Not making pace for a 5k

thursdayswoman

I'm hoping to run my first 5k on November 3rd...but I haven't made the pace yet. I am still needing to do intervals of walking and running, and my pace is about 17 minutes/mile. The race needs a minimum pace of 15 minutes a mile.

I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that much improvement in the 25 days I have left (I can do about three runs a week; when I do more, my tendinitis flares and that's not going to help matters.) I'm not sure if I should drop out of the race (which breaks my heart, having that goal is the only reason I've kept doing this), or if I should accept that I'll be behind the pace and get in trouble with the race officials.

The site says that people who are too slow will be asked to move to the sidewalk or will be transported further up the course to catch up with the pack. If i do run, what option should I take? I'd be okay with having to run on the sidewalk and not have the race 'support'. But I don't want to piss anyone off...what do I do?

CyberEd312

I have bad knee's and when I first started this journey I couldn't walk, spent 17 months in a therapy pool regaining the use of my legs and losing enough weight to be able to get out of the pool and start walking on dry ground... I started small on an inside track and worked my way up to doing my first 5k... I never based my performance on time, my goals in the beginning was just to finish the 5k... I made sure that I signed up only for those 5K that welcomed walkers, the walkers would go to the back of the pack so the runner could go first and then we would go... we would get cheered on and almost everyone was there to congratulate you at the finish.. Once I got a few under my belt I started working on my time but still would only sign up for the ones that welcomed walkers. My best time was in July I walked/jogged and finished in 40 minutes 22 seconds. I don't know if you have these type of 5K in your area but that is where I would start and work your way up from there... If you want to keep this one, try your best but don't let the results discourage you from doing more... Having that never give up attitude will get you there with hard work.... Look what it has done for me... Best of Luck

mjrkearney

Anti-inflammatories for the tendons, and just keep swimming.

141by2016

You will make it! Are your training runs for distance or time? I am training for a Marathon, with a 10k and a Half between here and there, and I do 3x shorter runs (1.5-2 miles) for speed (looking for 9min miles eventually at 12ish now) and one for distance (up to 5 now, adding 0.25-0.5 per week until go time) weekly. Are you doing most of your work outside or on a treadmill?

Try this:
Week 1: Run 1: 1 mile fast as you can! Be real with yourself and run as much as you can, if you have a HR monitor use upper limit of HR NOT feeling like crap to tell you when to walk. Run 2: 1.5 miles fast, as above. Run 3: 2.5 miles at a maintainable pace, shoot for a HR 140-160.

Week 2: Run1: 1.25 miles fast. Run 2: 1.5 miles fast. Run 3: 3miles.

Week 3: Run1: 1.25 miles fast. Run 2: 1.5 miles fast. Run 3.2 miles aiming for a 15min pace.

Race week! 1 easy happy run as far as you feel in 20-30 min, rest day, then race day!

Good luck darling!

ZombieEarhart

Check the times for last year's race- people are listed at over 2 hours! So somebody is still there logging times. I say proceed with the assumption that it will be no problem. Worst case scenario? Rip off your bib and run away on the sidewalk.

learnerdriver

I'm a bit worried about your tenditinis (sp?) but I think you should look at the 5K as a completion exercise, rather than a speed exercise. Slow and steady will get you to the end, and pushing it, with an injury, is going to put you out longer.

Finish it, heal your body and take pride in your achievement.

jayliospecky

I have bad knee's and when I first started this journey I couldn't walk, spent 17 months in a therapy pool regaining the use of my legs and losing enough weight to be able to get out of the pool and start walking on dry ground... I started small on an inside track and worked my way up to doing my first 5k... I never based my performance on time, my goals in the beginning was just to finish the 5k... I made sure that I signed up only for those 5K that welcomed walkers, the walkers would go to the back of the pack so the runner could go first and then we would go... we would get cheered on and almost everyone was there to congratulate you at the finish.. Once I got a few under my belt I started working on my time but still would only sign up for the ones that welcomed walkers. My best time was in July I walked/jogged and finished in 40 minutes 22 seconds. I don't know if you have these type of 5K in your area but that is where I would start and work your way up from there... If you want to keep this one, try your best but don't let the results discourage you from doing more... Having that never give up attitude will get you there with hard work.... Look what it has done for me... Best of Luck

Great advice.

