Anyone Ran a 5K or Half Marathon?

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lizalmp1234
lizalmp1234 Posts: 311 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi Everyone,

I wanted to try to run a 5K or Half Marathon in the near future, I have heard you get medals when you finish, just wondering if you get a medal for finishing both a 5k or just a half marathon. How long do you usually get to run each of these and approx how long is it. I am possibly thinking of doing the Disney 5k. Has anyone done it? if so did you get a medal, it's a huge motivation to be able to run and join these as well as to complete and get a medal. I wanted to do this to actually motivate me and maybe push myself a bit harder. Any answers would greatly be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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Replies

  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
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    I've never seen medals for finishing a 5K in my area, but most races will give awards to the top 3-5 finishers in each age group. Signing up for a race is a great motivation to run regularly and train to improve your endurance and time. They're also a lot of fun, too, regardless of whether you get a medal, but I will admit the thought of getting a medal or trophy does motivate me to workout harder :-) ) I recommend starting with the 5K and moving up to the longer races - a half-marathon takes a serious training commitment, and the 5K let's you get your feet wet. Try the couch to 5K training programs on the web, or look for a running program near you, through a running store or club. Good luck and have fun!
  • Starkle09
    Starkle09 Posts: 238 Member
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    ive never gotten a medal for a 5k but i have for a 10k and half marathon. i think it might depend on who is hosting the race. Best of luck with running
  • corinnak
    corinnak Posts: 51 Member
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    The Disney 5K's always have cute plastic "medals." The Disney Half marathons have really nice, large, metal medals. Most 5K's don't have a medal, just a t-shirt. Many half marathons do have medals, but not all by any means. It is great to have an event to train for!
  • traut101202
    traut101202 Posts: 23 Member
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    I've only ran one 5k, but we got a medal. I've got it hanging up in my office.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    My race number was as good as a medal to me! Also the free bananas and gatorade afterwards were nice too...they had beer and pizza too, but I stayed away!
  • lizalmp1234
    lizalmp1234 Posts: 311 Member
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    I see, thanks everyone, yes im very excited.
  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
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    I ran a 5K and won second place in my division, so I got a medal, but they only medalled two places in each division, most didn't get one. I'm going to run a half marathon in October, I seriously doubt there will be a medal in my future for that one. A 5K is 3.1 miles, a half marathon is 13.1 miles.
  • Jmartinturner
    Jmartinturner Posts: 11 Member
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    Usually they award the top finishers in age brackets. otherwise, you can just sign up for the 5k, get your t-shirt, enjoy the energy of all the people wanting to raise money and get healthy and try to beat your time! I think it's neat to do 5k's because of all this, plus free food and drinks!?!??!lol You also get to run places you normally drive on, like it's going to be soooo hot, but I want to run the causway 5k! they are all different too. I ran one that's a trail run and it was hard in the second half!!! I was supposed to do a 5k this weekend, and was on my way there and found out I read the wrong time and only got to do the one mile!I went running afterwards, though. My "medals" are my running number! Good luck!
  • lizalmp1234
    lizalmp1234 Posts: 311 Member
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    I ran a 5K and won second place in my division, so I got a medal, but they only medalled two places in each division, most didn't get one. I'm going to run a half marathon in October, I seriously doubt there will be a medal in my future for that one. A 5K is 3.1 miles, a half marathon is 13.1 miles.

    Wow i guess i would have to stick with the 5k! Congrats
  • lizalmp1234
    lizalmp1234 Posts: 311 Member
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    My race number was as good as a medal to me! Also the free bananas and gatorade afterwards were nice too...they had beer and pizza too, but I stayed away!

    Ur soo right! I would love a race number too!!
  • lizalmp1234
    lizalmp1234 Posts: 311 Member
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    The Disney 5K's always have cute plastic "medals." The Disney Half marathons have really nice, large, metal medals. Most 5K's don't have a medal, just a t-shirt. Many half marathons do have medals, but not all by any means. It is great to have an event to train for!

    Thanks for the disney input, im excited
  • corinnak
    corinnak Posts: 51 Member
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    Oh, while earlier I said that all Disney 5K's have finisher's medals, I do have to say that there is no medal for the Castaway Cay 5K - that one is a more informal event - more like a fun run where you show up and run that morning on the island I believe you get a certificate, and sometimes people have gotten pins for that one as well!

