Little 50 – Getting out of your comfort zone
By: Rachel Ogle
As everyone knows, it’s Little 500 week! For a lot of students, that means bike races, concerts, and a lot of partying. But a lot of people haven’t heard of the Little 50, another event that occurred the Sunday before Little 5 week. The Little 50 is a 50-lap running race modeled after the Little 500. Twenty-five teams compete, made up of four people per team. I had never even heard of Little 50 until this year and decided to train for it.
It’s important that I establish something first — I am not a runner. Back in January, the longest distance I’ve ever run consecutively was probably a mile and a half (and believe me, it wasn’t pretty). I ran track in 4th grade and was absolutely horrible — I think I won a 4th place ribbon…once. But despite the small issue of being a terrible runner, I decided that I wanted to compete in the Little 50. And today, I can say that I finished it and my team did well!
Despite the fact that I could barely walk today, I’m glad I ran in the Little 50 for lots of reasons. First and most importantly, accomplishing something you set out to do is the best feeling ever. I never thought that I would be able to sprint 3 miles (luckily not in a row). When the race was over, I felt so much relief but also was proud of myself for actually accomplishing my goal.
Through the training process, I learned self-discipline. I had to force myself to run almost daily, even when the thought of running was absolutely repulsive. It was such a good feeling being able to see the progress I was making, being able to run a little further each day and a little faster.
Ok, so apart from the character building and all that good stuff, I can truthfully say that the Little 50 was enjoyable. It was fun being part of a team and competing. I’m not trying to convince everyone to run the Little 50, obviously running isn’t for everyone, but I am encouraging you to get out of your comfort zone. Travel somewhere you haven’t been, pick up a hobby you never thought you would enjoy, or strike up a conversation with someone you wouldn’t normally talk to. Even if you hate the city, never like the hobby, or don’t make a friend, chances are you will learn something about yourself (as cheesy as that sounds) and you can say that you did it!
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