runners: advice please

kcrxgirl

I'm running my first 5k May 31 and I need some advice for training. Right now, I'm training on a treadmill so I can keep a constant pace. I've been completing (for the most part) the 3.1 miles but have had to walk 5 to 10 min of it.

My question is: would I be better off to work on running a certain distance and incrementally increasing the distance vs. going the entire distance and work on taking fewer "walk breaks"? Or does it really matter?

Currently I can run about 20 minutes at 6mph before needing to take a break and walk for a while. My goal is to run the entire 5k in 32 minutes or less.

I would like to add in some outdoor training, but know I will struggle with keeping pace. Does anyone know of any apps that can tell me how fast I'm currently running or just in general help me keep on pace?

Thanks for your help!

alpine1994

The best advice I was given when I started running was to start slow. I made it my goal to run a certain distance (like 2 miles) without walking, even if I was going at a really slow jogging pace. As my 2 miles got faster, I would up the distance to 2.5. I would try to run at a quick pace but then burn out quickly and it was frustrating and hard to make any progression training that way.

Since you're training on a treadmill, I would lower the speed to maybe 5.5 (and put the incline on 0.5 or 1, it better mimics your body position when running on a road) and run for as long as you can. Maybe you could do 25 minutes. Then the next time you run, try for 26 minutes. If you need to slow down, bump it down a little bit.

Hopfully others will contribute too so you have other ideas, but this is just what worked for me. Have fun!

dixiewhiskey

Go slow and run outside if you can. Running on treadmill and running outside are very different..

Eric_DeCastro

i suggest get off the treadmill at least once so you know what it feels like to run on the road. it's a whole different animal than running on the treadmill. my advice is to do the whole thing and take shorter walks. you will get there. take it easy and slow, once you find your groove you will sustain that pace for a while and you will naturally take shorter breaks. I find it hard to start again after walking so I walk after the race is over. never give up! and have fun.

KristiRTT

You need to get outside! You need to learn what pacing yourself feels like before the day of the race! My advice, download map my run or runkeeper apps, set it to tell you your pace every 1/2 mile, and run where you could sing along to the song playing! Keep all your runs at this pace and your distance and speed will increase! My first 5k was 31.24, and a year later running mostly easy miles I ran the same race in 26.30!

timeasterday

You need to get outside! You need to learn what pacing yourself feels like before the day of the race!

^^This!

MeanderingMammal

My question is: would I be better off to work on running a certain distance and incrementally increasing the distance vs. going the entire distance and work on taking fewer "walk breaks"? Or does it really matter?

I would focus on reducing your walk breaks as much as possible. There are some schools of thought that a walk/ run approach is perfectly acceptable, and I'd agree with that to a point. for a 5K, 30-40 minute session, you really shouldn't be needing the breaks, so try to get rid of them.

Currently I can run about 20 minutes at 6mph before needing to take a break and walk for a while.

I take it from the description that you mea that you run for 20 minutes and then take a longer break, before a short run again?

If that's your situation then I'd suggest run for 15, walk for one, run for 15, walk for one, run for fifteen. That'll take you a lot further than 5km but you break the walk breaks down into easily digestible chunks. In a couple of weeks you'll be able to drop the walk breaks down to 30 seconds, then get rid of them completely. that's much more achievable than trying to get rid of a five minute walk break in one chunk.

I would like to add in some outdoor training, but know I will struggle with keeping pace. Does anyone know of any apps that can tell me how fast I'm currently running or just in general help me keep on pace?

I use Rnukeeper and Endomondo on my phone, both of those provide verbal feedback on pace and distance. Maintaining pace on the road will only come with practice, and the longer you put it off the less opportunity that you'll have to actually refine it.

I'd recommend getting out there as soon as you can.

eldamiano

I'm running my first 5k May 31 and I need some advice for training. Right now, I'm training on a treadmill so I can keep a constant pace. I've been completing (for the most part) the 3.1 miles but have had to walk 5 to 10 min of it.

My question is: would I be better off to work on running a certain distance and incrementally increasing the distance vs. going the entire distance and work on taking fewer "walk breaks"? Or does it really matter?

Currently I can run about 20 minutes at 6mph before needing to take a break and walk for a while. My goal is to run the entire 5k in 32 minutes or less.

I would like to add in some outdoor training, but know I will struggle with keeping pace. Does anyone know of any apps that can tell me how fast I'm currently running or just in general help me keep on pace?

Thanks for your help!

Off the treadmill. The sooner the better. Incremental increases is a good plan or alternatively try to run the distance at a slower rate.

Plenty of apps about. Runkeeper is pretty good.

3dogsrunning

Like others have said, get off the treadmill.

I'd focus on running the distance outside first and forget about pace for now. Once you get the distance, then concentrate on running father before taking a break.
I don't really recommend working on pace or speed until you have the base to run the distance.
Many people find that even if they can't run the whole distance before the run, being in the run, they end up running the whole way. A lot of people are also faster during races without even trying.

