I just signed up for a 5K... in 10 days. :/

stanmann571

Take it as a training opportunity. Set/pick a run/walk interval and keep to it.

You'll finish ahead of most of the walkers, and maybe even some of the runners.

GrumpyHeadmistress

Walk until you feel guilty, run until you're exhausted. Repeat for 5km!

AmyOutOfControl

I see lots of people walking 5Ks. You will be in good company.

Or, walk the first 3 miles and then run the rest of the 0.1 miles to the finish. Have someone take a picture of you running over the finish line. See, you "ran" a 5K!

Rammer123

rybo wrote: »

It's a 5k, not a marathon. I would think most any already active adult should be able to mostly run it, even if at a very slow pace. Jog a little now and see how it feels. Jog / Walk the event and have fun.

This. ^

_nikkiwolf_

With 10 days, you can still start a little training. Probably not to the point of running 5km (as @MobyCarp wrote, cardio isn't the only issue, and muscles / tendons / etc take longer to adapt).
But if you plan to run-walk the race, you should already do it a few times before to know which running/walking duration is doable for you. For example when I first started running, I began with doing "2min running, 1 min walking" for 30 minutes in the first week (3 times), in the second week switched to "3min running, 1 min walking", and so on. I believe other programs start with "1min running, 2 min walking" for 30min in the first week.

And very important: run slow! A lot of people make the mistake of going out too fast, both when starting training as well as (or especially) on race day. If you are getting out of breath, you are probably too fast. You should run at a pace where you can say a full sentence out loud without trouble.

Oh, and have fun! Running is awesome

CSARdiver

Jog when you can, walk when you have to. Just enjoy yourself and have a great time of it.

Don't strain yourself too hard on this, but learn from it and get ready for the next one.

peleroja

A single 5K for a fairly athletic non-runner is not going to do much damage. You might feel sore the next day since you won't be used to using your muscles/joints/tendons exactly that way, but it's a short distance and it's very unlikely you're going to hurt yourself doing it just once, even if you're untrained.

Everyone else has already given you plenty of good advice re: run/walk intervals and keeping your pace easy. I will add that you should start near the back of the group so that any competitive runners can get out first, eat lightly if you eat beforehand so you don't have any intestinal surprises, and wear comfortable clothes and shoes you have worked out in often before so nothing hurts or chafes unexpectedly.

And relax...5K can be a very challenging distance if you want it to be (those aforementioned competitive runners who will run the thing in under 17-18 minutes are certainly making it challenging!) but for those of us who aren't aiming to win, it's not necessary at all to even be particularly fit to complete one since it's only about an hour even at a moderate walk. Just go at whatever pace you feel comfortable at, push yourself if you want, but no need to stress. There will be people running and finishing under 20 minutes, people chugging along in the 30-35 min range, people jogging it in the 40-45 minute range, and walkers who will take an hour. Wherever you end up is totally fine.

When you see the huge range of people there and their wildly different speeds and goals, you'll see that it really doesn't matter how fast you go as long as you're happy with your own performance. And for someone that's never run a 5K before, you are guaranteed to set a personal record regardless so you can't lose

stanmann571

peleroja wrote: »

A single 5K for a fairly athletic non-runner is not going to do much damage. You might feel sore the next day since you won't be used to using your muscles/joints/tendons exactly that way, but it's a short distance and it's very unlikely you're going to hurt yourself doing it just once, even if you're untrained.

Everyone else has already given you plenty of good advice re: run/walk intervals and keeping your pace easy. I will add that you should start near the back of the group so that any competitive runners can get out first, eat lightly if you eat beforehand so you don't have any intestinal surprises, and wear comfortable clothes and shoes you have worked out in often before so nothing hurts or chafes unexpectedly.

And relax...5K can be a very challenging distance if you want it to be (those aforementioned competitive runners who will run the thing in under 17-18 minutes are certainly making it challenging!) but for those of us who aren't aiming to win, it's not necessary at all to even be particularly fit to complete one since it's only about an hour even at a moderate walk. Just go at whatever pace you feel comfortable at, push yourself if you want, but no need to stress. There will be people running and finishing under 20 minutes, people chugging along in the 30-35 min range, people jogging it in the 40-45 minute range, and walkers who will take an hour. Wherever you end up is totally fine.

Depending on your experience and fitness level, walking it out in 40 minutes isn't un possible. And for a "fairly athletic non-runner" may be a more interesting challenge.

rsclause

I signed up for my first race the day before when I saw it in the paper, a half marathon. While that sounds insane I was running about thirty miles a week at the time so I was okay. To the OP, I would do some walk runs now to prepare and on race day have fun running when you feel like it and walk when you don't.

spartan_d

I wasn't going to say anything at first, but... I heartily agree with those who say that if you're already active, you should be able to mostly run or jog a 5K, even if you run slowly.

