First 5k!

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shootergirlnc
shootergirlnc Posts: 50 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I'm doing my first 5k this upcoming Saturday. Pretty stoked about it, and not really sure what to expect. Any tips I should know beforehand?

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  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    soak it in! Have fun!

    Don't try anything new on race day, and don't line up at the front unless you expect to place. If you run with music, take the earbuds out for the start. Its cool to experience what is going on around you.
  • shootergirlnc
    shootergirlnc Posts: 50 Member
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    Yeah, I'm not going anywhere near the front. I'd be the person to trip right as it starts if I was in the front!
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
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    I just did my second this morning. Bliss :-)

    You will have lots of extra excitement and adrenaline. Force yourself to keep to your training pace for the first mile!! You will be really glad you did during the last two point three miles. There will be plenty of time to push yourself as you close on the finish but it's way too easy to burn yourself out and turn in a poor time.
  • amybg1
    amybg1 Posts: 631 Member
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    Doing my 7th one tomorrow (also have a 10K under my belt) Definitely don't start out too fast and keep at your training pace - I personally find the first K as well as the last (depending on how hard you're going) to be the hardest. What I prefer to do and my guides agree on this as well is start off a few seconds slower than you normally would for the first K if you don't do a warm-up jog pre-race. After that first K bring your pace up to the race pace you set yourself, make sure to keep enough in the tank for the last K - the 500m mark is where you'll want to pick up teh pace and when my guides aren't always sure of how far we have to go until we reach the finish i tell them to let me know when they see the finish line at which point we start our sprint.

    Don't do ANYTHING new! So eat the same breakfast you would on your morning runs, if it is a morning race and wear teh same clothes (do NOT wear the shirt you'll get in your kit unless kit pick-up and race day are spaced apart so you have a training run in it and figure out if it's OK to wear or not - new clothes making you chafe during a race= no fun!)

    some people experience GI issues when they race so still eat fiber-rich foods obviously but decrease the amount you're eating I'd say...2 days pre-race to help avoid runner's trots or other problems.

    But most important of all: Have fun! If you reach your time goal than YAY - if not then still YAY! Because even if you didn't go as fast as you wanted...You DID IT!! And that is all that matters!
  • TimeWarp9
    TimeWarp9 Posts: 91
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    A little more emphasis on what an earlier poster said: don't try anything new! Specifically, don't eat anything that you haven't tried eating before a run before! Eat a good meal the night before, hydrate adequately starting now, and have a wonderful time!

    I would also recommend getting there a little bit early; if they have chips to time the race you will need to pick yours up and all. Also, the porta-potties are always in demand right before race time and there is usually a line. You don't want to run with a full bladder!
  • amybg1
    amybg1 Posts: 631 Member
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    Agreed - we aim to get tehre at least an hour early to find porta-potties, parking, starting coral, etc without being rushed!
  • akadrea
    akadrea Posts: 85 Member
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    Have fun!!! You'll do great!
  • dfonte
    dfonte Posts: 263 Member
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    Go get it girlfriend
  • avababy05
    avababy05 Posts: 930 Member
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    A little more emphasis on what an earlier poster said: don't try anything new! Specifically, don't eat anything that you haven't tried eating before a run before! Eat a good meal the night before, hydrate adequately starting now, and have a wonderful time!

    I would also recommend getting there a little bit early; if they have chips to time the race you will need to pick yours up and all. Also, the porta-potties are always in demand right before race time and there is usually a line. You don't want to run with a full bladder!

    I did my first last fall. I took it easy on the run the day before.

    Loved hearing my name when I crossed the finish line!

    Have fun and good luck!
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
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    So I'm doing my first 5k this upcoming Saturday. Pretty stoked about it, and not really sure what to expect. Any tips I should know beforehand?

    Just enjoy the race and have lots and lots of fun!

    Have a super run :-)

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