5K advice
Iwannabfit76
Posts: 101 Member
I just signed up for my first 5K in May! Just wondering if anyone wanted to share their advice with me about anything!? I’m not a professional but I plan to sleep at a Holiday Inn the night before lol.
Side note, I did hike 9 miles in Cali and walked/ran a total of 45 miles in 12 days while I was out there. I go to the gym 6 days a week on average and lift 4 days/ week and do cardio 6 days/week.
I think my biggest concern is running out of gas and not finishing the race in the time I am hoping for. Thanks in advance!
Side note, I did hike 9 miles in Cali and walked/ran a total of 45 miles in 12 days while I was out there. I go to the gym 6 days a week on average and lift 4 days/ week and do cardio 6 days/week.
I think my biggest concern is running out of gas and not finishing the race in the time I am hoping for. Thanks in advance!
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Replies
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C25k is your ticket!4
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C25K is a good suggestion. It sounds like you already have a good level of fitness, so you should be prepared to start the program. Don't underestimate it, though...walking, hiking, and other forms of cardio aren't the same thing as running.
I would recommend not being very concerned about a finishing time for your first race. Your goal can be just to finish, or maybe to finish without any walking breaks. Finishing within a certain time is a nice bonus.
Get professionally fitted for running shoes. Don't just run in the shoes you walk or work out in.6 -
Fitted? Really? My Brooks were loooking forward to this race. But that’s really some good points I didn’t think about. Thanks!0
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Iwannabfit76 wrote: »Fitted? Really? My Brooks were loooking forward to this race. But that’s really some good points I didn’t think about. Thanks!
Definitely. Brooks makes lots of different shoes. The walking shoes aren't meant for running, the different models of running shoes are all suited to different gaits, and maybe a different brand altogether would be better for you. I've run in Brooks since I was first fitted, but I've had to change the specific model as I lost weight. I also have Brooks walking shoes and they are extremely different from my running shoes.3 -
Agreed on both C25K and getting a gait analysis done. Even if you don't get through the C25K, you don't need to run the full 5K and can walk part of it.1
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c25k is great if your concern is just to finish and a 5K is pretty low risk. Make sure you have fun with it!
If you have a certain time goal, you'll have to train with that in mind. How aggressive is your goal relative to your normal easy training pace? In general, it's not unusual to achieve a race pace 60-90 seconds per mile faster than your easy training pace or 30-45 seconds per mile faster than your tempo pace.1 -
Check your local running stores...some offer 5k programs. In St. Louis, I have completed the 5k program with Fleet Feet (doing it a second time now). Out of a program from a running store, you should get running support plus you'll find like minded and like skilled folks. As a bonus...you might make a new friend or 10! (I did).
A couch to 5k program will also work, but I found it easier to motivate when I was meeting up with others.
Good luck! You can DO it!1 -
Running shoes. Follow a training program. Take it easy in the first half mile or so - a lot of people get excited and try to keep up with the fastest runners, and that's how you run out of steam.3
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c25k is great if your concern is just to finish and a 5K is pretty low risk. Make sure you have fun with it!
If you have a certain time goal, you'll have to train with that in mind. How aggressive is your goal relative to your normal easy training pace? In general, it's not unusual to achieve a race pace 60-90 seconds per mile faster than your easy training pace or 30-45 seconds per mile faster than your tempo pace.
Oh I’m definitely training for this. I’ve hiked a ton of miles but never ran a 3 mile race. So yes I’m training. Right now I’m doing 13 minute miles. But I’m only able to run 3/4 of a mile until I start having pain so it has slowed me down a lot. The race pace is shocking to me though. Is it the adrenaline that increases your speed? A friend of mine mentioned that as well but didn’t elaborate why. Thanks for the advice!0 -
Good shoes and interval training will help. Try changing your pace in intervals for time or distance. Find out the terrain of the 5k and train as close to your race conditions as possible. You want to push yourself but not hurt yourself so ease into it. Best of luck!!
