First 5k strategy
fitoverfortymom
Posts: 3,452 Member
I successfully ran a 10k in early September using the Hal Higdon plans. I decided to go for the HM and this weekend I have a 5k as part of the Novice 1 plan. Since I run the 5k distance pretty easily, it didn't occur to me until this morning that I actually should have a strategy for running a 5k race, even though the distance part won't be an issue.
I've done some reading and I'm estimating that I start stronger/faster than my typical runs. My 10k I was focused merely on running the whole time and finishing, which I did, but I suppose with some focus and effort, I could really get a decent 5k time.
There's a gnarly hill (actually stairs) at the end, so there's gotta be a little left in the tank to make it up without having to walk, but I've run those stairs as part of my training, so it's not completely unfamiliar to me.
Thoughs, suggestions, or experience to lend here?
I've done some reading and I'm estimating that I start stronger/faster than my typical runs. My 10k I was focused merely on running the whole time and finishing, which I did, but I suppose with some focus and effort, I could really get a decent 5k time.
There's a gnarly hill (actually stairs) at the end, so there's gotta be a little left in the tank to make it up without having to walk, but I've run those stairs as part of my training, so it's not completely unfamiliar to me.
Thoughs, suggestions, or experience to lend here?
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Replies
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Depends on your goals but it sounds like you're beyond just wanting to finish. I'm guessing that the 5K is meant to give you a current idea of your race pace for calibration over the rest of your training.
The simplest strategy for a 5K is go out hard as you reasonably can and hold onto that all the way to the finish. Many runners hate the distance because it's basically a very very long sprint.
The best description of running a 5K I've seen said that the first mile should be tough, the second mile should be really tough, and at some point during the third mile you should be wishing for death and promising yourself that you'll never ever do another one. You'll forget all of the pain once you cross the finish line and just try not to throw up on anybody.
Don't worry too much about negative splits or overthinking it too much. Pick a challenging target pace and try to run it flat. If anything maybe hang onto a couple of seconds/mile in the first two miles to give yourself some energy for that last climb.
You should be able to figure out a reasonably challenging 5K race target from your 10K time but if you don't feel that the 10K was representative of your current abilities, then you can target something like 45 seconds to 1 minute/mile faster than your normal tempo pace.
Also, stairs in the middle of a 5K course?0 -
I am very new to this so forgive my ignorance, but why is the 5k "basically a very very long sprint"? I'd been planning to make running a 5k my main 2018 fitness goal because it seems like a perfectly doable distance for a casual runner. Is the sprint thing more for people who are wanting to work up to longer races or trying to make a good time?1
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Depends on your goals but it sounds like you're beyond just wanting to finish. I'm guessing that the 5K is meant to give you a current idea of your race pace for calibration over the rest of your training.
The simplest strategy for a 5K is go out hard as you reasonably can and hold onto that all the way to the finish. Many runners hate the distance because it's basically a very very long sprint.
The best description of running a 5K I've seen said that the first mile should be tough, the second mile should be really tough, and at some point during the third mile you should be wishing for death and promising yourself that you'll never ever do another one. You'll forget all of the pain once you cross the finish line and just try not to throw up on anybody.
Don't worry too much about negative splits or overthinking it too much. Pick a challenging target pace and try to run it flat. If anything maybe hang onto a couple of seconds/mile in the first two miles to give yourself some energy for that last climb.
You should be able to figure out a reasonably challenging 5K race target from your 10K time but if you don't feel that the 10K was representative of your current abilities, then you can target something like 45 seconds to 1 minute/mile faster than your normal tempo pace.
Also, stairs in the middle of a 5K course?
Thank you. This is very helpful. My 10k pace exceeded my expectations. I actually could have gone faster, but since I had never raced before, I held back a little bit. I feel like I'm ready to open up a little bit and see how much I can push it.
Your sentiment is pretty much inline with what I have been thinking. If I don't pray for death during the race, then I'm not doing it right.
The race is at Red Rocks Amphitheater, and finishes at the top of the stairs, and the only way to get to the top of the stairs is to run up them? That's what I'm assuming anyway. Either way, the finish line is after going UP.
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MegaMooseEsq wrote: »I am very new to this so forgive my ignorance, but why is the 5k "basically a very very long sprint"? I'd been planning to make running a 5k my main 2018 fitness goal because it seems like a perfectly doable distance for a casual runner. Is the sprint thing more for people who are wanting to work up to longer races or trying to make a good time?
