So while the calculating part of my brain kept signaling disappointment, my emotional center educed delight. In this instance, with my parents, sister, brother-in-law, and boyfriend distributing hugs, the endorphins won out.
I know I could have placed higher. But rather than finding distress in that fact, I encounter excitement. The race felt relaxed. I was not “going to the well,” yet I was 4 seconds off of my 10k track PR (albeit a very weak PR). If that’s not encouraging, then I don’t know what is. Sure, I still believe that “if you don’t win, you lose.” But some losses are necessary to better understand yourself. Now I know I can handle 12K, and I am in reach of a mix of very talented female runners.

Read the rest of Mara’s post-race recap here