RiverBender Blog: I Participated in a 5K

Note my very careful wording. I didn’t run a 5K. I participated in a 5K. There’s a subtle difference.

Let me back up.

Nine months ago, I declared my New Year’s resolutions for 2025, among them my goal to run a 5K. I figured it was doable, something that would challenge me to exercise while giving me a satisfying conclusion when I crossed the finish line.

I signed up for Centerstone’s Life;Story 5K, scheduled for Sept. 6, 2025. Centerstone is a national leader in substance use and mental health treatment, and I care about their mission.

This 5K raises money and awareness for suicide prevention, which is so important. I was happy to do something to support them while pushing myself to meet a goal.

My training started off strong, then fluctuated. I resumed my training in July, with seven weeks until the 5K. I figured it was plenty of time to kick myself into gear.

And then I got complacent. It turns out complacency is the foe of training for anything.

But no matter! I was committed.

My alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, which was a rude wake-up call. I debated if I truly had this in me as I got ready, scraping my hair back into a ponytail, lacing up my tennis shoes. I blared pop music on the drive. I tried to wake up and get excited.

I pulled up to Glazebrook Park in Godfrey relatively bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to complete this 5K even if it meant I had to crawl to the finish line. Centerstone staff members were handing out t-shirts and chatting with participants. I pulled on my nifty new t-shirt and pinned on my racer’s number.

And then we lined up, and the 5K began.

Let me tell you, 3.1 miles is actually a lot farther than you think it is. I walk a lot after work, and it’s not unusual for me to rack up a few miles. But as the trail stretched in front of me, I recognized that my half-assed training was not actually going to get me very far.

Luckily, it was a gorgeous morning. I had my earbuds in. I was surrounded by like-minded, chatty people who care about mental health and substance use recovery. We rounded mile one together as a big group.

The rest of the 5K is a bit of a blur. I will admit that I walked a lot more than I ran. It was more of a 3.1-mile leisurely stroll rather than a hardcore race.

But when I crossed the finish line, I was pumped. I had done it!

I pulled on my Life;Story 5K medal and posed for a picture. And then, as a reward, I got an iced coffee. It was a satisfying morning!

But most satisfying was knowing that I did something to further Centerstone’s mission to help community members in the Riverbend and beyond. Unfortunately, mental health and substance use disorders are all too common, and I think we probably all know someone who has struggled. I was happy to do something to help with suicide prevention.

On my racing number, there was a place to write down a name, if I was participating in memory of anyone who died by suicide. I am so lucky to say that I did not have a name to write down.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t know people who have struggled. It’s through the grace of God and the help of organizations like Centerstone that they’re still here. Things like counseling, medication and support have saved the lives of many people I know and love, and I am thankful for that.

I plan to actually run a 5K soon. I want to give it another shot, and there are other causes I want to support, more fundraising I want to help with. But Centerstone’s 5K was a great place to start, and I’m pleased to know I helped while also having a lot of fun.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

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