Pace or Race

Out w/the old & in w/the new… But 1 thing’s consistent: it’s a fun run! I signed up to run a 3K on New Year’s Eve & a 5K on New Year’s Day.
Well, so I thought. This so-called 3K was a <a href="racewalk, ever heard of it? Basically, I was up against Navy seamen, international-, national-, & statewide-ranked champs, & other vet walkers! Yeah, these contenders definitely could outwalk my run…
However, this certainly was a more profound experience that humbled me in more ways than 1: I learned a lesson that swallowing my pride is acceptable because I’m no better than anyone else, & sometimes there are rules to follow that can’t be bent – such as the knees, literally… As a runner, I try to go the distance & build up my endurance, but I could always improve on speed, & just because I ♥ to run, it doesn’t mean that walkers out there are slower than yours truly. Although I was far from fast & close to last, I still received a trophy for placing in my age group (still 24-29) for the 5K, so yay for the day, cheer for the year!
My question in using these events as a metaphor for life is: Do you cruise or rush through (something my classmate/colleague Jaime pointed out to me), & do you take baby steps or giant leaps?