[New Personal Record] Achieving Sub 01:00 in My First 10K Race
I’m bursting with excitement to share this story, and I promise it won’t contain the usual information I share! 😄 So just leave it be.
Why? Because I’m absolutely thrilled about breaking my own record in the 10K race — technically, it’s also my 5K record, but since it’s a 10K race, let’s count it as my 10K personal best (PR) 😄.
Imigrasi Run
The Imigrasi Run is organized to celebrate the 74th anniversary of the Direktorat Jenderal (Ditjen) Imigrasi. Honestly, I must say this race is a bit overrated. Comparing it with the Persaja Run, another Government Race organized by Persatuan JAKSA Seluruh Indonesia last year, the latter stands out in terms of prizes and rewards.
Maybe the location is too expensive, but when hosting a communal event, why not prioritize quality over quantity? I observed that this event opened registrations twice — quite suspicious, isn’t it? 😄
Breaking My Own Record
Putting aside the less-than-impressive comments on social media, I managed to break my own 10K PR, achieving a time of under sub 01:00, down from my usual under 01:10. Admittedly, there are still runners better than me, but this achievement made me realize that the human body can adapt to a new metabolism if we set our minds to it. Here are my results:
I can’t believe I maintained a pace of 5 because I usually stuck to my comfort zone within paces 6 and 7. The pictures above don’t lie, do they? I used to use Relieve and Gerak for my running tracker, but Strava seemed the most compatible with other trackers, so I made the switch.
Changing tracking applications can be a hassle, and I lost track of my progress on other apps, but it’s okay. Better late than never.
Race Results
Now, for the moment of truth — my race results: 10.2 K in 56:09 minutes. I’m pleased with it, and I’m committed to training myself to become a better runner in future races.
I have to give credit to my Vaporfly shoes — it’s not just a marketing thing 😄. The carbon plate really pushed me to perform better, and I believe I can achieve an even better race result next time. Currently, my focus is on stabilizing my heart rate at Pace 5.
Final Thoughts
I never considered myself a runner, and I didn’t even like running initially. My journey began when I joined the Jakarta Half Marathon for a 5K in August 2023 because my friends couldn’t make it.
Since then, I’ve grown to enjoy running, mainly as an escape from my primary hobby — hiking. Hiking demands more energy, money, and time, so running became my escape.
If you’re reading this and you dislike running, that’s perfectly okay. Running might not be your love, but perhaps you need it as an escape to find happiness. 😄