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Check your local running stores...some offer 5k programs. In St. Louis, I have completed the 5k program with Fleet Feet (doing it a second time now). Out of a program from a running store, you should get running support plus you'll find like minded and like skilled folks. As a bonus...you might make a new friend or 10! (I did).
A couch to 5k program will also work, but I found it easier to motivate when I was meeting up with others.
Good luck! You can DO it!
Thank you! And I’ve already signed up with a local race! Not only am I running but I’m bringing my entourage; the husband, 4 childhood friends, and my husband’s co-worker! It’s a partay1 -
Great advice, thanks everyone. I think I’m as prepared as I’ll ever be. Just got to train for the next 2 months!0
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gearhead426hemi wrote: »Good shoes and interval training will help. Try changing your pace in intervals for time or distance. Find out the terrain of the 5k and train as close to your race conditions as possible. You want to push yourself but not hurt yourself so ease into it. Best of luck!!
Thanks! Good advice about changing pace!0 -
How soon would you invest in shoes before a race and what kind of pre workout or supplements would you take for endurance?1
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Right away, you want to train in your shoes so you're used to it on race day.
For me, when I replaced shoes, there's always a slight discomfort and foot fatigue for a week even when the shoes I replaced is the same exact one I previously used, I actually prefer the soles a little worn out from running on the asphalt as the shoes is adapting to how I run.
I don't use supplements, i just eat food, no keto, no clean, nothing of that sort and get lots of sleep and rest in between runs, don't know about others.
I've came across information online that doing 180 strides per minute is ideal and efficient and it helps improve your endurance, you might want to research that and download a metronome app to use alongside the C25K program.
Good luck.
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Iwannabfit76 wrote: »How soon would you invest in shoes before a race and what kind of pre workout or supplements would you take for endurance?
I would get shoes sooner rather than later. Like, as soon as you can afford them.
I thought that running always hurt and was miserable. Then I could finally nu a pair of running shoes and stop using my walking shoes. World of difference.1 -
check the course out before hand also I made the mistake on a hilly course of running hard downhill and damaged my patella tendon. Just go to finish there are always faster but I do try not to be last
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Iwannabfit76 wrote: »what kind of pre workout or supplements would you take for endurance?
Nothing is required for 5k.6 -
Iwannabfit76 wrote: »...what kind of pre workout or supplements would you take for endurance?
Best supplement for a 5K is miles, plenty of them.
Personally, for a Half Marathon and below I wouldn't take anything specific. For a marathon and above I prefer Tailwind, but that's completely OTT for what you're after.
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Hi I wanna be,
The #1 mistake most people make in races is starting off too fast. They get caught up in the energy, excitement, hype, etc and launch out of the starting gate like a rocket. Expect things to move a little slowly when the 'gun' goes off but remember, your time chip doesn't start calculating your time until you hit the mat at the start line. Find your pace and block out the temptation to race with others that may pass you.
Also, don't eat or drink anything the day before or day of the race that you haven't tried before. There's usually lots of samples at the expos where you collect your number and welcome packet. Your body might not react kindly. Same goes on the course. If they have water and Gatorade at the water stops and you haven't trained with Gatorade, don't drink it.
And, as others have said, good running sneakers are a must. I wear Brooks and they rock. So, if you like that brand, you can surely find another pair that works for running.
You're going to rock this. Report back to us with your success story.
P.S. I'd put money on it that you sign up for another race within 48 hours after you complete that one. It's addicting.4 -
c25k is great if your concern is just to finish and a 5K is pretty low risk. Make sure you have fun with it!
If you have a certain time goal, you'll have to train with that in mind. How aggressive is your goal relative to your normal easy training pace? In general, it's not unusual to achieve a race pace 60-90 seconds per mile faster than your easy training pace or 30-45 seconds per mile faster than your tempo pace.
