I Broke The 20 Minute Barrier And This Happened

In partnership with

Learn AI in 5 minutes a day

This is the easiest way for a busy person wanting to learn AI in as little time as possible:

1. Sign up for The Rundown AI newsletter

2. They send you 5-minute email updates on the latest AI news and how to use it

3. You learn how to become 2x more productive by leveraging AI

Sign up to start learning.

End Advertisement

Forwarded this email? Join over 10k weekly subscribers.

In order to run a sub 20:00 in a 5k, one needs to average under 6:25 per mile.

I had attempted to break the 20:00 minute barrier for the 5k for several months.

I then moved as a grad student to start my PhD program in Sport Psychology at The University of Tennessee. I also had an assistantship and taught several undergraduate physical education classes including bowling (which is significant to the story)…

The Marathon was my chosen distance at the time, so a sub 20-minute 5k was difficult for me.

Nonetheless, I was determined.

Any difficult barrier that we set can grow legs in our minds and become bigger and seemingly more important than what it really is. It requires patience and persistence. 

However, it finally happened on the campus of UT during the Lady Vols 5k. I ran a 19:46 and it was hilly! I was so stoked that I had broken the barrier.

There were some football, baseball, track, and cross-country athletes in the bowling class I was teaching. And since I was high on the hog that week, I shared my accomplishment with the cross-country runner. And then this happened…

He simply said, “well, we all have to start somewhere.” 

No “congratulations”, or “way to go’s”, or eye winks, just a lightning strike.

Granted, this SEC cross-country runner was a sub-16 minute runner. He was in another league altogether. But, that moment stuck with me.

I didn’t use it as fuel, or throw darts at his picture on my wall or anything, but it did teach me a lesson.

It is WAY easier to crush someone than it is to bring them up! Just like it is easier to be negative than it is positive. The negative far outweighs the positive.

I try to remember this lesson especially with my own kids, but it can be hard! We often don’t know the power of our words, but the closer we are to someone, the more impactful and/or painful our words can be…

We all make mistakes with our words. However, when we do mess up, own it, apologize and do the NEXT right thing. That’s mental toughness.