First 5K Fears

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  • ashlinmarie
    ashlinmarie Posts: 1,263 Member
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    I was in week 7 when I did my first 5K too...and it was also spontaneous. I got passed by 70 year olds, but I also passed up young and thin girls...and I'm still in the overweight category. I ran a little over an 11 minute mile, but I was so pumped to be there. Normally I run a 12-13 minute mile. There will be people who walk the 5K and some pretty slow runners so you will definitely not be last! It is a great experience and really pumps you up so I say, do it!
  • NurseCarolyn2014
    NurseCarolyn2014 Posts: 142
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    Hi....I'm not sure what everyone else said but I completed my first 5K a couple of months ago and kinda had the same thoughts. IMO If this is your first race, you are ONLY competing with yourself......just to finish.....and I mean run, walk, crawl whatever it takes to cross that finish line.
    I say "go for it" and afterwards you will feel such an accomplishment you'll want the next race to come along.

    Good luck!! :flowerforyou:
  • pittskaa
    pittskaa Posts: 319 Member
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    who cares if youre the last one to finish!! at least youre trying!

    you'll regret it if you don't do it :)
    give it a shot!
  • karawRN
    karawRN Posts: 311
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    DO IT!!!!

    GOOD LUCK!!
  • snfsma
    snfsma Posts: 4 Member
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    I'm doing my first 5k next Saturday. I have been doing the couch to 5k but not consistently and I cannot run longer than 8 minutes at a time yet. When I do a 5k on my treadmill, it takes me about 55 minutes. Still, I'm doing it along with some friends and my 15 year old daughter. My goal is to finish ahead of my daughter, haha. Anything else will be a bonus!

    I say go for it!
  • sarahharmintx
    sarahharmintx Posts: 868 Member
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    Even if you came in last, youre showing great determination by showing up and attempting.
  • reggie2run
    reggie2run Posts: 477 Member
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    You got to do this! You'll never regret that you did it, just that you didn't do it.
    Just do it! For yourself and have fun! Good luck!

    Let us know how you make out.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    awesome!!
    Just don't get cocky and go out full blast, you got to save some for the end.

    Look up how to drink water too. I take the cup and pinch it and tip it, but most people will just stop and drink.
  • DG_Allen
    DG_Allen Posts: 219 Member
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    Go for it. Take it nice and easy and I'm sure there will be plent of walkers, there always are at 5ks. You won't come in last.

    Don't get caught up with the bunnies and run beyond your pace.

    Congrats on your first race. Be prepared, you're going to get hooked.
  • grendel322
    grendel322 Posts: 105 Member
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    I absolutely agree, go for it! It's a great, fun experience, and a) based on your time, you will no way finish last and b) you will find out how supportive the running community is! I ran my first 5k this year and had three goals:

    1) Finish
    2) Not Finish Last
    3) Not throw up - at least, not on my own shoes :)

    I ran 3 5k's, and then ran myself into a knee injury. I'm currently in PT and slowly building up strength, endurance, pace and distance, and am now cleared to run 20 minutes 3x a week. AND...I just signed up for my NEXT 5k, four weeks from now. I'm hoping that in four weeks, I'll be up to 30 minutes. Even if I don't feel up to running the entire route by then, I just wanted to experience being part of the race, and realize now that there is no SHAME in walking if you need to or even in coming in last. There is only PRIDE in finishing. :) Good luck, find your pace, stay within that pace, and HAVE FUN!
  • bethany169
    bethany169 Posts: 23
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    Do it!! Even if you finish last, that just means more people cheering for you at the finish line :)

    You will do great :) Have fun!!
  • lsapphire
    lsapphire Posts: 297 Member
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    Isn't the whole point to make yourself healthier and stronger? Who cares where you finish, just the fact that you can do is is AWESOME!!!!!!
  • carolinedb
    carolinedb Posts: 236 Member
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    I didn't do my first 5k fast, but I had a blast doing it! I would go for it!
  • moxiecowgirl
    moxiecowgirl Posts: 291 Member
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    You can do this! I did my first 5K almost a year ago, and it was easily one of my better moments in life. I didn't finish dead last, but I did finish 3rd to last, right ahead of a woman my age with a young daughter, about 4 or 5 years old. I remember the little girl being concerned that she would finish last, and what she would tell her family. I told her not to worry, she could tell her family she crossed the finish line before the "old lady behind her". I tried to stay behind her so she would cross ahead of me, but at the last minute, she stopped and she and her mom motioned me ahead of them. It made my day to hear her yelling "go, Old Lady, go!" as I jumped over the finish line!

    You know what? The funny thing is, I didn't care one bit about coming in almost last. I hardly even noticed that most of the crowd had already dispersed. I was so touched by that little girl and her mom, so thrilled to have completed my first 5K, and so swept up in the celebration from my family, who were the only spectators that really mattered anyway, that the rest of it was totally unimportant. I bet you'll finish even better than I did. Go have a good time with it!
  • hlinn01
    hlinn01 Posts: 36
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    I agree, just do it, for you, not for anyone else. I've got my first 5K in Oct. for my son's school. I am already nervous, but nothing is going to stop me from doing it.
  • hazel240
    hazel240 Posts: 12 Member
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    The best thing about the running community is that they cheer you on no matter what! My last few 5k's have been 80% walking, 20% running. I'm finally on a C25K program and am really kicking up my ability to run for longer distances/times. But no matter what place I'm in, there are always people along the route cheering me on, and I absolutely love that! You will too!
  • BetterMike
    BetterMike Posts: 131 Member
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    I just ran my 3rd 5k on Wednesday. I had a time of 24:13. A 9 year old boy beat me by a second! Totally loved it!

    Doesn't matter in the least. Have fun and keep going.
  • falsecho
    falsecho Posts: 81 Member
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    I ran my first 5k right after I finished week 6 of the c25k program. I walked for real short bit, but I finished faster than I thought I would. The best part is when I ran that same race a year later, I beat the crap out of my time, which is an awesome feeling.

    Good luck and have fun! It's addicting!
  • caslyn3
    caslyn3 Posts: 70 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:

    RIGHT ON!!
  • dane11235813
    dane11235813 Posts: 684 Member
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    I'm in week 7 of C25K, and am thinking about doing a 5k tomorrow evening (random opportunity came up). I am so scared of actually signing up and doing one, so I think being spontaneous like this might be the only way to accomplish it.

    I can jog 25-30 minutes but I'm slow - like maybe 12 minute mile. I am afraid I'll finish last, or be lapped by 70 year olds.

    What do you think? Should I just do it and walk what I need to, in order to get over the fear? Or stick with my original plan of mid October and build myself up mentally in the meantime?

    did you enter the race?

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