I would gander that if it is your first 5k and you are new to running, the act of running the whole thing and finishing is the win. I think with practice and strategy, whether sticking with the 5k distance or working toward longer distances, is to get a lot more speedy about it. I'm no pro, but that's what I've discerned from feedback here.
The gal who won the 5k distance at my race (was a 5k, 10k HM), she definitely looked like she was sprinting the whole thing. It was pretty badass.3 -
MegaMooseEsq wrote: »I am very new to this so forgive my ignorance, but why is the 5k "basically a very very long sprint"? I'd been planning to make running a 5k my main 2018 fitness goal because it seems like a perfectly doable distance for a casual runner. Is the sprint thing more for people who are wanting to work up to longer races or trying to make a good time?
Yes, that statement is basically geared towards more experienced runners who are used to running longer races where training is focused more on endurance. When you are used to training for longer races, running a 5K is not a tough task, so the focus tends to shift on running it fast. Since most distance runners do most of their training at an easy, aerobic pace, the challenge with a 5K is maintaining a fast pace which is usually in your anaerobic heart rate range. It's really tough, which is why most runners who typically run the marathon or half marathon distance will say that a 5K is their toughest race. However, for your first 5k, this should not be your worry. Your goal should be just to focus on finishing the race and having fun. You will likely find that you will want to do it again and then you may start to think in terms of running it faster. Good luck with your 5K!0 -
lporter229 wrote: »MegaMooseEsq wrote: »I am very new to this so forgive my ignorance, but why is the 5k "basically a very very long sprint"? I'd been planning to make running a 5k my main 2018 fitness goal because it seems like a perfectly doable distance for a casual runner. Is the sprint thing more for people who are wanting to work up to longer races or trying to make a good time?
Yes, that statement is basically geared towards more experienced runners who are used to running longer races where training is focused more on endurance. When you are used to training for longer races, running a 5K is not a tough task, so the focus tends to shift on running it fast. Since most distance runners do most of their training at an easy, aerobic pace, the challenge with a 5K is maintaining a fast pace which is usually in your anaerobic heart rate range. It's really tough, which is why most runners who typically run the marathon or half marathon distance will say that a 5K is their toughest race. However, for your first 5k, this should not be your worry. Your goal should be just to focus on finishing the race and having fun. You will likely find that you will want to do it again and then you may start to think in terms of running it faster. Good luck with your 5K!
Thank you! I hadn't thought about more experienced runners using the 5k as a training tool for longer races, but I think I'm grasping the basic concept. At this point, I'm pretty thrilled with getting myself up to a 15-minute mile every morning and have a hard time even imagining thinking of myself as "a runner" but I kind of maybe think I've got the bug.0 -
fitoverfortymom wrote: »Depends on your goals but it sounds like you're beyond just wanting to finish. I'm guessing that the 5K is meant to give you a current idea of your race pace for calibration over the rest of your training.
The simplest strategy for a 5K is go out hard as you reasonably can and hold onto that all the way to the finish. Many runners hate the distance because it's basically a very very long sprint.
The best description of running a 5K I've seen said that the first mile should be tough, the second mile should be really tough, and at some point during the third mile you should be wishing for death and promising yourself that you'll never ever do another one. You'll forget all of the pain once you cross the finish line and just try not to throw up on anybody.
Don't worry too much about negative splits or overthinking it too much. Pick a challenging target pace and try to run it flat. If anything maybe hang onto a couple of seconds/mile in the first two miles to give yourself some energy for that last climb.
You should be able to figure out a reasonably challenging 5K race target from your 10K time but if you don't feel that the 10K was representative of your current abilities, then you can target something like 45 seconds to 1 minute/mile faster than your normal tempo pace.
Also, stairs in the middle of a 5K course?
Thank you. This is very helpful. My 10k pace exceeded my expectations. I actually could have gone faster, but since I had never raced before, I held back a little bit. I feel like I'm ready to open up a little bit and see how much I can push it.
Your sentiment is pretty much inline with what I have been thinking. If I don't pray for death during the race, then I'm not doing it right.
The race is at Red Rocks Amphitheater, and finishes at the top of the stairs, and the only way to get to the top of the stairs is to run up them? That's what I'm assuming anyway. Either way, the finish line is after going UP.
