Should I walk or run?

I think you may get more out of a brisk walk. Unless you run a lot. I know a lot of people who start out racing and get a cramp, etc by not streching well or warming up and wind up walking and running. Good excersise either way!

If you really want a timing chip sign up for the run. It might be good to see what your actual time is so that the next time you go out you can go a little faster.

If you run, keep it to a jog. This way you wont get injured. And I agree, with 55in13, don't get annoyed by those who pass you, be courteous and leave them room to pass. If you were running, that is what you would like. As a runner, it does annoy me if the walking group block the whole trail.

Whatever you decide, go out and have fun, thats really what it is all about.

If you're doing a mix of running/walking with the training program on Runkeeper, sign up as a runner and do your regular WO mix.

As a runner the only reason I get annoyed with walkers during a race is when they don't realize they're being dangerous on the course. Most of it is common sense.

Some tips if you do walk a bit:
* start the race toward the back, not the front
* If you go from a run to a walk - make sure there's no one directly behind you - I've run into walkers who stop suddenly and they aren't aware of their surroundings
* When you're walking move to the right of the course, don't walk in the middle or left where people tend to pass

You'll find tons of race participants who sign up for running and will do a mix of running/walking. Just use common sense out there and don't let race adrenaline push you too far too fast.

Either one is fine! What everyone else said about being courteous is so true! If you're moving slow stay to the right allowing folks to pass on the left. There are many who do a mix of walking and running, I believe it's all about being aware of what's going on.

Both are great exercises but running (jogging) puts a lot of stress on your knees. I see people jogging so slowly that I could crawl faster and think that the strain they are putting on their knees surely isn't worth the minimal effort they are putting into their "run". I have seen people powerwalking, which I admit looks a little strange, and they are moving at a much faster clip than those who are pounding their knees into the ground.

I'm one of those persons I wish I could run, but all I can do right now is jog. But my jogging is so slow like snail slow and then I started to feel it in my knees so now I powerwalk. I often feel embarrassed doing it, but it's better being a coach potato.

I like sarahbrown12 do what makes you happy. you're running/walking/jogging for you and not for anyone else.

walk. your body will thank you when you're old

If your Runkeeper App has you walking more than running then I would register as a walker and start at the front of the pack of walkers but behind the runners. But if you choose to be a runner then remember that slower traffic stays to the right. I have run several 5Ks and I like it when the race is organized and they have signs on where to group based on your estimate race time.

Hope you have fun and try not to get annoyed - especially if it's for a good cause!

If you've already signed up as a walker--and the walk is tomorrow--you may be too late to change over to being a runner. So just walk it as quickly as you can. If they award prizes for walkers, it's usually frowned upon if walkers run and end up snagging a walker's prize (although I don't think this would apply in your case at the moment).

If you do want to be a runner in the future, I would recommend you sign up for another 5K in the near future and register as a runner. That way you can focus your training and, even though you walk-run it, will establish a baseline time you can use to gauge your improvement (and you won't piss off the walkers who are competing for walking awards).

I started out running 5k's after having never ran before in my life unless someone was chasing me. Now I'm running 5k's, 7k's, 14k's, mud runs, etc. Seems like once a month, I've got a race. I would suggest that if you don't think that you are ready to run, don't. I've hurt myself more often than not when I first began by not stretching, not wearing proper running shoes (absolutely 100% most important thing in running), etc. Make sure that when you do start to run, you stretch yourself out and are running in good shoes, I just spent 6 weeks in physical therapy over a running injury that was simply caused by me wearing the wrong shoes. I never took much consideration into the whole "you really should get fitted for proper running shoes..." but man are they right. I run so much faster, easier, less painfully now in the new shoes.

Also, as everyone else has stated, as someone who run races and who has also been at the point of not being run the entire thing and stopped to walk, it's incredibly annoying for people who are walking or even running slowly to just be taking up the entire way. If you know you aren't going to go at the pace of most other people, keep to the side and don't start the race in the beginning. It sucks to spend the first 5 mins of the race dodging in between people.

Generally if you sign up for a walk, you are expected to walk the entire distance. If you sign up for the run, you can run/walk, or just walk if you want to. As one poster said, make sure you start at the back if you decide to sign up for the run, even if you start out running because you will probably be slow. I always start closer to the back because most runners are faster than me. Haha!!

You might want to sign up for the run because you will have an official time and it will be on the even'ts website. That is always exciting to see, even if your time isn't the fastest. That way, if you do the event again or if you do another event and foget what your time was, you can always check the archives. :drinker:

The most important thing to remember is....... Have fun!! :flowerforyou:

Register as a runner and try to run, but stop to walk if you need to.

fly. you should fly

^ :laugh: :bigsmile:

Run then if you have to walk walk...

Both are great exercises but running (jogging) puts a lot of stress on your knees. I see people jogging so slowly that I could crawl faster and think that the strain they are putting on their knees surely isn't worth the minimal effort they are putting into their "run". I have seen people powerwalking, which I admit looks a little strange, and they are moving at a much faster clip than those who are pounding their knees into the ground.

Uhhhh, minimal effort? Have you ever tried distance running? There is nothing minimal about the effort it takes to run be it fast or slow. As someone who is training for their first 5k I take great offense to this. I run slowly, but it is definitely more effort that walking at a quick pace.

Let's remember that the OP asked whether she should register as a runner or a walker. She is training to run, and I don't think she was asking for advice on whether or not she she do it long term.