QFT. The fastest I ever ran a 5K in training was 36 minutes - on race day I finished in 27 minutes!4 -
C25K0
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Iwannabfit76 wrote: »Oh I’m definitely training for this. I’ve hiked a ton of miles but never ran a 3 mile race. So yes I’m training. Right now I’m doing 13 minute miles. But I’m only able to run 3/4 of a mile until I start having pain so it has slowed me down a lot. The race pace is shocking to me though. Is it the adrenaline that increases your speed? A friend of mine mentioned that as well but didn’t elaborate why. Thanks for the advice!
It worries me that pain is stopping you from running a mile at a time? This absolutely shouldn't be the case. Run very easy until you can run sustained distance - at this stage, the best prep for your 5K is to learn to run longer distances at an easy pace.
And yes, race pace will generally be faster than training because in a race environment if you want to run the distance in the shortest possible time your goal is find the maximum effort you can give for the entire duration. If you do it right, you should basically have zero left to give when you cross the finish line.
We rarely push this hard in training...for most of us training is split into an 80/20 split of easy and hard miles, and even the hard miles aren't necessarily as tough as we'd run them in a race environment. Admittedly, running in a crowd in a race environment makes the hard miles easier to absorb. I doubt I could achieve a true race pace outside of a real race environment.
There's a saying that races don't get easier as you become a better runner, you just get faster. I will say though, at 13 minute miles and not yet able to run a mile at a time, while two months is plenty of time to prep for a 5K, don't worry too much about time for your first 5K. I think a goal of finishing without walking would be just fine.2 -
sschauer513 wrote: »check the course out before hand also I made the mistake on a hilly course of running hard downhill and damaged my patella tendon. Just go to finish there are always faster but I do try not to be last
Great advice! Thanks!0 -
Hi I wanna be,
The #1 mistake most people make in races is starting off too fast. They get caught up in the energy, excitement, hype, etc and launch out of the starting gate like a rocket. Expect things to move a little slowly when the 'gun' goes off but remember, your time chip doesn't start calculating your time until you hit the mat at the start line. Find your pace and block out the temptation to race with others that may pass you.
Also, don't eat or drink anything the day before or day of the race that you haven't tried before. There's usually lots of samples at the expos where you collect your number and welcome packet. Your body might not react kindly. Same goes on the course. If they have water and Gatorade at the water stops and you haven't trained with Gatorade, don't drink it.
And, as others have said, good running sneakers are a must. I wear Brooks and they rock. So, if you like that brand, you can surely find another pair that works for running.
You're going to rock this. Report back to us with your success story.
P.S. I'd put money on it that you sign up for another race within 48 hours after you complete that one. It's addicting.
This!!! Thank you! Y’all have me so excited!
I love the one person who said nothing is required for a 5K as far as supplements. It really made me smile. I forgot to add I do have Fibromyalgia and spinal stenosis, degenerative disk disease, and a ruptured disk, bone spurs blah blah blah. So this is going to be like a marathon for me. I will definitely post my end results!3 -
I have a 5k on Sunday! I'm so psyched. You're going to do great!1
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We rarely push this hard in training...for most of us training is split into an 80/20 split of easy and hard miles, and even the hard miles aren't necessarily as tough as we'd run them in a race environment. Admittedly, running in a crowd in a race environment makes the hard miles easier to absorb. I doubt I could achieve a true race pace outside of a real race environment.
There's so much... emotion, adrenaline, the crowd, The first mile is gone before you even think to pace or check your pace.
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Thanks for that video!
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As others have mentioned, go to a good running store and have an analysis and fitting done. It will pay off as you start running more and your distance increases. I was a runner for over 20 years and even completed three full marathons before I finally had it done. Turned out I'd been running in the wrong type of shoes for years. The proper shoes made a world of difference and solved a lot of injury problems. Invest in some good socks while you're there. They're important and often overlooked. Avoid cotton at all cost.
As far as the actual race goes, don't get caught up in the excitement and start out too fast. Run your own pace and ignore the faster runners passing you. If you need a walking break, take one (...you certainly won't be the only one). You're out there to have fun so don't stress over it. Enjoy it and good luck.1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaRYYhweiLQ
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