I don't know if it helps but if you don't have a ton of pacing reference points and don't have time to do a solo time trial on one of your normal runs, my 5K race pace turned out to be about 1:45 min/mile faster than my easy long run pace, and about 40 seconds/mile faster than my tempo pacing.0 -
MegaMooseEsq wrote: »lporter229 wrote: »MegaMooseEsq wrote: »I am very new to this so forgive my ignorance, but why is the 5k "basically a very very long sprint"? I'd been planning to make running a 5k my main 2018 fitness goal because it seems like a perfectly doable distance for a casual runner. Is the sprint thing more for people who are wanting to work up to longer races or trying to make a good time?
Yes, that statement is basically geared towards more experienced runners who are used to running longer races where training is focused more on endurance. When you are used to training for longer races, running a 5K is not a tough task, so the focus tends to shift on running it fast. Since most distance runners do most of their training at an easy, aerobic pace, the challenge with a 5K is maintaining a fast pace which is usually in your anaerobic heart rate range. It's really tough, which is why most runners who typically run the marathon or half marathon distance will say that a 5K is their toughest race. However, for your first 5k, this should not be your worry. Your goal should be just to focus on finishing the race and having fun. You will likely find that you will want to do it again and then you may start to think in terms of running it faster. Good luck with your 5K!
Thank you! I hadn't thought about more experienced runners using the 5k as a training tool for longer races, but I think I'm grasping the basic concept. At this point, I'm pretty thrilled with getting myself up to a 15-minute mile every morning and have a hard time even imagining thinking of myself as "a runner" but I kind of maybe think I've got the bug.
You are doing great just to get out there. We all start somewhere. When I first started running I remember reading about 5k pace and 10k pace and marathon pace and I thought "Huh?" All I had were two paces: slow and too fast. If I was going to be able to run any measurable distance, it had to be slow. But if you keep at it, you will build up a strong aerobic base and you will become faster by default. Eventually, you will get to the point where you will start thinking about doing speed work to get faster, but for most people, having about a year of experience running at a slow, comfortable, base-building pace before worrying about that is going to give you the best results for running longer and faster overall. Good luck with your training and your first 5K!2 -
There is a difference between running a race and racing a race. At any distance, if you are really racing it, you will hurt at the end. Most people don't push themselves as much as they could, especially new runners. If you do, you will pretty much want to barf by the end. Most first time racers at any distance set a goal simply to finish, which is good if you want to really enjoy the event. If you are competitive minded, you'll likely find yourself pushing yourself.
It is actually harder to do a really fast 5k than to do a half marathon or marathon. The pace is much faster. I am older, so pretty slow. My 5k pace is about 8:15 minute miles, my HM pace is 9:05 minute miles, my marathon pace is 9:35. Obviously, it is harder to run at 8:15 than 9:40. I can hold the first for only 3 miles, while I can hold the latter for 20+.
The purpose of doing a race in the middle of training for a longer distance is twofold: 1) it is good speedwork, a lot more fun than just doing it on a track, 2) if you race it hard, then you will have some idea of what pace you should try for at your longer race. There are race converters like McMillan's that will tell you how they compare, though most assume that you are doing advanced training plans, not beginner training plans, so may be much too optimistic. If you do a marathon, most plans will have you do a HM about 6 weeks before race day so you can determine race pace. Having stairs to do will slow you down, but that might actually be helpful because you are less likely to go out too fast at your HM. The first 5 miles of your HM should feel easy. The next 5 should feel moderately hard, the last three hard. If the first miles don't feel easy, slow down or you will crash and burn at the end.
As to strategy for your 5k: I usually just find a pace that I think I can hold where I'm breathing a bit hard, but not anaerobic. I'll focus on someone ahead of me and try to match their pace. If I can do it easily, I'll move forward. If I can't match it at all, I'll let them go ahead and focus on someone else. Ideal is someone who pushes you to work hard, but isn't going so fast you can't breathe. My first race I spent the whole time trying to pass a tiny little older woman who had very fast short steps. I was sure I should be able to pass her, but I never did. I stayed about 5 m. behind. But trying challenged me.1 -
lol... this may or may not help.... but I used to call them "run till you puke" races. Hopefully the puking came after I passed the finish line.0
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lporter229 wrote: »MegaMooseEsq wrote: »lporter229 wrote: »MegaMooseEsq wrote: »I am very new to this so forgive my ignorance, but why is the 5k "basically a very very long sprint"? I'd been planning to make running a 5k my main 2018 fitness goal because it seems like a perfectly doable distance for a casual runner. Is the sprint thing more for people who are wanting to work up to longer races or trying to make a good time?
