After you run a Half Marathon do you still run short races
RunConquerCelebrate
Posts: 956 Member
So I am curious if after you run your first Half Marathon or Marathon, do you still register and run smaller races like a 5k or 10k? I will be running my first half next year and I have already started looking for races next year. But I started wondering if once you have raced that distance do you still register for the smaller ones. I can see myself maybe doing a couple of 10ks but not sure if spending the money on a 5k would make sense.
Just curious on what are your thoughts.
Just curious on what are your thoughts.
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My race calendar is a mixture or 10ks, half marathons, and full marathons. I actually have a 5 miler on Sunday and I ran the 5th Avenue mile, but only doing to secure guaranteed entry into the 2014 NYC Marathon.0
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My race calendar is a mixture or 10ks, half marathons, and full marathons. I actually have a 5 miler on Sunday and I ran the 5th Avenue mile, but only doing to secure guaranteed entry into the 2014 NYC Marathon.
See I could see myself scheduling 10ks and Half Marathons not at the full marathon level yet but will get there
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It depends on your goals and the kind of runner you want to be. To me, the distance doesn't matter - I'll race anything but I really really want to spend the next 2-3 years seeing what I can do with a 5 KM. I'm racing Doug in the Cleveland HM in May, but that's to win a bet. The ultimate goal is still to run a sub20 5 KM.0
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I've run about 6 half-marathons in the past couple of years and the most fun I had this year was a 1 mile race. I also still register for a 5K (the first race I ever ran....sentimental attachment) and it's hard, really hard to run a good 5K.
Different distances offer different challenges and can help keep life interesting (I like triathlons & duathlons too for the added variety & the fact that they force you to cross train)0 -
Every year, for the last 4 years, I've run races from 100 meters to the marathon.
Every race distance has it's challenges. Right now, my two favorites distances are the marathon and the mile, which are two totally different races.0 -
Yes, the shorter races are fun and don't require the sort of recovery that a longer race does. Plus, I seem to be better at them. But I think even if I was better at halfs / full marathons I'd still want to do 5Ks and 10Ks for a different challenge.0
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I ran a marathon and two weeks later ran a 5K. I agree that it depends on your goals. I'm bulking right now and am sticking to shorter distances, but when I start cutting again next spring I'll be looking for longer distances again.0
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I really enjoy racing and find that the short runs take way less time to recover from, and so I like to continue doing 5 and 10k races. Also it's always rewarding to see the improvement you've gained in your shorter distance race speeds while training for longer distances. And it's a fun way to do some races with friends who aren't up for the training of a HM or M.0
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If you like the smaller distances go for it, if not you are not going to miss them. I recently ran a 5k on a Saturday and a half on the following Sunday, ran with my wife on the 5k and kept it easy. I would think that there are plenty of benefits to still running the shorter races with the main one being increasing overall pace and like Kathleen, my main goal right now is to get to a sub 20 minute 5k.0
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There are two reasons I cut back on shorter races:
1. They can screw up my training. If I need to run 18 a 5k isn't going to cut it, even with warm-up/cool down miles. A friend of mine had a 20 miler scheduled a few weeks ago and ran a 6K in the middle, that is no way to train if you want to make it to race day in one piece.
2. I do not like paying as much for a 5k as I paid to run a half 2 years ago. $25 is about the most I will pay for a 5-10K.
I have been running a XC series the past couple months that has been a lot of fun but my distance training definitely hurts my speed.0 -
I do. I'm in the "each race has its own challenges" crowd. Also, I enjoy the social aspects of each, and will frequently run races with people. My training isn't what I'd call overly "disciplined" though.0
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It depends on your goals and the kind of runner you want to be. To me, the distance doesn't matter - I'll race anything but I really really want to spend the next 2-3 years seeing what I can do with a 5 KM. I'm racing Doug in the Cleveland HM in May, but that's to win a bet. The ultimate goal is still to run a sub20 5 KM.
Good point Kathleen, when you put it that way it got me thinking and my ultimate goal is to run a Full Marathon. It is something that I started training for years ago and had to stop due to injury. So being able to say that I ran a full marathon is my ultimate goal.
Your goal is awesome!!!0 -
I've run about 6 half-marathons in the past couple of years and the most fun I had this year was a 1 mile race. I also still register for a 5K (the first race I ever ran....sentimental attachment) and it's hard, really hard to run a good 5K.
Different distances offer different challenges and can help keep life interesting (I like triathlons & duathlons too for the added variety & the fact that they force you to cross train)
Congrats on running 6 Half marathons that is awesome. I guess there a couple of 5ks that I can still run and now that I see my kids enjoy running too and as they get older and if they still like it I can see myself running 5ks with them. WOW triathlons are hard (well at least I think they are) good job0 -
Yes, the shorter races are fun and don't require the sort of recovery that a longer race does. Plus, I seem to be better at them. But I think even if I was better at halfs / full marathons I'd still want to do 5Ks and 10Ks for a different challenge.
Thanks for the different perspective I have to agree that the two 5ks that I have done have been fun. Also the 10ks. Since I have not run the Half Marathon yet I did not even think about the recovery time0 -
I really enjoy racing and find that the short runs take way less time to recover from, and so I like to continue doing 5 and 10k races. Also it's always rewarding to see the improvement you've gained in your shorter distance race speeds while training for longer distances. And it's a fun way to do some races with friends who aren't up for the training of a HM or M.
