (Side Note: Most definitely top 2, EDC Vegas #1.)(side sidenote I just had a Vegas flashbacks. For example, the morning after one of the nights of the festival, it’s held overnight because.. it’s a desert. I was driving back tired and I ran.. walked a red light, on accident. IN FRONT OF A COP. Out of exhausted confusion I pulled into a random hotel to get my barrings, the who then already made a U-turn to book us, he just looked at me in disapproval and drove off.)

I can’t find the prices of this one because the race was in September. And registration is closed so that’s that.

Anywho, I’m fairly certain that Avenue of the Giants will be happening. Maybe I’ll bring a friend.

As I find more. I’ll add on.

This is both audacity and perseverance.

Happy running, and drink water.

UPDATE: Very soon after this draft. All 3 race options of Avenue of the Giants SOLD OUT.

-.- 12/30/2026

Update: I’m still on the waitlist for all three -_- 02/28/2026

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Ooo

Update: I completely forgot about this after drafting this post lol. I’m just seeing it again now. Oops oh well, suppose it wasn’t meant to be this year :* 02/28/2026

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