How lon did it take to finish your first 5k?

cwolfman13

I finished in right around 36 minutes. I'm a horrible runner and I will never have great times, even with training (I was a State ranked sprinter in high school but I've never been able to distance run)...don't get caught up in that, just have fun.

You really can't compare yourself to others. My wife for example is a very good natural distance runner...she ran my first 5K with me which I had trained for a few months...she went in cold and hadn't run in over a year. Like I said, I came in at 36 minutes...she came in under 30 minutes without any training whatsoever.

drangonfly2323

Just wanted to say I love this. I wish you all the best in achieving your goal.

Dead last. The first 3 5k's I ever did I'm determined to live long enough to win my age group.

tserine

the pee part is crucial. I drink so much water that I can barely run because i have to go pee.
good luck !

AmyP619

35 minutes! I did the color run. Tons of fun!

lyzmorrison

I finished my 1st 5K in 35 minutes. I ran the entire way, slowly, and felt pretty good.
I ran my 2nd 5K last weekend. I ran 5 minutes/walked 1 minute. It wasn't timed and I forgot to check my watch, but it was probably about the same.

That said, your time doesn't matter. Just make your goal to finish.

Also....remember....the only bar you have to reach is the bar you set for yourself.

AND... no one says you have to run the entire way. I'm doing a 10K this weekend and I'm going to run 3min and walk 1 min. You can set your pace at whatever feels right for you.

No matter what you do, YOU ARE GONNA DO GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

chunkybun

I never did a 5K... I started with a 10K.... bad idea, but it was a work team building thing, so didn't really have a choice.

I finished in 80 mins, which I was super proud of, because I don't enjoy running. The atmosphere, people cheering on the sidelines and adrenalin on the day definitely fueled me to keep going even when I wanted to quit.

Best of luck, and have fun!

supermysza

45 mins of jog/walk

forgettingourforgiveness

Wow! Thank you all so much for the feedback! I'm not gonna lie it took a lot of the pressure off. I appreciate it!

dbmata

I am doing my first 5K race less than a month from now. I was just wondering, how long did it take you to finish? Those who did it that were more on the intermediate side. And did any of you finish last? And are their any tips you are willing to give for me? Thanks!

64 minutes, the shin splits I got were truly amazing. For some reason I didn't quit... but for a couple weeks I wasn't right. I've since gotten that time down to 33 minutes, and after a break from running I'm at 37 minutes. Just keep pushing at it, don't quit, and you'll be good to go.

keykey48

my first was in 35:55 my best ever was 28:29. I'm not fast and never will be. I wouldn't worry about it much, there are people at every speed at these events now. I have done a marathon and several half-marathons and I always know that by the time I'm half-way done, someone's already won the race! I did a really hard trail run once and finished 4th from last, I could see the three people behind me. I figured who cares, at least I got out and did it. My advice is to be sure you know your pace because it's very easy to start out too fast and wear out. Don't worry about keeping up with anyone, let them pass you, just keep to your pace. You'll feel so good when you cross that finish line!

joedfro

25:58 First and only 5k ran last november. Did RunDouble C25K and finished it about a month before the race, then just did some runs for the weeks before the 5K.

Had dropped about 50 pounds since the start of C25K to the start of the race, so I am sure that had a lot to do with my time. Found out from that 5K that i don't like to race.

rebeccatackett

I have completed 13 races since October 2012, 11 of these were 5ks, 2 were obstacle courses. The first 5k was around 46 minutes. My fastest is 32 minutes. I have placed a couple of times for my age group. Anything under an hour for your first race is good. I have found that 5ks are either a love them or hate them type thing. Either you love it and are hooked after just one or you hate it and are done after just one. I loved it, and am hooked while friends who I have convinced to do one, don't want to do another one. Good luck!!

charming12u

If you are really worried about your pace, and your race isn't brand new this year, go look at last year's results. When I first started running, I was worried I'd be last, or even picked up by the clean up car. Never happened!!! Ended up kind of in the later part of mid pack. Seeing that my races keep the course open for even 20+ minute miles pace runners helped calm my nerves. And if you have the time, stay and cheer in those later people. Sometimes I think they are the ones working the hardest on the course.

wassergottin

24:13, but I had started off fairly slow and then upped my pace a quarter of the way in when my friends said that I should take off. But anything is awesome, under 30 minutes is fabulous for new runners!

Roadie2000

I finished in about 35 minutes, which was way faster than I thought I would. The adrenaline I got during my first race pushed me a lot harder than just running on a treadmill or around my neighborhood. It's my competitive nature, I knew I wouldn't win but I wanted to finish before as many other people as I could.