I never really thought about running the same races again just to see my improvement on time. That is a great idea thanks.0 -
So I train for half marathons. I completed my first in 2012, 3 this year and I'm registered for 1 in feb (there will likely be 3 more). Along the way I do shorter races because I find them really fun and low pressure and it's really neat to see how my training for longer races is improving my 5k time. I shaved 3 minutes off of my 5k time this year without doing anything specifically to try for it. Well i decided to run faster the day of the race. I also shaved 16 mins off my HM time from last year, but I worked extremely hard for that. And running in more events makes me more relaxed when I get to my goal race.0
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So I train for half marathons. I completed my first in 2012, 3 this year and I'm registered for 1 in feb (there will likely be 3 more). Along the way I do shorter races because I find them really fun and low pressure and it's really neat to see how my training for longer races is improving my 5k time. I shaved 3 minutes off of my 5k time this year without doing anything specifically to try for it. Well i decided to run faster the day of the race. I also shaved 16 mins off my HM time from last year, but I worked extremely hard for that. And running in more events makes me more relaxed when I get to my goal race.
That is awesome, after adding this post and seeing all of your responses I decided to go back and run the very fist 5k that got me back into running. I want to see how much I improve on my time. Just you said Elizabeth it would be awesome to see my time improve.0 -
I'm wondering this as well. I have run a ton of 5ks in the last 3 months. I'm running my first 1/2 marathon December 1st. There aren't as many 5ks in my area beginning in December so I'm thinking I'll slow down in terms of running 5ks. Depending on how my first half goes, I might do another one in February.0
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I haven't. I sign up for the shorter races for fun, like if it's a Turkey Trot or some kind of themed 5k that centers around the social aspect. I like focusing on the longer distances like the half marathon or full, simply because I like keeping longer term goals in mind.
I do want to battle the 5k and 10k next year - it's been a while since I've raced both and want to see how I've improved. I save those shorter races for the summer, because it gets too hot here to race anything longer than that.
I suppose it all depends on your goals. To me a 5k and 10k are much harder to race than marathons!!!0 -
So I am curious if after you run your first Half Marathon or Marathon, do you still register and run smaller races like a 5k or 10k? I will be running my first half next year and I have already started looking for races next year. But I started wondering if once you have raced that distance do you still register for the smaller ones. I can see myself maybe doing a couple of 10ks but not sure if spending the money on a 5k would make sense.
Just curious on what are your thoughts.
I have only run one half marathon (a few weeks ago), but I will still run in 5k and 10k races. I have signed up for a 10 mile race next year, never ran in a 10 miler before!
I would like to say that I would not pay, however, for a 5k race, I run parkruns for that distance and they are free events in the UK.0 -
I dont run 5K's anymore. It goes to time and budget. I'd rather spend money on half and full marathons. And I can walk out my back door and run 3.1 miles at anytime I want. Have nothing against the 5K's, I'm just more focused on longer distance.0
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I do more 5K's than halfs just because of the time it takes to prepare for a half... I like to have 5K's throught the year just to keep me motivated to stay in shape.0
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I have ran 4 halfs, soon to be 4 marathons, 2 25ks, 1 20 miler, and a 30k race... however, 5k & 10ks are the BEST. I have a much better chance of winner a 5k then a marathon lol, so that's generally why I do them. Plus they are over sooner, they are fun, they don't take as much energy out of me, they don't ruin my entire weekend plans, etc. 0
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Short answer, yes.
I don't tend to do a lot of speedwork in my training, and a 5K works for that quite nicely (for me). I will run a 5K race much faster than I would run 5K if I stayed home. Mostly, I run local races to keep in touch with my running friends. I generally run 2-3 races per month of all distances. When I'm training for a marathon, I cut back on the number of shorter races. But, I've been known to run a 5K on Saturday morning and my 20 mile long run on Sunday morning...0 -
Apples to oranges in my opinion. Running a 5k is hard and painful. Well, racing one is. A race can be challenging regardless of distance or running experience. I don't race too often, but its easier shelling out 25$ for a 5k than $80 for a half.0
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Absolutely, I do! Just because I've run a marathon doesn't mean that every race I do has to be a marathon. I agree with the others that each distance has its own challenge and is its own thing; and trying to run each distance faster than you have before is its own challenge (vs. just running longer than you have previously). I'm a little over 3 weeks away from my 2nd marathon, but am thinking of targeting a PR for either a half marathon or 5K next... haven't decided.
In any case, happy running! :flowerforyou:0 -
Not really, but I hate 5K's they are freaking too much work and painful for me to "race". They are done just as I'm feeling my stride, not a 5K fan. I do a few of them a year, not racing tho, I run them with my kids, walk them with a friend, generally these are local races. I do my half's and fulls out of town and bigger races, they are a mini vacation for me. I've never ran/raced a 10K, by the time I've ran 6 miles, I want to run 13 and feel better about it.0
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yes! I would like to, but i haven't had a chance to do many of them.0
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I like to train for a mix of racing distances. Right now, I am getting ready for a 5K in January and then a few weeks after that, I will start marathon training. I use the FIRST program and the the different distances offer different challenges, which I appreciate. I have used the FIRST program to train for two 5k's, a 10k and marathon (which I used for a half). I have yet to run a marathon, but I am looking for forward to it. I don't race very often, using them more to give me a goal.0
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I'm wondering this as well. I have run a ton of 5ks in the last 3 months. I'm running my first 1/2 marathon December 1st. There aren't as many 5ks in my area beginning in December so I'm thinking I'll slow down in terms of running 5ks. Depending on how my first half goes, I might do another one in February.
Yes that is what i was wondering too I wanted to plan my running schedule for next year and just wanted to see what I was going to do0
