If you read my athletic resume, my various positions would tell you I do not like distance running. Playing forward on the high school field hockey team? Sprinting. Downhill skiing? If you’re an east coast skier like me, it is sprinting. Softball catcher? I sprint to first base when I am at bat. Speed was always my better strength, not endurance. 

So, what convinced me to sign up for the BC Law 5k? It was something fun to work towards at the end of the year aside from my finals and the law review write on. But mostly, I wanted to conquer and build my endurance rather than run from it. 

This post has been a year in the making since I heard about the 5k as a prospective student last year. Last summer, I made it a mission to run it. I spent the 1L fall hitting the BC gym at least once a week. My primary focus during these initial months was establishing a solid breathing pattern. I’ve practiced yoga since middle school and got my scuba certification last March. I worked to keep my breath steady and efficient even if that meant a slower time at first. I also focused on routine. I stayed active outside the gym through line dancing and yoga when my time got eaten up. When I did run, my pace was still consistent. It was an eleven-minute mile, but it was something. 

Soon, the metallic taste in my mouth began to fade. I invested in a better pair of sneakers at Christmas. The best part was the power I began to feel. One day in March, I stepped on the treadmill and just ran endlessly. I shattered my distance record and clocked three miles in thirty-three minutes. 

The day of the 5k was typical Boston; teasing glimpses of sunshine, but still forty degrees in mid-April. I geared up and met up with two of my section mates, along with fellow blogger Samantha Torre. We left from Stuart Lawn just as the sun peaked out again. One of my Contracts TAs was ahead of me, and I knew he was planning to run the Boston Marathon next week. When I saw my friends scattered along the route, I wished for them to achieve what they wanted to, be it walking or running. 

The miles started to blur together. I remember soaking in the sun when it came out and relished in the breeze when the chill came back. I kept breathing and kept moving, almost treating the run like a final exam. Stay calm and stick to your breath. The final hill up Cabot Street nearly killed me, but I kept pushing through. When I turned back into Stuart Circle, I saw one of the freshmen cheering from the crosswalk. I sprinted up to him and caught a high five right before crossing the finish line as everyone cheered. 

I shared my personal victory with Dean Libby and others and then enjoyed a lovely celebratory dinner out with my roommates at Medium Rare. While my 1L year is not over yet, the 5k felt like a culmination of the year. The people I have met, the work I have put in, all came to bear fruit in some way. I am not done yet, but this personal victory will help me conquer the final hill of finals and recruiting. The 5k proved that not only could I push through what seemed impossible months ago if I put in the time and effort, but I am in the best possible environment to succeed and thrive.

---

Catherine Beveridge is a first-year student at BC Law. Contact her at beverid@bc.edu.