Running my first 5k on Sunday

nygiantschick

Channeling my inner athlete (he he) I will be running my 1st 5k on Sunday. I've been training off and on since Feb/Mar and more consistently since April. I am super duper NERVOUS but excited at the same time. My goal is to run at least 2 of the 3 miles.

To get myself pupmed I went out and bought myself a new outfit (treated myself to a nice Under Armor pink and black top and running capri set- cute BUT functional sweat-wisking techonology (I am SUCH a girl!!!).

I can't get out of my mind that people will look at me like what is SHE doing here. I've lost 80 of the 100 lb goal and I want to challenge myself in a new way.

Has anyone else run a 5k 10k half marathon SOMETHING? Have advice on handling pre-race jitters? I have new butterflies just WRITING about this!

Wish me the best!!

lunglady

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

AZTrailRunner

Read the link in my signature. I wrote it exactly for your occasion. :-D

wjkirby

Good luck!

1life2live_cjg

I've ran a few 5k's and don't worry. I'm sure you'll do great! And I totally understand the new workout outfit too! I love getting new clothes, it pumps me up and makes me feel cute

Just_Bethy

How FABULOUS!! You will do great! WTG!! An inspiration..One day I hope to have pre race jitters!!.. Best of Luck!

vick9180

Trust me, nobody will be wondering what you're doing at the race. You'll see people of all walks of life at the 5k...especially if it's a large race.

As far as jitters go, in my experience, the more times you run them, the less nervous you'll feel. Just remember that you're trained for this and that's what will get you through it. You do this all the time when you work out! Some comfort you might get is once the gun, horn, cannon, (or whatever method they use to start the race), goes off, those jitters will go away and you'll just be in your zone doing your thing. Just don't try to keep up with the crazies who start off at a dead sprint....only a few will be able to actually hold that pace....you just run your race!

Best of luck to you...most importantly, have fun with it!

lisab42

Way to go!!!! You're going to be fabulous. Just remember, you don't need to keep up with the pack at the beginning of the race. Pace yourself and you will last much longer running than walking. Will be watching for your triumphant post race post on the boards. :flowerforyou:

maemiller

i remember my first race and what people would think of me. Jog for a few minutes to get warmed up, make sure to stretch well, then head for the starting line and just relax. Youre there to have fun and thats what races are all about. I have a race tomorrow and the only thing i think about is crossing the finish line!!

adamswife01

What did you do for training?

nygiantschick

Thanks...this was great information and just what I needed to know!!!! Thanks a million!!

nygiantschick

Read the link in my signature. I wrote it exactly for your occasion. :-D

PERFECT!!! This is like a "racing for dummies" book!!! Thank you

AZTrailRunner

I'm happy if others can benefit from it.

nygiantschick

What did you do for training?

Now I don't know if I did it the "right way" but I started with walk/runs. In Feb I could barely even get through a 1 minute run interval. But I just built up. So I would walk for 5 minutes then run for 1 and repeat several cycles of that for 30-45 minutes. Then after a few days I would add another 30 seconds or a minute and reduce the walk time. Then as I got more comfortable with the running I would add in a few sprints where I would go as fast as possible for some of the run cycles or I would run hills. Now I am up to being able to run a straight 2 to 2.5 rolling hill miles before stopping to walk. I've seen a lot of different programs online too that seem good and work for other people too. Takes the mind off of just trying to lose weight...and it's a lot of fun telling people "I'm in training" :laugh:

dayglorious

I started Couch to 5K in March, finished in late May, and ran my first 5K 2 weeks ago (I had mostly walked another right before I started C25K). So I'm kinda like the blind leading the blind here, but I can give this much advice.

1) Don't worry about what other people think. First of all, 5Ks usually get a pretty wide range of participants -- old and young, big and small, people who were track stars in HS/college and people who can barely walk the whole thing, and so on. You will not be the biggest or the slowest person there, and even if you were, who cares -- at least you're out there, doing something to get more fit. Secondly, except for those few people at the very top, 5Ks are not all that competitive, and other runners as a whole will probably be positive and encouraging. At a smaller race that gets a lot of the same people every year, some may ask you if it's your first time; larger races get a lot of first-timers, so you will hardly be alone. And don't sell yourself short. You may do better than you expected.

2) The start of the race is going to be a huge adrenaline rush. Don't fall into the trap of running your hardest at the beginning, only to blow away all your energy before you reach the 1-mile marker and end up sore for days because you ran at top speed before you were fully warmed up. Aim for a steady pace, and if anything, start out a little slower than usual and push harder as the race progresses.

3) Be realistic about your ability when you line up. You don't want to have to dodge a sea of walkers and slower runners, nor do you want faster runners to have to dodge you. And while these things happen in every race, you can make them happen less. In a large race, there will be signs telling where certain pace groups should line up. In a smaller one without such signs, your best bet is probably about two-thirds to three-quarters back from the start line.

4) Follow the same rules of the road that you would while driving or riding a bike. If you have to slow down, walk, or even stop, do your best to move off to the right or otherwise get out of the way of the people who are behind you. There are few things worse than going at a steady pace, only to have someone right in front of you suddenly put on the brakes. And if you want to pass someone directly in front of you, announce the direction you'll be going (for example, "on your left"), and don't be afraid to say "excuse me" if space is a little tight.

5) On a related note, I'd strongly advise against wearing headphones (and a lot of races don't allow them anyway). Awareness of other runners is especially important when you're in a large group.

6) Take a quick jog in the new clothes you bought to make sure they're going to work out for you on Sunday. The last thing you want is to be uncomfortable during the race, or worse yet, suffer a wardrobe surprise. As a side note, if the UA capris are the ones I think they are (the black/white/neon pink striped ones), I have them and would strongly advise against wearing black or brightly colored underwear with 'em.

nygiantschick

Thank you all for your encouragement. The race was great! I really think I am hooked now. I managed to run the whole thing. Your advice was great and they were things that I would not have thought of had ya'll not told me!!!!! I even managed to conquer that demon hill that I could NEVER run in my practices. What hill??? lol....I'm on such a high I can't even tell it!!!! If you have never done this before but are thinking about doing it....GO FOR IT!!!

JMCade

I ran my very 1st 5k on Memorial Day and have finished 3 more since then. I have another one coming up on the 16th. Good luck to you! Who cares what anyone might be thinking. Remember this, you are doing it, and that is all that counts. Bravo! And the nervous thing is normal. But it is adrenaline- it will help you get through the race. Beware, this will be addictive now. After you run one, you just want to keep doing more of them! Have fun! Oh and chewing gum while running is a major help too.