SonicDeathMonkey80

It was a day after Christmas 5k put on by a local university. I was pretty pumped to do it as I hadn't ever been timed. I get there, and I was the only one that showed up for it. The sports director guy offered to just give me the shirt and have me jet out, or he'd be more than happy to time me. I figured I might as well do it, so I ran the indoor track. All by myself. In 29 minutes lol. He jokingly informed me that I won, and had a certficate printed out for me. Kind of a sad experience, and I swung through BK on my way home with some breakfast muffins.

Vonikins

I just did my first 5k and had a time of 47:38 minutes and mosting fast walked and then did some interval jogging after the 2 mile mark. My goal was to be faster than 60 minutes. I was definitely in the middle of the pack with several casual walkers grooving behind. Just be patient with yourself. The hardest part for me was fighting the feeling of needing to keep up with the pack when the race started. I was with a group but knew that I would burn out if I started jogging right out of the gate. Know your pace and don't compare yourself to the pack. It was humbling as the masses slowly stretched to the paces/groupings for each individual and feeling like "everyone" was passing you by. Don't be intimidated or pressured. It is better to take a good pace in the beginning and later push yourself, than to burn hot and then struggle for more of the race than not. Being able to jog through teh finish line and know that I could do better makes me excited for the next race rather than agonizing because one remembers the end of the race more often than the beginning. YOu know your own pace - trust it.

RunnerElizabeth

It was a day after Christmas 5k put on by a local university. I was pretty pumped to do it as I hadn't ever been timed. I get there, and I was the only one that showed up for it. The sports director guy offered to just give me the shirt and have me jet out, or he'd be more than happy to time me. I figured I might as well do it, so I ran the indoor track. All by myself. In 29 minutes lol. He jokingly informed me that I won, and had a certficate printed out for me. Kind of a sad experience, and I swung through BK on my way home with some breakfast muffins.

Awesome story!

First time I ever ran the full 5k distance I did it in 39:20. I was so proud of myself! First official race 2 months later i did 29:52 pushing a jogging stroller while suffering from allergy induced asthma. I was so proud of myself!

Just do it and be proud, whatever the time! :-)

k1inoregon

My first 5k I came in around 41 minutes. Not too fast... but I reminded myself of two things: 1. I wasn't the VERY last person to cross the finish line. 2. I wasn't still laying in bed or watching t.v. like the majority of the rest of America on an early Saturday morning. Don't worry about your time. Celebrate that you are doing it and that you finish it! Then, worry about beating your own personal records at future 5ks. :-)

Blue801

Bump for later

swim_mom2

It took me about 30 minutes, but I did a lot of training for it. I heard that the average time to complete a 5k was about 30 minutes, so I was too scared to run a race until I was at that pace. Funny enough, at 30 minutes I placed fourth in my age group. It was a small race, but I wish I wasn't so scared to try to keep up.

RunConquerCelebrate

My first 5k I did it in 37:49 mins, pace 12 min mile. I had two goals 1. finish the race and 2. no walking. I was able to accomplish both of them.

Just go out there and do your best, do not be concerned about time and finishing fast. Set some goals and achieve them. Have fun

aesuter

My first was 32:31. And I did finish DEAD LAST. But don't worry about it if you do too...The only thing I was worried about with my first was actually finishing! You can do it!

chichi2130

My first was 32:31. And I did finish DEAD LAST. But don't worry about it if you do too...The only thing I was worried about with my first was actually finishing! You can do it!

What the heck?! What kind of 5K was this where the slowest person did it in 32 minutes?

Regardless, good job!

sjaplo

See here's the thing - don't worry about where you finish, because unless you are an elite it is rarely about beating other people. It's about beating your own expectations. I ran my first road 5K in 28min, which was 2 min faster than any of my practice times at the track. That was 15 years ago - I'm 52 now. My fastest road was the following year - 24:30. However I have since run sub that on the treadmill and running intervals on the treadmill at this age, I still finish in about 28min.

Some tips if I may? Careful with your start - everone and I mean everyone - goes out too quickly due to the excitement of the crowd. Know your pace and stick to it. There will be distance markers every km - make yourself a paper bracelet listing the time you should hit each marker based on your intended finish time and check them off as you go. Don't feel obligated to do all the jumping around they make the crowd do before the race - do your own warm up.

Most of all have fun - that's what races are for.

cheers

Tony_Von_Stryfe

30 minutes and change, my second was 27 minutes and change

PrairieRunner2015

The time for my first 5k was 27:38. I was ecstatic because I was shooting for 30:00.

singingflutelady

28:34

grubb1019

48 minutes and I was not last. I was just proud of myself for doing it.

zornig

I ran one this morning (just as a training run) and finished in 32:40, and felt like a rockstar! It will be more fun for you if you compete against yourself than against the "winner."