Seriously, folks. Resolving to walk this distance is setting the bar way too low. It may be advisable if you've been a resolute couch potato, but otherwise, it's not a good way to challenge one's self.

MobyCarp

spartan_d wrote: »

I wasn't going to say anything at first, but... I heartily agree with those who say that if you're already active, you should be able to mostly run or jog a 5K, even if you run slowly.

Seriously, folks. Resolving to walk this distance is setting the bar way too low. It may be advisable if you've been a resolute couch potato, but otherwise, it's not a good way to challenge one's self.

It's all about the calves. When I was 29 or 30 years old, I signed up for a 5K. I figured I could run it, because I could walk forever. Walking 5 miles was no problem, and I might have been able to just walk a 5K in 45 minutes, certainly in under 50 minutes.

Well. I ran as far as I could, limped the rest, and could barely walk the next day. Cardio and being active wasn't the problem; trying to run 3 miles without being trained to run was the problem.

Fast forward to my late 40s and early 50s, and co-workers convinced me to do the 3.5 mile Chase (now JP Morgan) Corporate Challenge. Several years in a row, I trained as best as my limited time and woefully inadequate understanding allowed. And every single year, I was unable to run full course. The best I managed was running 2 miles and walking the rest. By then I was smart enough not to push so hard, so I got by with just having very sore calves the next few days.

Later, I found a program and became a runner. Now, at age 61, I can decide to register for a half marathon on Friday and run the race on Saturday. But I'm no longer untrained for running. Now I'm a marathon runner, and pretty much perpetually in shape to run 13 miles if I want to. I wasn't always that well trained, and when I wasn't trained for running at all 3 miles was a Very Big Deal to run.

Walk-run intervals? Sure, that can be done. Run 3 miles, totally untrained for running? Maybe, if you run easy and are willing to put up with the recovery. But it won't be a fun next week. And how many people with no training to run can even get the idea of running easy right on the first try? Walking, or walk-run intervals, are far more likely to produce a positive experience.

DopeItUp

Squats and deadlifts are the only things that can save you now.

brookielaw

I don't see a problem with walking it, or doing run-walk intervals. You can challenge yourself by increasing your pace.

dewd2

It seems like you are getting a lot of bad advice from folks who don't run (or don't understand). Being fit for one sport does not make you fit for another. Running is tough on your muscles and tendons (until they adapt and that takes a long time). Even if your heart and lungs can do it, it is not worth risking injury.

Walk/run is your best bet here. And if you find you enjoy the experience, start training properly and you will be able to run for life.

Good luck.

spartan_d

Sorry, but no. As others have said, if you're already active, then you probably don't need to plan on running the whole distance. You can run slowly if you need to, but you can still run most of the way.

Yes, the muscles and tendons will need to adapt. That's why you might need to take it slow -- and perhaps take the occasional break. If you decide ahead of time to walk the 5K distance though, then you're already selling yourself short.

And YES, I am a runner. A reluctant one who doesn't particularly enjoy running. In fact, I say these things from experience, as I always had to take it slow in my early days -- but I still managed to mostly run the entire distance precisely because I was already living an active lifestyle.

stanmann571

spartan_d wrote: »

Sorry, but no. As others have said, if you're already active, then you probably don't need to plan on running the whole distance. You can run slowly if you need to, but you can still run most of the way.

Yes, the muscles and tendons will need to adapt. That's why you might need to take it slow -- and perhaps take the occasional break. If you decide ahead of time to walk the 5K distance though, then you're already selling yourself short.

And YES, I am a runner. A reluctant one who doesn't particularly enjoy running. In fact, I say these things from experience, as I always had to take it slow in my early days -- but I still managed to mostly run the entire distance precisely because I was already living an active lifestyle.

An active non-runner who's committed can walk a 5K in under 38 minutes. Or "slow run it" in 40-42. Which is a more ambitious goal?


Or, select a deliberate walk/run cadence to go even a little bit faster.. 33-35 minutes.

I did a 10K earlier this year... with a walk/run cadence and hit my 10K in 71 minutes. My runs averaged 11 minutes and my walks 13:30. My peak run was 10ish and peak walk 12.

scarlet67

Can you skateboard lol

only6icecubes

It's only 3.1 miles! If you walk a 15 minute pace you're done in just over 45 minutes. Have a beer at the end and enjoy the rest of your day. If you hurt the next morning, start drinking early.