For those not familiar with accounting, a 401(k) is a type of defined contribution plan. Why is this the title of my blog post? Because I just learned about it in Income Tax this week, and I have officially retired from the collegiate running scene. Since I finished up my fourth season of cross country this fall, I am out of eligibility for that sport. I still have a couple seasons of indoor and outdoor track left, but I chose not to finish those out.
My primary reason is that I am too busy with my double majors and life in general to fully enjoy it. I have noticed that each year being part of the team gets a little more stressful than the last, mostly because of increased busyness. Any time something meant to be fun turns into a chore, you know it’s time to stop (especially when you’re a busy college student). It was my goal at the beginning of the year to finish out cross country, as that has always been my favorite sport. I like track, but I have never loved it. There’s something about running in circles for miles that loses appeal as you get older.
Although I am done competing for UNI, I will continue to run. I have taken the last few weeks off, but I will probably start to run more consistently during Christmas break. When I first decided not to do track, I thought it would be difficult; however, I have really enjoyed the flexibility. One of my first runs after my decision was like a breath of fresh air. It was fun! I didn’t care what pace I was running, nor did I have a distance I thought I needed to go. In the future, I’m sure I will do 5ks, half-marathons, and maybe eventually a marathon, but only if I’m having fun.