Temple to Temple 5k Run

Over 20,000 people clustered together, following the same path: from the Provo Temple to the Provo City Center Temple. The 5k race included a wide age range, from babies in stroller to older folks with white hair and great ambition. As two young adults, my husband and I certainly did not stand out. We blended as easily into the crowd as mixing Carolina blue with cornflower blue (hint: they’re basically the same).

Getting my husband to agree to run this event with me was already the biggest accomplishment I could achieve, I had little desire of achieving a PR. My dreams of uniting as a couple to exercise had reached a peak. A three mile race, ran together.

Despite his track and field experience in high school, my husband does not consider himself a runner. A few breathing difficulties has made running riskier for him in the past, and he would sooner pick a book than lace up his tennis shoes. So, even though he does run or exercise from time to time, I never expected him to say yes when I asked if he would join me for this 5k.

But, he did! And readily so.

When my husband goes on runs, he keeps the distance minimal. His goal is to not overextend himself, but to do the task that keeps his body healthy, without exhaustion. His body doesn’t need much, so he doesn’t run much.

On the other hand, I struggle not to push myself when I run solo. Even if I intend to go slow, my pace ends up near the same as usual. Believe me: it’s a fault.

However, having the opportunity to run with my husband satisfied me completely. I did not mind that we would inevitably begin walking half a mile in, going at a slower pace than my normal. This upcoming 5k had excited me, and I knew I would enjoy it, even if we walked the entire event.

The race started at 8am and kicked off with a downhill slope, allowing us to gain pace and weave through other participants. I let my husband set the pace and surprisingly, he often ran faster than I would have chosen to. Then, he finally asked how far we had gone.

I looked at my tracker app and saw it: 1.56 miles!

My husband never ran that far nonstop! Soon after we walked for a short distance and then finished the race running, without ever stopping again. In total, we only spent around .5 miles of the event walking.

My soccer coaches always said that our minds are strong, and our bodies are more physically capable than we may believe or realize. My husband set his mind to go faster and farther than he had before, and he did that! His mindful determination overcame what we both thought his body was capable of.

This “mind over matter” ability is useful when a mother needs to save her child from getting crushed by a car, and it’s also useful when a person has a goal to obtain. All it takes is belief and the realization that the mind can help us power through more than we ever thought we could physically. Athletes around the world are constantly reconfirming this.

My husband reconfirmed this.

Don’t despair if physical fitness seems intimidating or hard to conquer. As with all things, take it in small steps. And, when the plank seems impossible to hold, the mile too long to finish, or the weights too heavy to lift—know you’re capable of more than you think.

Stay realistic and stay hopeful. One day, like my husband, maybe you’ll achieve something you thought impossible.