I got off the couch – but didn’t make it to 5K. Here’s why.

Are there any athletes who are more passionate about their sport than runners?

That’s not rhetorical. Are there?

The runners I know LOVE running – whether they started on their school track team or picked it up in their 30s. “Running is great! The endorphins!” etc etc.

I have never been a runner. I like sports, but the idea of running around a track never appealed to me.

BUT –  a few years ago, a gung-ho runner friend convinced me to give it a shot. 

“Download the Couch to 5K app – it’s awesome!” he said.

Could I become a runner? I was curious.

But with young kids and a full-time job, how would I make running part of my routine? By the time I got home from work and put the kids to bed, it would be too late. I’d have to go in the morning.

So, I downloaded the app, bought some new running shoes, and set my alarm for 5:45 am. 

I live near a park that has a circular running path. It’s fairly open and I figured I could run there, do a few laps until I hit the day’s target and be home before the kids woke up.

And it was working. The app starts you slowly –  a few minutes running, then a few more, then a few more. I could see the progress – and thought, ‘Maybe I COULD be a runner!’

But I really like music when I exercise. And that adds its own complications, as when you have music on, you’re not as tuned-in to your surroundings.

And that, as history has shown, can be dangerous.

One nondescript Tuesday, I was doing my run when I noticed a man sitting by himself on a park bench next to the path.

I thought it was odd. I was used to seeing people on benches in the afternoon or evening, but never this early. Why is this man sitting in the park alone at 6 am?

On the next lap, he got up and came toward me. He pulled out his cell phone, and behind a shattered screen was a picture of a dog. He said his dog was missing and asked if I’d seen it. 

But I noticed something else.

He didn’t seem concerned. He kept turning around to the bushes behind him. He was shifty. Something felt off.

“No, I haven’t,” I said. “What’s your dog’s name?”

He paused. A beat too long. A dog owner knows their dog’s name.

I could feel my adrenaline kicking in.

He eventually muttered a name, and I started running as I responded, “You should put up a flyer by the entrance. Hope you find him!”

And I ran. The fastest I’ve ever run – to get the hell out of there.

He hadn’t done anything ‘wrong’, but something was definitely not right. It made me feel really uncomfortable, and I’ve learned to trust my gut when I get this feeling. 

Experience is a good teacher.

I told myself that I shouldn’t have run in the same place. But where else was I going to run?! This was the best path –  it was open and public. There weren’t any narrow paths hidden by trees. I ran in the morning as the sun was coming up so there would be light – as late as I could before I had to get ready for work.

I wore bright clothes. I told my husband where I was going. I did have headphones in, but the volume was low. I wished I could run with my husband, but our kids were too young to be left at home alone.

I wished I knew someone nearby who could run with me. I knew some people who ran (those people who were so enthusiastic about running!) but the ones who lived nearby were stay-at-home moms who ran while their kids were at school.

The next morning, I woke up before the alarm went off at 5:45 am. But I didn’t want to run. Actually, I did, but I didn’t feel safe going back to the park. And where would I be safe? Even joining a gym came with its own complications (I would still have to walk 15 minutes to get to the nearest one, and there wouldn’t be much foot traffic on that journey).

So that’s why I didn’t make it to 5K.

I’d still like to go for a run.

Maybe work my way back up and hit that 5K.

And I’d like to feel safe doing it.

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Beth Collier loves writing about the intersection of pop culture and business. She helps leaders and teams improve their communication and creativity skills through coaching and team workshops. Her clients benefit from her global business experience, her Midwestern Ted Lasso-style optimism, and her endless supply of pop culture references.

She’s also notoriously curious, and shares stories that show the power of creativity (it IS a business skill) and curiosity in her weekly newsletter, Curious Minds.