Be honest: walking a 5k.

Not lame, but if it's a race mainly focused on running, make sure to read the race guidelines to see if they have any pacing limits on the walkers. Many of the races I've seen have a pace requirement of 16-17 minutes per mile for walkers, which would mean that you'd have to be coming in closer to 50 minutes than an hour for the 5K.

Since you're talking B2B, it seems like you're a Bay Area local. So I'd recommend the Mermaid Series 5K in SF the second weekend in November. The entire event is all women and walking is encouraged, with no pacing requirements. It's right along the waterfront around Marina Green, so it's a cool and beautiful course to walk.

I will say, with the B2B, if you decide to walk it, just make sure that you place yourself in the correct corral for the pace you'll be walking. The front corrals are serious folks. I was in the first, non-elite runner, corral based on my previous race times and I felt seriously out of my league with that group. I probably would have fit in better a corral or two back. So just be aware that even with the tortillas, the costumes, and the goofiness, the people that are there to really run the B2B take as seriously as any other race.

With the B2B, they have two walk/run corrals. One is a 16 minute per mile pace and the other doesn't have a posted limit on the pacing, just an expected finish time of over two hours. But they do need to start opening the city streets back up again, so if you are concerned about actual pacing requirements, you can contact them directly and they'll let you know the maximum time.

I'm not overweight and I walk 5Ks all the time. I will never ever run. I don't like it. Why are some people so disillusioned that they think running is the only way? No. Actually... Hell no. I won't run and you can't make me.

i like races. i like to train for them and do my absolute best. i have no problem with people walking them. in fact, i've done races where i've had to walk at one point or for a prolonged period.

my only problem is that when people talk about walking it in a way that makes it seem like they don't want to take the race seriously. yes, i know the races are for fun, but still. i don't know if i'm explaining myself properly. don't just sign up for the race and say "oh, i'll just walk it." train for it. tell yourself what i tell myself in every race: "i'll walk only if i absolutely positively have to."

Or, I walk b/c I don't want to run... ever. Not even YOU can make me, Capt

If it gets you out and moving then go for it!!!

What is lame is not participating in something you want to do at your own pace- the fact that you would complete a 5k at any pace is awesome- your friend is giving you bad advice. Go for it!!! I haven't done one yet, and when I do, I'm sure I'll walk all or most of it lol

Depends on the structure of the run.
I ran the London 10k, and there were loads of people walking it. It was bloody annoying for everyone else having to run around them. Had the race been structured so that fast runners went first, then slower runners, then walkers last.... It would have been acceptable.

A couple of weeks later i ran another 10k which was smaller and EVERYONE ran. This is the way it should be.

walked my first ever 5k at 400lbs. I jogged for the first small bit and then again at the end. Took me 1hour 11 minutes. What madeit even better was that I had 7 friends that signed up because I did and they all stayed with me. They all could have easily finished it sooner but wanted to help me along. It wasnt lame at all. As a matter of fact, some of them did some extra exercises at every corner to make it fun. Even though we were some of the last finishers we still got cheered on and tons of support. Your friend is lame, run it, walk it, whatever. Just have a good time, get it done and move on to your next one.

As far as the training, yeah, attempt to do some training. that is where I goofed up. I had signed up for it 6 months with plans to train. Well, I failed misserabley on the training so I know I could have done better. Finishing that actually is what made me want to start working out again. So go for it and have fun!!!!

It definitely wouldn't be lame to walk a 5k. I have done 5k's before and always walked. I want to eventually to be able to run one next year, I just need to start the running. I was planning on it last week and developed a heel spur. Now, I am just building up walking again. So, I figure I have the fall and winter to start running.

DO IT!!! If you plan on walking, just look for one that says walk/run.

Also, now is a good time to start couch 2 5k. If no one suggested it.


** Also about the HRM ZONE thing. When your running a 5k race. forget the zone, your heart rate is just going to max out. I can get mine to 170-180s.***

The only thing that is lame is wearing the shirt you get for participating during the race. As long as you don't wear the race shirt you aren't the slightest bit lame, lots and lots of people walk 5K.

Seriously though, don't wear the race shirt during the race... don't be that guy.

I find that is pretty popular now a days, even with experienced runners. It was definitely a "newbie" thing but I don't find so much anymore.
I don't because I am superstitious and I have to "earn" the shirt by finishing the race before I can wear it.

Even if I didn't think it was sorta lame, and feel the same way about "earning" the shirt before I wear it, I still wouldn't do it. I've had some race shirts turn out to be uncomfortable to run in and I've always been thankful that I wasn't finding that out during the race itself.