5 lessons from a 5k and why 3.1 miles is a little bigger to me

That's me passing the lady pulling a wagon. I did the first mile in 9 minutes and it felt amazing.

3.1 miles. Doesn't sound like much, does it? But 3.1 miles was a very big deal for me. In March of 2012 I was very thin and very sick. Running 3.1 miles in March of 2012 would have been physically impossible. On Saturday I ran 3.1 miles and crossed the finish line. On Saturday I did what was once impossible. This is what I learned on Saturday.

1. Who you were and where you were does not determine what you can do now. Change is not impossible. I crossed a finish line I never could have before.
2. Setting small goals is a lot easier than staring one big one right in the face. If I had just stared at the map of the track, I would've been so overwhelmed by the race. But setting small goals along the way made it better. "Just make it past that stop sign up there and then you can walk for 60 seconds." "Just pass that kid up ahead and then you can slow it down." 
3. Asking for support is good. Having my husband and parents waiting for me at the end of the race made it so much more special. Running straight into a hug from the three people who knew just how much went into that race was so emotional and rewarding.
4. It's okay that a short race is a big deal to some people. We all have stories, we all have challenges, and we all have things that mean more to us than maybe they would to others. I cried the last half mile of the race because I knew I was so close and that crossing that finish line was going to be one of the most meaningful moments of my life thus far.
5. So what if you've always hated running? One race can change that. Now that I've done one, I can't wait to do another. Running felt so satisfying and the soreness in my legs the next day was probably the best feeling pain ever. Somehow over the summer I became a runner, and I've never done anything athletic before in all my life.

When you do something you never thought you could, the sense of accomplishment is the best feeling ever. Knowing how far I have come in the last two and a half years and that there is no limit to where I can go now feels amazing. I didn't know I had it in me to do something like this. I didn't know my body could do it. I didn't know how much I was capable of doing.
But I did it. And no matter where you have been or where you are at, you can do that thing that seems impossible too. You can chase whatever that dream is fearlessly. Who cares where you were? I don't. I know you can go anywhere you want, because I did.
What has been your most rewarding achievement in life? Why?