First 5K Fears

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  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
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    You can do it! When I did my first 5K it took me 32 minutes. I wasn't last, but I was pretty darn close!

    I also was afraid that I would be last and that had kept me from signing up from races before. But what I realized is that there are a lot of different people that sign up for races - sure some will run it really quick and be done. But you'll be surprised - there will probably be at least a few people that run whatever pace you do, and its really encouraging to see other people doing the same thing you are.

    Good luck!
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
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    Do it. You will enjoy it. The race experience will swallow you right up :)
    I was nervous about my first race as well, but you will feed off the runners around you, and you'd be surprised what you can pull off!

    If you need to take walking breaks, do it. I can assure you, you will NOT be the slowest person.
  • Shrinking_Stacey
    Shrinking_Stacey Posts: 100
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    Run as much as you can (12min/mile is where I'm at too:) Walk if you HAVE to, hold your head high knowing either way your finishing a 5K! ((:Be proud:))
  • juliedozier
    juliedozier Posts: 184 Member
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    Do it! You'll be amazing!
  • HollyAus
    HollyAus Posts: 251 Member
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    I've been running for about a year now and have never done any type of race. I'm scared to death of it! The weird thing is I'm so competitive :/ I did race my husband on the treadmil once last week. I never run for speed, mostly distance, but I was NOT going to let him beat me (because I knew he thought he would) and I ran a 9 minute mile. The fastest I've ever gone!!

    This thread has really helped me too. Thanks everyone!! I love the quote "even if your last you're still lapping everyone on the couch. LOVE IT. I know I can do it, so why not?!?!

    OP... We CAN do it. just have to get out there and do it :) good luck!
  • RebeccaLeinen
    RebeccaLeinen Posts: 110 Member
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    I just did my first one a week ago! it was amazing and such an accomplishment! I hadn't ran in 3 weeks and this came up and i was still able to finish and i wasn't last! lol! just make sure to have a great song selection and have fun with it!
  • Halleeon
    Halleeon Posts: 309 Member
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    I say ... do it. You're going to workout tomorrow anyway, right? Plus, when you finish the race, you will have all those lovely endorphins to be thankful for.
  • mmachick2011
    mmachick2011 Posts: 55 Member
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    JUST DO IT!

    1. If you get lapped... you have a goal for your next 5K.
    2. If you have to walk part of it... they DO NOT take away your birthday.
    3. You are moving forward by signing up. Always Forward!
    4. Finishing it is worth all of the anxiety!!! I promise.
    5. You will be proud of yourself on Sunday. No question!!!

    2011 my "new year's resolution" was to do a charity 5k every singe month. as of today... I have done 18 5Ks, a half marathon, and two 4 mile races, and this includes a Mud Run! Wahooo!
  • jennkain97
    jennkain97 Posts: 290 Member
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    would you look down on the person who comes in last? or would you be waiting at the finish line, cheering them on? go for it! you'll either cheer or be cheered -- nothing wrong with either :wink:
  • mmachick2011
    mmachick2011 Posts: 55 Member
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    And a side note........ 10 YEARS ago... I signed up for a full marathon to support a charity. I tore my right hip flexor right about mile 9. I walked slowly for the next 17 miles. I finished DEAD LAST. And you know what? People that had passed me and told me to keep going, waited at the finish line. I still get tears thinking about it. And the Medical Direcotr of the race kept checking in on me every mile marker. He stuck with me the whole way.... At the end of the race. I was bawling and strangers were hugging me for finishing... and he leaned over to me and said that I didn't finish last. Because I finished.... and almost 3,000 people gave up along the way.

    You can do this!!
  • kellibenage
    kellibenage Posts: 41
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    I am afraid I'll finish last, or be lapped by 70 year olds.

