Average 5K time - first race

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  • timeasterday
    timeasterday Posts: 1,368 Member
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    My opinion is...just get it done. Don't worry about the time.

    ^This!!

    I did my first 5K in January and finished at 26:44. Took 2nd in my age group and was pretty happy about that.
  • AngelStage
    AngelStage Posts: 24 Member
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    I didn't even think about how fast I would be the first time I did one. It was just exciting! My first was a glow run that I did with my husband and some friends. We walked/ran and I had noooo training so we came in at 57 minutes. My next 5k that I did 2 weeks later, I greatly improved and came in at 42 min. And everyone's right. You will be addicted!!! lol
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
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    It takes me 36-37 minutes to finish a 5k, so you're already faster than me and lots faster than all those people who didn't get off the couch!
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
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    Nope, sign up and enjoy.
  • majikmiker
    majikmiker Posts: 291 Member
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    My first 5k took me 47 mins. Now I'm under 40 mins. Just do it, and then next year if you do the same race, you'll have something to compare it to. Good luck!
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
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    The last one I ran last year and trained for was under 22 minutes. I am probably about 25 now. Just go run, it will at the least give you a time to beat next time.
  • waylandcool
    waylandcool Posts: 175 Member
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    I ran my first 5K last year and finished in 41:33 so 35 minutes is perfectly fine. I ran my second over Easter weekend and finished two minutes faster. I was mid pack with that time.
  • jsickman12
    jsickman12 Posts: 139 Member
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    You should sign up, you are more than ready at 36 minutes and you won't be first and you wo't be last, and don't worry about other peoples times, you will do fine and enjoy yourself.
  • litatura
    litatura Posts: 569 Member
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    I finished at 27:30 in my first 5km race last year (although I wasn't a total newbie runner as I used to run in high school but that was 15 years ago) and was top 5 in my age group. However, like others said, just finishing your first race is an huge accomplishment, so just focus on that for now and then work on time. :)
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
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    I ran my first 5k two years ago and was super nervous about coming in last, but realized since then in all the 5ks I have ran,
    there are always people there to walk, so you won't come in last. And your time will be automatically faster b/c of the adrenaline
    of being in the race:smile:
  • Hadabetter
    Hadabetter Posts: 942 Member
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    You sound pretty competitive, and you're already above the embarrassment pace, so why not set a goal of 10-minute miles, and work toward it between now and the race. That would be 31 minutes for a 5k.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    I think my first one was maybe 40 minutes or so... I eeked out a sub-25 last summer. 35 is perfectly respectable... as is any finish BTW.

    Dead last > DNF > Never tried
  • brittknight828
    brittknight828 Posts: 29
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    Just do it!

    Also, you will probably end up getting a better time at the race than you've been getting on your own. Running with a crowd tends to do that. This can be both a good and bad thing. Don't push yourself more than you know you can handle. You should go easy on yourself since it's your first 5k. Just finishing it is great in itself. Then you can try beating that time at your next 5k(s). Good luck!
  • nicarey19
    nicarey19 Posts: 126 Member
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    Don't wait. Register and run one! I did my first 5K in Oct and I ran a 37:31. You have a baseline also and you can try to beat it. After you run I want to know how you did. I bet you will do great!
  • Melo1966
    Melo1966 Posts: 881 Member
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    OMG 35 would be an awesome first time. Mine was 40:10 and there was others whom did some jogging after me.
  • BioMechHeretic
    BioMechHeretic Posts: 128 Member
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    Run it for sure!

    You'll be right in the middle of the pack at that speed.
  • bluefish49
    bluefish49 Posts: 102 Member
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    My first 5K was over an hour. That was 3 years ago. Even within the last year I had people tell me before the event even started that they didn't think I could make it. The best revenge is Success! I got my on-pavement time down to 52 minutes, and my treadmill time down to 46-48, depending on how hard I want to push myself (and yes, for all you people out there whose workout gets completely ruined by someone else hanging on to the rails, I hang on to the rails!!! LOL!!!)

    In an event, I am last about 75% of the time. It doesn't bother me. I got off my *kitten* and did it. I am running circles around people sitting on the couch. Someone else is happy they they weren't last. Overall, I got in more minutes of cardio than anyone else participating in the event!

    The only time I ever got bothered was about 15 years ago at an event where there were SO MANY volunteers with nothing to do that, as the last place participant I had 7 sag-wagons follow me across the finish line. That experience kept me from doing them for a long time.

    I am doing a 5K this weekend at the Brayton Fire School Disaster City at Texas A&M. It is a training facility where they have staged full blown train wrecks, oil refinery scenarios, collapsed buildings, a ship, etc. Apparently the course will go through all the "disasters". The event is a fundraiser for 4 firefighters from Bryan, TX, two who were killed and two who were seriously injured several months ago.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    My first 5K was over an hour. That was 3 years ago. Even within the last year I had people tell me before the event even started that they didn't think I could make it. The best revenge is Success! I got my on-pavement time down to 52 minutes, and my treadmill time down to 46-48, depending on how hard I want to push myself (and yes, for all you people out there whose workout gets completely ruined by someone else hanging on to the rails, I hang on to the rails!!! LOL!!!)

    In an event, I am last about 75% of the time. It doesn't bother me. I got off my *kitten* and did it. I am running circles around people sitting on the couch. Someone else is happy they they weren't last. Overall, I got in more minutes of cardio than anyone else participating in the event!

    The only time I ever got bothered was about 15 years ago at an event where there were SO MANY volunteers with nothing to do that, as the last place participant I had 7 sag-wagons follow me across the finish line. That experience kept me from doing them for a long time.

    I am doing a 5K this weekend at the Brayton Fire School Disaster City at Texas A&M. It is a training facility where they have staged full blown train wrecks, oil refinery scenarios, collapsed buildings, a ship, etc. Apparently the course will go through all the "disasters". The event is a fundraiser for 4 firefighters from Bryan, TX, two who were killed and two who were seriously injured several months ago.

    :flowerforyou:

    You, sir, are awesome.

    :drinker:
  • Zylahe
    Zylahe Posts: 772 Member
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    My 1st was 48 mins, and i was at the back but not last.
    I beat my hubby who stayed at home :drinker: ( and all the other lazy sods)
    And ii will get to seee my run times get so much better in the next few years.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    If only people who hoped to win races entered, you'd likely only see four or five in most races (be it running, motorracing or whatever) - so enter and, err, 'enjoy'* :).
    *Though I dislike running races, have done a few as I do enjoy the benefits of being healthier!

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