For those that have run in 5k races...

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  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    Ok...showing how new I am to all this...for those of you who don't use your phone/music....do you use some method to track your pace or distance or such?

    Or does that just come naturally with running on a regular basis....

    And those that do use music/phone etc do you use a pacer or such on your normal runs...and what about in a race....

    Just wondering with the craziness of all the other runners...how hard it is to pick your pace and not burn out early etc by going with the crowd,....

    Garmin GPS watch to track pace, time and distance.

    ^^ This.........pace, time, distance & heart rate

    Agreed on the Garmin. And, if it's your first race, you're likely to get sucked into the crowd anyway and pace yourself off the people around you. So...every 5k I've done has had some freak of nature who finished in 15min (congrats to him of course) and people that walked and finished in a hour, and everything in between. You'll race faster than you usually run, but poll people and ask them what their expected time is-kind of line up around the people that are reasonably close to what you think you might do and when you get sucked into their pace, you'll be in good shape.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    And I very rarely run with music-race or otherwise. The races I have been in have strongly discouraged listening to music, and most people don't. I run to clear my head-that doesn't happen when there's all kinds of noise getting shot into my ears. Plus, I like to hear when people are coming, or instructions and I like to hear people cheering.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    If you insist on using music in a race, only put one ear bud in. You need to be able to hear what is going on around you, like the emergency crew trying to get by you to the runner that had a heart attack up ahead, or the police officer warning you about something in the road ahead.

    I don't get this. How loud are people turning their music up? I put both ear buds in and have never had a problem hearing anyone or anything. Apparently people turn their music up WAY too loud :-)

    You would be surprised. I volunteer on the organizing committee for our local marathon and we have had issues in the past. We recently changed the policy from "discourage" to "not allowed" because of these. If it were up to our course director/safety guy, we would disqualify but we haven't decided to take it that far. I haven't seen a race do it yet either.

    I don't usually use music in races because I don't want to get used to it, then no be able to in certain races. I won't sneak them if the rules won't allow. Plus I do triathlon so can't use them anyway.
    I also like the atmosphere in races so prefer not to tune it out.

    ETA - for time and pace - I lost my second Garmin at a race (my first succumbed to puppy teeth) so I am Garmin free. I do use my phone on log runs but my last half I just used a watch and mile markers. I think I did have my phone on my arm to record day but didn't check it during race.
  • iorahkwano
    iorahkwano Posts: 709 Member
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    In the two local 5ks I did, pretty much everyone had music. The warning is probably just there for safety/non-suing issues. Maybe they worry a runner might get hit by a runner coming up beside them or if there was an emergency, no one would hear the instructions.

    But in the real world, I'd say bring your head phones :)
  • PRprincess
    PRprincess Posts: 200 Member
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    Yes I ran with headphones and I lots of people did. I can't run without music.
  • runs4zen
    runs4zen Posts: 769 Member
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    I've only run two organized races so far and I wore music both times and with no problems. Everyone around me had their music going too. Go for it.
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
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    I never run with music. I used to but I found that I get into my head and my thoughts and wasn't really listening to the music anyway so I ditched the headphones.

    I track pace, time and distance with the Endomondo app on my phone.
  • manhn1
    manhn1 Posts: 137 Member
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    I always run with music. If it means I lose out on that prize for fastest time that I never had any chance of winning anyway, then so be it.
  • HSingMomto7Kids
    HSingMomto7Kids Posts: 345 Member
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    Personally I don't use them, but I've seen lots of people use them during the 5K's that I do.
  • artickb22
    artickb22 Posts: 411 Member
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    I've done two 5K's and both of them I had friends with me so we were yacking (breathlessly of course..lol) but if I do one alone I totally plan to carry my tunes along!
  • xprettyreckless
    xprettyreckless Posts: 297 Member
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    *Disclaimer: I LOVE loud music.

    Agreed. Loud music while running is the best.

    I've only run one timed 5k before, and I did listen to music. It keeps me going.
  • chosengiver
    chosengiver Posts: 1,493
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    I bought a Blue Ant just for this purpose. After 2hrs it's dead, and I'll listen to my tunes aloud on my phone.
    I run 5K races with it as long as I'm not coaching--they have a rule against this--whatever!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    There will always be runners wearing headphones pushing a double wide baby stroller and two dogs at a 14 min per mile pace who lines up in the front row.

    You'll fit right in.
  • repmlrs
    repmlrs Posts: 154
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    i didnt do my 5ks with music cuz the army said it was against the rules. but for my 10 miler they let me. music helps alot
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    Double post
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,720 Member
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    Nothing but the sound of me sucking wind baby!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I've always run with friends, so no music. But I always see a lot of people running with it.

    Just keep it low enough (or only one headphone) that you can hear people coming behind you and follow directions.
  • newhabit
    newhabit Posts: 426 Member
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    I don't like to listen to other people struggling to breathe so i wear mine
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    personally, i've never found a set of headphones that i'm fully comfortable with running. so i tend to go without.
    Most all races here will disquailify you if you run with them.

    Unless you are in the money, this doesn't matter. In over 30 contests, I've never seen anyone get disqualified, spoken too, chastised or anything else about having headphone on during a race.

    this.

    in my first triathlon i saw people breaking all kinds of rules. ppl on the bike without a helmet and with headphones on, running with headphones.

    i have the worst luck, so i always follow the rules, because i know i'd be the person the tackle and throw out of the race because my shoelace isn't tied in the proper way.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    There will always be runners wearing headphones pushing a double wide baby stroller and two dogs at a 14 min per mile pace who lines up in the front row.

    You'll fit right in.

    That made me lol. I saw a dude line up on the front row with his dog and a double-wide stroller and thought "how rude"-until he came in second overall (28min for a 5 mile race). Technically, the dog was second, the stroller was third and he was fourth, but he's the one who got the $. In my opinion, the dog got totally ripped off.

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