With this one I would say move on to the sidewalk, because then at least you will have done it all on your own. And be proud of what you have accomplished. Many people have never and will never do a 5K.

astronomicals

Are you following any sort of program for your improvement in pace? If not, you need to. I'm not trying to be rude, I;ve just seen plenty of people who didnt train hard enough. If you aren't sweating you aren't trying hard enough. At a 17 minute pace, and a recurring injury, I;d stick with working on my walking speed before introducing intervals. I've had trainees who could walk a 5K in 48 minutes, but, introduction of intervals was still too soon and resulted in knee injury or ankle injury. Listen to your body.

If you give up because you can't wait for the next 5K, it's just a scapegoat. Hell, do a 5K on treadmill a month later and do it in under 45 minutes. Do this stuff for yourself. I'm not here to sugarcoat the truth.

ZombieEarhart

I just checked the results again, and literally hundreds of people had a 17:00 pace last year. You are good to go!!

Ke22yB

I would go to the race for many reasons. You trained and prepared for it. You don't know that your time won't improve enough and unless this is different than races I have been in once everyone gets started the organization needed to figure the 15 minute pace is never accurate.
The last 10K I ran I was told at 15 minutes/mile the barriers would be removed and traffic allowed, never happened till almost 20 minutes. I also was so hyped I ran almost 1 minute/mile faster than I ever ran before.
So go run your race and enjoy your self if you don't make the pace and you happen to be approached by a race official you can tell them your turned your ankle a mile back and your are going as fast as your bad ankle will allow.
Have fun and run well

blueheron83

Keep going and training. You do still have a month and when you think about it you are missing only around 6 minutes at a 17 min/mile pace. Also don't be surprised with this being your first 5k that you don't have some extra energy to help you along the way from excitement of doing your first race!

Many of the others gave you some good advice about how to improve your remaining training runs and of course listen to your body. You can definitely do it!

Coyoteldy

GO and finish the race.. start at the front.. it will give you " extra minutes since they wont start pacing until everyone has crossed.. the excitement of the race will carry you through!! You have worked for this.. take the chance!! I suggest strength training to supplement your running and give your tendons a rest.. I too am training for my first marathon.. bad knees and all.. and am doing cross training to reduce the impact on the knees. I have done several half marathons with two coming up... you can DO this,, I have faith in you!!
also look up the Couch2fiveK program.. great tips in there
we want to hear updates!! You CAN do this

thursdayswoman

Thanks for the great replies, people! I'm really relieved to know that the races are (usually) more flexible with timing - I had visions of angry race officials (and other runners) yelling at me with a megaphone or something. All you runners seem to be okay with a slow person in your race, so I'm just going to pretend you all are there with me. If there is a little wiggle room I will be fine.

'll try to answer everyone's questions and concerns in one go...

I'm training more for distance then for time; today was the first day of going the full 5k distance. My fastest running pace was 14:13/mile, but that was literally one mile and I was wiped out afterwards. I did do the C25k program through Week 6 (10 minutes run, 3 minute walk), but making the jump to a full 20 minutes jogging was very hard. I can do 20 minutes sustained running now, and then follow that up with walking and running intervals (still at the 10/3).

I'm cleared to run the 5k by my sports therapist - the tendinitis is a chronic problem, but it's not getting worse since I've got exercises, proper orthotic insoles, and have been working up the distance slowly. I got through the thing today without any increase in stiffness or pain, which was great!

The race says that they consider a 15 minute mile to be a 'brisk walk,' which I know I can do - my walking pace is often faster than my running pace. And like ZombieEarhart (inspiration extraordinaire, she's doing the same race and blows me away with her dedication and speed and general can-do-ness) pointed out, it seems lots of people last year were slower than me. So hopefully there will be a crowd of them again!

I feel better about this now. Thanks guys!

MelissaGraham7

Keep training! I was worried for my first race also. But you will be amazed at what the pure adrenaline of the crowd cheering you on will do for your time. I have dropped below pace on races before and have never been asked to move. However, again, the crowd and excitement always speeds things up so you'll do fine! You should definitely go for it!

jaysull21

I was concerned about not making it through a 45 minute time limit in my first 5k as well. In practice runs , I had only gotten there twice. I had to walk about half of it and still made it under 40 minutes. The excitement of the atmosphere will definitely inspire you and you'll end up going faster than you realize. That part has surprised me every time.

You still have weeks to go, so don't give up. You can do it!

runningjen74

Keep training, if you need to move over to the side walk, do it, no problems.

