5k Advice!

Gordo1981

When you get there find out if there are any Pace bunnies. These guys and gals are often dressed up (sometimes as bunnies, sometimes just crazy colours) and will set different paceslike 12 min/Km or the like, if one of them matches your normal pace keep them in sight, If you are a little faster , see the one ahead adn try not to let the one behind pass you.

mjhorner96

My first 5K I had never ran more than 2 miles. I didn't think I could ran farther than that. What I found out was that was a bunch of hooey. I ran the majority of my first 5K and finished with a very good time (just under a 14 minute mile). My biggest advice is to not let your mind get in the way of you achieving the accomplishment. In other words my mind kept telling me I couldn't but my body was more than prepared and able. Other than that I don't have much more advice than what everyone here has already mentioned. Keep your eye on your personal goals not what anyone else is doing. I always take water at the water station, even if it's just to throw in my face. Oh!! Find some good running music. That really keeps me motivated. My 17 year old daughter laughs at me as we'll be listening to the radio and I'll go OH! That's a GREAT running song, what is it? I have a great mix that really keeps me motivated. Don't be surprised if later on in the day you'll be wondering if you could go running again. You get sort of a "high" after it's done and I literally had to keep myself from going running in the afternoon even though my legs were shaking still from the morning. If you're on a course that circles back, don't be surprised if those runners who are out for the fastest times or are in the lead look at you and tell you good job, keep it going, you're doing great because they will. As was mentioned there is a lot of camaderie between runners. And as also was mentioned - HAVE FUN!!

road2peachtree

1. Your Pace Your Race :happy: : A race is a race and the distance doesn't matter (I mean it does a little but for motivational purposes we will go along with "it doesn't matter" statement). It is a race and it belongs to you. There will be people out there with snazzy running shorts and fancy shoes who are doing push ups and power jacks at the start line (true story). If that's not how you warm up, then don't even bother putting that into your mental space. There will be people who you saw at the start line and then 15 min into the race they'll be flying past you covered in sweat running in the opposite direction to get some more. Ignore them too. This is your race and you need to do it at YOUR pace.

2. Turtles Stay to the Right :bigsmile: : The worstist thing EVER in a race is for some booshy chic or dude to push past you in disgust because you are moving 'too slow' on the wrong side of the road. And sometimes, even when you aren't on the wrong side of the road, they do it anyway. Jerks. Anyway, faster runners should stay to the left, walkers and slower joggers should stay to the right.

3. Walking is Ok : As a runner, I'm as slow as a snail, but I started out run/walking intervals. And that's ok. If that's how you do it, then do it. Don't let the fancy shorts and power jack runners get in your head. Once, while run/walking, I heard a runner say "If you have to walk you shouldn't be here". Now that I run the full race, I just do a small shuffle or flat out walk through the water stations to catch my breath. That's ok too--just don't flat out stop there or else you'll jam up the line.

4. Pee/Poop in Private :sick: : Man. I have done a ton of races and I've only used the port-a-potty at 2. The lines are always long, you always feel cheap and dirty afterwards, and if you are as lucky as I was on my 1st time, you'll go behind the person who decided to partake in mad crazy fiber the night before. I swear...when I walked in there I was ready to walk right back out, but I knew my bladder wouldn't hold. So--moral of the story is--either go super early when you get to the race or just pee/poop at home. Please.

5. No Need to Carb Load :grumble: : Listen, unless you are just depleted of ALL carbs, there's no reason to take a trip to Olive Garden and order 3 plates of pasta. It's just not necessary. It isn't necessary to chow down on GU's, gels, or sport beans either. We are talking 3.1 miles...not 26.2. I mean, if you need it I guess go for it, but it's not necessary.

6. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate :drinker: : H2O is your friend and should be especially 2 days before the race. Don't make the mistake of guzzling water at the start line after having only 2 glasses the night before--been there done that and it almost resulted in a face plant at mile 10.5. :ohwell:

7. Be Comfortable :blushing: : 3.1 miles or 300.1 miles calls for comfort. Don't try new clothing or new shoes the day of the race unless you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they will fit like a glove and work like a charm. Don't shove yourself into some snazzy race outfit just because it looked cute in the store. Runner's clothing has a purpose, believe it or not...even the crazy socks. Compression is awesome but make sure you aren't stuffed in it like a sausage casing. It's hard to move around and operate in sausage casing (true story).

8. Have. Fun. : More than likely, this will not be your last race. You'll probably find yourself seeking out more and more and the bigger the better. Experience everything. Smile at your fellow walkers and runners. Give high fives to the lookers on and enjoy every single step. Sometimes for me that means turning off the music and just listening to the sound of people pounding the pavement. Smile when you cross the finish line and peek up at the sky every now and then--it's a beautiful sight.

9. Rock It Out :glasses: Dance, sing, bob your head.

10. Look at the Clock :noway: : When you take off from the start, glance at the clock and then when you cross the finish look at the clock. Don't be disappointed by what you see at the finish--if you run snail slow (raising hand). Celebrate the fact that you finished and then go chow down on the post-race snackage.

Good Luck! You'll do awesome!

lnsy613

I just ran my second 5K this past weekend - at a 12 minute mile continuous running! I really had never ran any significant distance before I started training for 5Ks and I was suprised with what I learned:

When I first first started running about a year ago I was surprised that at the beginning running CLEANS YOU OUT! It really must giggle something in there because... Well, you get the idea so do some training ahead of time. Also, running on a treadmill is vastly different than running outdoors. Everyone is different but I find that I can push myself more when I'm outdoors then when I'm on the treadmill... Probably because I'm thinking "Oh, look at that weird bird"... "I can run to that tree"... "What a nice day" rather than "This is the longest minute/mile of my entire life!"

I'll echo everything the other posters have said. Runners are really very nice and encouraging whether you are walking, running or coming in last - and I came in dead last for my first 5K in my age group. And definitely NO NEW GEAR for race day! Nothing is worse than blisters and uncomfortable chaffing - my chub rub still hurts thinking about that one pair of shorts I wore once. There is no shame in doing a run/walk either.

Good Luck and have a great time! You will be amazing!

LoosingMyLast15

I am going to be running my first 5k May 4th! I wanted to get some tips, and helping advice from those who have run a 5k, whether you have run 20 or 1! Any tips will help! Thanks

keep at your own pace - don't try to follow the herd. unless you are FAST don't stand up front. middle is great. enjoy it. cheer everyone around you on. cheer yourself on. go potty right before the race starts. don't buy anything new to wear. this means no new sneakers, sports bra, pants, shirt, socks, nothing. wear what you've been wearing or if you have a bright colored shirt that you've worn before wear that - you might need it to help find yourself in pictures if the photographer doesn't catch your bib no. try and get your pic taken but don't make it a priority. if you spit look left right and behind you first (learned this the hard way - felt horrible for spitting on the poor guy). LOL

the only person you are racing against is you. enjoy the rush. HAVE FUN!

HeatherDee92

I have been running since last summer slowly building up, and have been seriously training since January. I have run multiple 5k on the treadmil, but I was just seeing what Race day advice was! Thank you all for your great advice!