Yes, that statement is basically geared towards more experienced runners who are used to running longer races where training is focused more on endurance. When you are used to training for longer races, running a 5K is not a tough task, so the focus tends to shift on running it fast. Since most distance runners do most of their training at an easy, aerobic pace, the challenge with a 5K is maintaining a fast pace which is usually in your anaerobic heart rate range. It's really tough, which is why most runners who typically run the marathon or half marathon distance will say that a 5K is their toughest race. However, for your first 5k, this should not be your worry. Your goal should be just to focus on finishing the race and having fun. You will likely find that you will want to do it again and then you may start to think in terms of running it faster. Good luck with your 5K!
Thank you! I hadn't thought about more experienced runners using the 5k as a training tool for longer races, but I think I'm grasping the basic concept. At this point, I'm pretty thrilled with getting myself up to a 15-minute mile every morning and have a hard time even imagining thinking of myself as "a runner" but I kind of maybe think I've got the bug.
You are doing great just to get out there. We all start somewhere. When I first started running I remember reading about 5k pace and 10k pace and marathon pace and I thought "Huh?" All I had were two paces: slow and too fast. If I was going to be able to run any measurable distance, it had to be slow. But if you keep at it, you will build up a strong aerobic base and you will become faster by default. Eventually, you will get to the point where you will start thinking about doing speed work to get faster, but for most people, having about a year of experience running at a slow, comfortable, base-building pace before worrying about that is going to give you the best results for running longer and faster overall. Good luck with your training and your first 5K!
Agreed. I've been at it only a few months also, and I've improved so much. I just kept on going a little farther and a little faster. There were times I could barely make it a mile!1 -
spiriteagle99 wrote: »There is a difference between running a race and racing a race. At any distance, if you are really racing it, you will hurt at the end. Most people don't push themselves as much as they could, especially new runners. If you do, you will pretty much want to barf by the end. Most first time racers at any distance set a goal simply to finish, which is good if you want to really enjoy the event. If you are competitive minded, you'll likely find yourself pushing yourself.
It is actually harder to do a really fast 5k than to do a half marathon or marathon. The pace is much faster. I am older, so pretty slow. My 5k pace is about 8:15 minute miles, my HM pace is 9:05 minute miles, my marathon pace is 9:35. Obviously, it is harder to run at 8:15 than 9:40. I can hold the first for only 3 miles, while I can hold the latter for 20+.
The purpose of doing a race in the middle of training for a longer distance is twofold: 1) it is good speedwork, a lot more fun than just doing it on a track, 2) if you race it hard, then you will have some idea of what pace you should try for at your longer race. There are race converters like McMillan's that will tell you how they compare, though most assume that you are doing advanced training plans, not beginner training plans, so may be much too optimistic. If you do a marathon, most plans will have you do a HM about 6 weeks before race day so you can determine race pace. Having stairs to do will slow you down, but that might actually be helpful because you are less likely to go out too fast at your HM. The first 5 miles of your HM should feel easy. The next 5 should feel moderately hard, the last three hard. If the first miles don't feel easy, slow down or you will crash and burn at the end.
As to strategy for your 5k: I usually just find a pace that I think I can hold where I'm breathing a bit hard, but not anaerobic. I'll focus on someone ahead of me and try to match their pace. If I can do it easily, I'll move forward. If I can't match it at all, I'll let them go ahead and focus on someone else. Ideal is someone who pushes you to work hard, but isn't going so fast you can't breathe. My first race I spent the whole time trying to pass a tiny little older woman who had very fast short steps. I was sure I should be able to pass her, but I never did. I stayed about 5 m. behind. But trying challenged me.
Thank you! This is very helpful. My first race was all about finishing, but I actually want to race this one. I confirmed that the race indeed ends with running up the stairs, so I can almost guarantee puking. I am a much slower runner than you, but this gives some perspective on how fast I can plan on going from the start.1 -
I think the best way to figure out your personal 5k strategy is do a couple of 5ks in training, including the stairs if possible.0
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When I did my first 5k, my only goal was to finish one. I always referred to them as runs, because I was slow and just trying to prove to myself that I could do it.
Now that I am in better condition I looks at them as races and try to keep beating myself with each one.
My first 5k was 40 minutes and my best is now a bit over 24. I have progressed to 10k and a 15k and doing my first half in a couple weeks.
Start out slow and enjoy the experience. Stick to your training and keep positive. Even on those days when you just aren't feeling it. It happens and don't let it get you down.
My mind was my worst enemy during training, especially over the winter.
Just have fun and you will soon be hooked.
Good luck on your 5k!!!3 -
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