    5K's are a great distance to start with - it's so fun to get a t-shirt and a number and run with others and cross that finish line. I do believe that most people are capable of working up to a half marathon if they wish to, but it is definitely more of a training commitment.

    The program I started with was Couch to 5K and I loved having the structure of a training plan.
  • lizalmp1234
    lizalmp1234 Posts: 311 Member
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    Thank you
  • Melboogie1
    Melboogie1 Posts: 1
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    I love to save my race number, and write the date and a memory of the race on the back. Thats my favorite part!
  • Eric_DeCastro
    Eric_DeCastro Posts: 767 Member
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    I'm not signing up for anymore 5K just because the distance is too short for my fitness level now but I chose the ones for this year for the medals. yes a lot of 5ks do give out medals but most do not. I got my first one from Sea World Pole to Pole 5K. I'm running a 4 miler in two weeks but they just give a Tshirt. But I get to run on the Coronado bridge. that is enough for me. bu i have noticed more and more 5K's giving out medals, I guess they want more participation.


    ot: run the Hot chocolate run if it's in your area. the good bag they give away is worth the entrance fee.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    Solid first post on a 3 year old thread.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I'm not signing up for anymore 5K just because the distance is too short for my fitness level now but I chose the ones for this year for the medals. yes a lot of 5ks do give out medals but most do not. I got my first one from Sea World Pole to Pole 5K. I'm running a 4 miler in two weeks but they just give a Tshirt. But I get to run on the Coronado bridge. that is enough for me. bu i have noticed more and more 5K's giving out medals, I guess they want more participation.


    ot: run the Hot chocolate run if it's in your area. the good bag they give away is worth the entrance fee.

    Too short for your fitness level? Have you raced a 5k? A lot of people find racing 5ks challenging (although 1 mile is worse IMO).
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
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    I'm not signing up for anymore 5K just because the distance is too short for my fitness level now but I chose the ones for this year for the medals. yes a lot of 5ks do give out medals but most do not. I got my first one from Sea World Pole to Pole 5K. I'm running a 4 miler in two weeks but they just give a Tshirt. But I get to run on the Coronado bridge. that is enough for me. bu i have noticed more and more 5K's giving out medals, I guess they want more participation.


    ot: run the Hot chocolate run if it's in your area. the good bag they give away is worth the entrance fee.

    You're doing it wrong. A 5K is way tougher for me to run than a half marathon.

    You seem to spout a lot about your expertise but some of your previous posts lead one to believe you actually have none.
  • Eric_DeCastro
    Eric_DeCastro Posts: 767 Member
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    I'm not signing up for anymore 5K just because the distance is too short for my fitness level now but I chose the ones for this year for the medals. yes a lot of 5ks do give out medals but most do not. I got my first one from Sea World Pole to Pole 5K. I'm running a 4 miler in two weeks but they just give a Tshirt. But I get to run on the Coronado bridge. that is enough for me. bu i have noticed more and more 5K's giving out medals, I guess they want more participation.


    ot: run the Hot chocolate run if it's in your area. the good bag they give away is worth the entrance fee.

    Too short for your fitness level? Have you raced a 5k? A lot of people find racing 5ks challenging (although 1 mile is worse IMO).

    yes I'm running my 6th 5K this year on sunday. I typcally run 6.2miles a day. not knocking 5K runners. I like running 5Ks but I don't get going until after mile 4, that's when the magic happens for me.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Options
    I'm not signing up for anymore 5K just because the distance is too short for my fitness level now but I chose the ones for this year for the medals. yes a lot of 5ks do give out medals but most do not. I got my first one from Sea World Pole to Pole 5K. I'm running a 4 miler in two weeks but they just give a Tshirt. But I get to run on the Coronado bridge. that is enough for me. bu i have noticed more and more 5K's giving out medals, I guess they want more participation.


    ot: run the Hot chocolate run if it's in your area. the good bag they give away is worth the entrance fee.

    Too short for your fitness level? Have you raced a 5k? A lot of people find racing 5ks challenging (although 1 mile is worse IMO).

    yes I'm running my 6th 5K this year on sunday. I typcally run 6.2miles a day. not knocking 5K runners. I like running 5Ks but I don't get going until after mile 4, that's when the magic happens for me.

    So why quit two miles after you've just gotten into the "magic"?

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