    I just accomplished my first triathlon and I am far from athletic. My friend and I got t-shirts and had someone put on the back the quote "To Finish Is To Win" and we proudly accomplished it. It really doesn't matter where you finish, just that you do!
  • maab_connor
    maab_connor Posts: 3,927 Member
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    do it! i did a mud run when i was on week 4 of C25K. and i did a 5k on the 4th of july - my time was under an hour and i'm SO PROUD that i did that. you're not racing anyone. get out there and have FUN!
  • majikmiker
    majikmiker Posts: 291 Member
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    So 2 and a half years ago I signed up to do the Vancouver Sun Run which is a 10k race. I weighed 436 pounds at the time, and I knew I'd be one of the last ones. I completed the course in 2 hours 36 minutes and by the time I crossed the finish line they were packing up the stations. I was so thrilled that I had even completed it!

    Since then I've lost 164 pounds, and this past spring my son and I entered the race again. My goal was to complete it in under an hour and a half, and I crossed the finish line at 1 hour 27 minutes!! I felt amazing again for completing it, but felt even better that I had smashed my old time by over an hour.

    As others have said, you have to start somewhere. An opportunity presents itself, so run with it (literally). It will give you a time to work on beating for your next race, and you will feel great about completing it. I highly doubt that you will finish last, as there are usually people that only walk it.

    You can do it, and people on here support and also believe that you can do it. Now you just have to believe in yourself!!! Tell us how it goes!! :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:
  • LovelyLifter
    LovelyLifter Posts: 560 Member
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    do it! i did a mud run when i was on week 4 of C25K. and i did a 5k on the 4th of july - my time was under an hour and i'm SO PROUD that i did that. you're not racing anyone. get out there and have FUN!

    You amaze me all the time :heart:
  • momto3as
    momto3as Posts: 12
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    You can do it!! You will find you always run faster during a 5k, so I wouldn't worry about it. You'll also have people run fast past you only to find you pass them later when they are walking because they burned themselves out going too fast at first. You will have 70 year olds passing you by...my brother in a law has a funny story about the Boston Marathon. He was going strong, almost to the end when this old guy just blew past him. :) The biggest lesson he taught me with this story is to race against yourself, not anyone else.

    Maybe I'm wrong, but I didn't read anyone else's post put this: MAKE SURE TO COOL DOWN! After you finish your run, walk around for 5-10 minutes, stretch!!!! Eat the bananas and make sure to eat something with protein afterwards. My first 5k had me almost on the ground the next day because I didn't cool down or stretch afterwards. Huge mistake! I was so sore. :) But I did it! I walked part of it after each mile and I still did it with better times than when I ran my C25k program!
  • maab_connor
    maab_connor Posts: 3,927 Member
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    do it! i did a mud run when i was on week 4 of C25K. and i did a 5k on the 4th of july - my time was under an hour and i'm SO PROUD that i did that. you're not racing anyone. get out there and have FUN!

    You amaze me all the time :heart:

    :blushing:
  • Kamikazeflutterby
    Kamikazeflutterby Posts: 775 Member
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    Thank you for posting this topic. I'm in a surprisingly similar situation. (Same run time, same week of c25k, and next Saturday is my first 5k.)

    Just so you know, there's someone else with the megajitters and we're both going to kick the race's *kitten*. Granted, it's hard to find the *kitten* of a race, but it will get kicked all the same.
  • momto3as
    momto3as Posts: 12
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    And a side note........ 10 YEARS ago... I signed up for a full marathon to support a charity. I tore my right hip flexor right about mile 9. I walked slowly for the next 17 miles. I finished DEAD LAST. And you know what? People that had passed me and told me to keep going, waited at the finish line. I still get tears thinking about it. And the Medical Direcotr of the race kept checking in on me every mile marker. He stuck with me the whole way.... At the end of the race. I was bawling and strangers were hugging me for finishing... and he leaned over to me and said that I didn't finish last. Because I finished.... and almost 3,000 people gave up along the way.

    You can do this!!

    Wow! This brought tears to my eyes! You are inspirational!!
  • fabfindz05
    fabfindz05 Posts: 92 Member
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    You'll be fine! If you have to walk, don't worry about it. You are no less a runner if you have to walk. It took awhile for that to sink into my head. I run\walk about the same pace as you. You will NOT be last. Trust me.

    My favorite part of the races I've done are the super supportive spectators!
  • racegirlkn
    racegirlkn Posts: 15 Member
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    I say do it! You will be faster than everyone sitting on the couch! I am a runner, and that is always my motto!!!

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