I actually consider myself a real runner now.

Not in the Usain Bolt sense, of course. I won’t be setting any world records at any distance. But I’ve been able to run pretty consistently for about six months now, and I’m both running faster and running farther. It feels fantastic.

I have an iPhone app called Runmeter that tracks my runs – date, pace, distance, etc. It also provides an easy way to see my best time at any distance. When I feel well and it’s not too hot outside, I often try to shave off some time on each run. I’m very goal-oriented and love data, which makes running a perfect activity for me. I’d rather compete against myself than another runner. Turning in faster times feeds my inner geek and gives me a great sense of accomplishment. I’m surprised I haven’t created some Excel graphs yet.

Back when my knee had problems and I could only walk-run, I tried to finish a 5k in under 31 minutes, about 10:00/mile. This spring, after my rehab program, I could finish in less than 28 minutes if I pushed myself. The summer heat slowed me down a bit, but one relatively cool evening in June I broke 27 minutes for the first time (about 8:43/mile). Then the 26 minute barrier fell in July. That one held up for a while due to weather, illness, timing, and my focus on longer distances. Then yesterday, I finally broke 25 minutes at 24:55 (8:02/mile).

See how easy it is to geek out on running stats?

The men’s world record for 5k, in case you are wondering, is a mind-blowing 12:37 by an Ethiopian runner named Kenenisa Bekele. That’s about 4:04 per mile. Sure, even a high-school runner would be disappointed in my record time of 24:55. But for me it’s huge. It represents growing victory against my asthmatic lungs, my troublesome knee, and my tendency to be a slug.

I am soooo thankful for that victory.

I hope to continue this trend over the next several months to take advantage of the cool weather, ideally dropping my personal record (PR) times in all my distances and trying some longer runs, too. If all goes well, I might even attempt the Cowtown half-marathon in February. A half-marathon is on my bucket list. Maybe I can check it off in five months.