SarahxApple

Like others have said, get off the treadmill.

I'd focus on running the distance outside first and forget about pace for now. Once you get the distance, then concentrate on running father before taking a break.
I don't really recommend working on pace or speed until you have the base to run the distance.
Many people find that even if they can't run the whole distance before the run, being in the run, they end up running the whole way. A lot of people are also faster during races without even trying.

This

Running outside is the first thing you should do and just see how far you can go - I use mapmyfitness (it syncs with myitnesspal) to see distance, once you know how far you can get outside, start working on a plan for intervals look at the later weeks on a C25K app.

kcrxgirl

Thanks everyone. I've been relying on the treadmill because I have to use the daycare at my gym, I know I'm not ready to run while pushing a stroller. But I've found a few opportunities to run outside. I've used Runtastic a couple of times now and I think it'll work well for me.

What are your exercise and eating routines right before the "race"? (I use the term loosely b/c I am in no way expecting to be competative)

wilsoje74

Run outside ASAP and as much as possible before the race. Slow down until you can run the whole 5k. No special prep for a 5k. Just eat and do what you normally do.

wilsoje74

I use map my run app

3dogsrunning

Thanks everyone. I've been relying on the treadmill because I have to use the daycare at my gym, I know I'm not ready to run while pushing a stroller. But I've found a few opportunities to run outside. I've used Runtastic a couple of times now and I think it'll work well for me.

What are your exercise and eating routines right before the "race"? (I use the term loosely b/c I am in no way expecting to be competative)

You don't need to do anything special before a 5k. No need to carb up or anything. More importantly don't try anything new. Eat how you would normally eat before a run.

A lot of people recommend a rest day the day before, there are two schools of thought on that. I don't see the harm in an easy run if you feel it won't affect you, but judge by how your normally feel when running two days in a row.
Like eating, don't try anything new. A new leg workout/higher intensity a few days prior to the race may leave you feeling stiff.

Another great reference here
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/279198-running-tip-so-you-are-about-to-do-your-first-race

Kekibird

Just aim to finish and have fun! It's your first and it'll be a great experience if you go into it just aiming to cross that finish line.

ejoy77

Like others have said, get off the treadmill and run outside. It will feel harder at first, and you may not be able to run as long as you could on the treadmill before taking a break, but it's much better to get acclimated to running outside now, because that's where the race will be. Also, don't worry so much about maintaining a particular pace right now. You're still working up to being able to handle the distance. Focus on that right now. In general, worry about the distance first, and then you can think about the pace. I would even go so far as to suggest that, as a beginner runner running your first 5K, you probably shouldn't worry too much about pace at all.

In short: 1.) move outside. 2.) slow down your run. 3.) work on slowly extending the distance you can run continuously. But also 4.) walk if you need to. There's no shame in that.

RunsOnEspresso

Thanks everyone. I've been relying on the treadmill because I have to use the daycare at my gym, I know I'm not ready to run while pushing a stroller. But I've found a few opportunities to run outside. I've used Runtastic a couple of times now and I think it'll work well for me.

What are your exercise and eating routines right before the "race"? (I use the term loosely b/c I am in no way expecting to be competative)

I will have a bagel with pb and banana slices or oatmeal with some fruit/nuts. Best to try this before you do your race though. And I drink 8-16 oz of water. This works for me but everyone is different.

_HeartsOnFire_

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1217573-so-you-want-to-start-running

meganjcallaghan

same deal as what a lot of other people are saying. Get outside and change up your route sometimes. I notice it feels like I'm going a lot further and it seems harder when I do a new route that I'm used to even if it's the same amount of uphill/downhill

DaveZilla1984

First off Congrats :-)

I am a newbie runner too, doing my first 10K at the end of May. I found taking it nice and slow is the best way to build up stamina and then working in some faster sections when you can manage to run the whole distance.

lisaabenjamin

As many others have said the best prep you can do is to get off the treadmill and get out on to the roads. Not only is it waaay less boring to run outside, be prepared for it to feel harder (it's better, but harder...but this is good!!)! The treadmill takes some of the 'work' out of running because you don't have to propel yourself forwards so much and the bouncy rubber surface also helps you along some. Running on the road is also a lot more variable in terms of gradient so you won't be running strictly at one pace the whole time.

But lots of other people said that already.

As for pre-race preparation, 5K isn't too demanding on your body, so you don't need to worry about tapering your distance, taking a rest week or carb loading or any of that stuff you might do before a loger race like a half or full marathon. If you run the day or a couple of days before just take it a bit easier on the pace, and don't eat anything that might disagree with you the night before! On the morning of the race, just eat your normal breakfast a good hour or two before you start. No need for energy drinks or gels or any of that, just go for it and have fun!