BUT....don't push yourself so you get injured. find out if there is anything you can do to help your tendenitis? Any mobility work ( I've a lot of time for Kelly Starretts work, http://www.mobilitywod.com/2010/09/episode-25-heel-cords-of-a-cheetah-achilles-well-being/ - Have a root around his web page) Better still go see a physio face to face.

There's a phrase I've heard you get fit to run, not run to get fit. Now, I didn't quite follow that, I do run about once a week. Generally just 3-4km. I can probably do 5km in about 30 min, down from 42min last November. But I have tried to be aware that I can be injured and need to go at my pace.

Keep it up, at your pace!
Jen

boehle

The adrenaline will kick in. Just do your best!
I have my first 5k on November 9th.

Greywalk

Race! The goal is to be in the 5K and that is a start. Do your best and that is your baseline. The next one will be even better for you. For help in planning and training for the next one go to this site...it will help develop and individualized plan for you.

http://myasics.us/

Remember the overall goal is health and the 5K is an expression of improved health.

Krista916

Speed comes with time. Honestly, I've NEVER seen a 5k that had a manditory pace. I've done 5k's where half the people walk. I say do it anyway. You will probably have your best time on race day. It make you push a little harder because you're in a group.

I started running in March and am just about to do 11:30-12:00 min mile running a 5k. In the beginning it's best to work on your form, pace and breathing.

mreichard

GO and finish the race.. start at the front.. it will give you " extra minutes since they wont start pacing until everyone has crossed.. the excitement of the race will carry you through!! You have worked for this.. take the chance!! I suggest strength training to supplement your running and give your tendons a rest.. I too am training for my first marathon.. bad knees and all.. and am doing cross training to reduce the impact on the knees. I have done several half marathons with two coming up... you can DO this,, I have faith in you!!
also look up the Couch2fiveK program.. great tips in there
we want to hear updates!! You CAN do this

DO go and finish the race and enjoy it. Races are really fun, so go and enjoy finishing, even if it's on the sidewalk. Savor it, because this sounds like a goal you have been working for.

Please DO NOT start at the front. I don't typically start right in the front of 5Ks because I know there will be people faster than me, and my 5K race pace is a few seconds over 6 minutes per mile. Starting at the very front could be dangerous for you and people who plan to run at a 5 or 6 MPM pace. Also, in several 5Ks that I've run, there have been young guys who think that they're fast who sprint out of the pack, elbowing and pushing people (usually only to stop dead with their hands on their knees 800 meters in). That makes starting in the first couple of rows a challenge sometimes.

ChasingKatie

I say go for it! If they push you to the side you will still finish a 5k at the end of the day.

mdgivens

Don't quit.

Run your race on the sidewalk if you have to. Walk when you can't run. Just finish what you have signed up and trained for, and use it as a stepping stone for next time.

Don't quit.

smithcarola

I say go for it! You might even find that the adenaline and excitement of the race environment help push you to a faster pace.

Something I learned at my last race...Even if you finish last (like I did), you still beat hundreds, if not thousands, of people because you finished the race and they didn't even show up.

runningjen74

Sounds like your all cleared for it. Have a ball and enjoy every minute of it. Make sure to get a photo of yourself with your number on it / finishers medal. You'll look back so fondly on your first 5Km.

Have a great time (was going to say good luck, but I don't think you need it!)

thursdayswoman

Hey all you good people...the race was today! I did it in 51:16 minutes, with a pace of 16:30...I ran the first ten minutes and alternated running and walking after that; I'd say about 30% of the course. So I was over the race pace, but I was under my pace from a month ago! And none of the things I feared came to pass - I didn't finish dead last (I was 2844 out of 3052) and no one even looked at me twice when I was walking. (And I definitely wasn't the only one!)

Between forgetting my ice packs (so I couldn't ice them right before the race) and running quite a bit faster at the beginning, my tendinitis was pretty painful - but I took a few second to stop and stretch them, and then I saw my girlfriend who was watching the race and that got me going again. It was wonderful.

Special thanks to ZombieEarhart, without home none of this would have happened. She is the BEST running buddy ever and rocked the race herself!

janer4jc

Congratulations! So glad to hear that you did so well. Next year will be even better.

ItsaNewDawn

So happy that you were successful! I myself am running my first 5K on November 9th. I am super excited, yet very unsure at the same time. Hearing about your success is very encouraging. Great Job!

lavonnelrausch

Congratulations!!! What a great accomplishment. I hope you took some time to reward yourself you deserve it !!

jayliospecky

Congratulations! Really happy you did it!