Mental Tips - 5K?

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  • olymp1a
    olymp1a Posts: 1,766 Member
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    Enjoy the process. Run as much as you can, take breaks to walk when you feel you need to and don't care about the time, only about finishing. The feeling of accomplishment after you finish your first 5k race is amazing!

    My first 5k race was to support breast cancer and I run with 10k people. All the anxiety and stressed disappear when I saw all these people from different age groups and fitness levels running together for such a cause. It was more like a celebration of life than a race. :smile:
  • julesloveland
    julesloveland Posts: 93 Member
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    Pace yourself, run slower than you do in your training, don't clock watch. I found the fear of not feeling I could do it was the hardest thing so I kept taking a check on myself 'Oh I feel fine, I'm ok, I'm not going to die, I'll push myself..." and if you need to walk a stretch or two that's fine but do start to run again. Headphones in, tunes on, keep your breathing regular! You've got this!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    What are your mental tips for getting through a 5K? I've walked them before but Sunday will be my first time trying to run the whole thing. I'm close, but haven't quite gotten there, in my practices (2x week). So I can't tell myself, "You've done this before" because I haven't. I don't want the voices in my head to get in the way!

    Personally, my goal would be to finish the race, not to necessarily run the whole thing...

    my first ever race was a 10k, and I hadn't run that distance before so my goal was to finish... then the next race is where you go for a better time!

    You just tell yourself you can do it... because you can!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    lorrpb wrote: »
    What are your mental tips for getting through a 5K? I've walked them before but Sunday will be my first time trying to run the whole thing. I'm close, but haven't quite gotten there, in my practices (2x week). So I can't tell myself, "You've done this before" because I haven't. I don't want the voices in my head to get in the way!

    Personally, my goal would be to finish the race, not to necessarily run the whole thing...

    my first ever race was a 10k, and I hadn't run that distance before so my goal was to finish... then the next race is where you go for a better time!

    You just tell yourself you can do it... because you can!

    I've already walked several 5k & 10K events so, yes, my goal is to run this one. :)
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Thanks guys! This has given me the mental reset I needed. I WILL do this!
  • bketchum1981
    bketchum1981 Posts: 130 Member
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    I've participated in one official 5k event which I walked. I've signed up for the Hockeytown 5K a farewell to the Joe Louis Arena. As a redwings a fanatic, I'm very pumped to RUN the entire event and clench that medal in my teeth at center ice of the Joe!!

    Thank you for asking the question!! I'm using this advice as well!
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,261 Member
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    You'll do great! You don't need to have run a full 5K before in order to do this one. Remember that these events are typically full of walkers and runners of all paces and abilities, so they generally start slow. You'll spend the first half mile just slogging through. The middle is fun, but can also be slow as you run around people who are slower, or folks who have decided to walk that part. The end is great because your adrenaline will kick in as you realize that it's almost over. Enjoy the after party and the fantastic feeling of running your first 5K! (Then go home and sign up for the next one!!) ;)
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Honestly, the adrenaline rush from running a race keeps me going. I was also very excited to see my time(s) after finishing.
  • Rinde99
    Rinde99 Posts: 393 Member
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    When I used to run I employed visualization to help me with a race. I'd imagine I was a powerful locomotive blasting over mountains, getting stronger and stronger as the race progressed. Other times I'd repeat a mantra like "I can do this: I can do this!" over and over again. Or both of those together at other races to help me focus on maintaining my pace to achieve my desired time. You've got this, no problem. Believe in yourself and your training. It will all come together on race day and you'll have a blast running your 1st 5K.
  • OldAssDude
    OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    What are your mental tips for getting through a 5K? I've walked them before but Sunday will be my first time trying to run the whole thing. I'm close, but haven't quite gotten there, in my practices (2x week). So I can't tell myself, "You've done this before" because I haven't. I don't want the voices in my head to get in the way!

    But you can tell yourself "you have to do this so you CAN say you've done this before".

    Don't worry about anyone else's pace but yours.
    Keep your pace slow, easy, and steady.
    Think about the scenery.
    Think about things that are going on in your life.
    Think about and picture in your mind everyone else running in just their underwear.
    Keep your mind occupied.
    But... Don't think about fatigue.

    Running is a mind game, if you give up mentally, you will give up physically.
    Don't let it play you.
    You play it.

    I know you can do this and so do you.

    Just do it.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Rinde99 wrote: »
    When I used to run I employed visualization to help me with a race. I'd imagine I was a powerful locomotive blasting over mountains, getting stronger and stronger as the race progressed. Other times I'd repeat a mantra like "I can do this: I can do this!" over and over again. Or both of those together at other races to help me focus on maintaining my pace to achieve my desired time. You've got this, no problem. Believe in yourself and your training. It will all come together on race day and you'll have a blast running your 1st 5K.

    Love this! "I can do this" has been my mantra for the last 2+ years of wreght loss. It's written on the first page of my journal!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    bcalvanese wrote: »
    lorrpb wrote: »
    What are your mental tips for getting through a 5K? I've walked them before but Sunday will be my first time trying to run the whole thing. I'm close, but haven't quite gotten there, in my practices (2x week). So I can't tell myself, "You've done this before" because I haven't. I don't want the voices in my head to get in the way!

    But you can tell yourself "you have to do this so you CAN say you've done this before".

    Don't worry about anyone else's pace but yours.
    Keep your pace slow, easy, and steady.
    Think about the scenery.
    Think about things that are going on in your life.
    Think about and picture in your mind everyone else running in just their underwear.
    Keep your mind occupied.
    But... Don't think about fatigue.

    Running is a mind game, if you give up mentally, you will give up physically.
    Don't let it play you.
    You play it.

    I know you can do this and so do you.

    Just do it.

    Thanks bcall,The scenery will be great, right along Puget Sound. Love the underwear image...if I run out of mental distractions this will be great.

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