Any Shame in Walking Your First 5K

itcanbedone13
itcanbedone13 Posts: 61
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, Everyone.

Well, I have my first 5K coming up this Sunday. I have trained, not as much as I should have, but I still plan on doing the 5K. Just wondering if there is any shame in walking during any part or all of a 5K. I am definitely going to give it my best shot, but I don't want to embarrass myself either.

Any input is appreciated!!

Thanks and have an awesome week!!!
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Replies

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Congrats signing up for the 5K.

    You can only do what you trained for. So if you didn't train to run it, enjoy walking it partially or entirely. There is no shame if that was your intention.
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
    As a common saying goes...you're sill lapping everyone sitting on a couch. I'd just walk it as fast as you can, & maybe try to jog a little of it, here & there, as you feel able. If you keep up your health goals, then maybe in a year you'll be telling at your first marathon, how you walked your first 5K. :-)
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
    No shame at all.

    Run as much as you can, talk a walking break - not leisurely walking though, keep your heart rate up a bit - then run again when you feel you can
  • MyJourney1960
    MyJourney1960 Posts: 1,133 Member
    better to walk than to not.

    Good for you and yes, it's fine. many others will be walking all or some of it - my sister did her first 5k and walked the whole thing (she didn't intend to run at all) and as SharonFP4H said "you're still lapping everyone who is sitting on a couch".
  • xWendyJonesx
    xWendyJonesx Posts: 266 Member
    I say complete the 5k the best you can, I wouldn't be ashamed to walk, run and jog, you should be proud of yourself for completing it.
    Good luck and most importantly enjoy it.
  • mumblemagic
    mumblemagic Posts: 1,090 Member
    Nope. Just plain nope. Better to be doing something than not, and don't care what others think of you because you're doing this for you not them!
  • crobl
    crobl Posts: 380
    No shame at all! Congrats on signing up for your first! Do your best and have fun!!
  • LoudmouthLee
    LoudmouthLee Posts: 358 Member
    You are going faster than everyone still sitting on the couch.
  • katiepen
    katiepen Posts: 7 Member
    No shame at all in walking it!

    I did the UK based 5 k Race for Life in July and was hoping to run for all of it but ended up walking for bits of it and still had a massive grin on my face when I'd finished.

    Go for it and enjoy it
  • momofjem
    momofjem Posts: 4
    I've walked several 5Ks! The best one I have done is The Color Run. Good luck!!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Lots of people walk them for various reasons. Go for it!
  • ktsmom430
    ktsmom430 Posts: 1,100 Member
    Nope!

    I did my first (only) 5K Turkey Trot last Thanksgiving Day. Walked the whole way. To my way of thinking any way you complete it is all a plus!

    Congrats!
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
    No shame. Wear a horse head mask and speed walk. And a t-shirt that says "deal with it."
  • faithfirst
    faithfirst Posts: 138 Member
    Just do your best! At least you are still going... that in itself is an accomplishment :-)
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    I've done two 5k's. Both non-competitive. Walked them both, and don't really care what anyone thought about it.

    It's my life and my body... I'm not there to impress anyone. I'm there for myself.
  • ertlandia
    ertlandia Posts: 7
    The only shame would be if you did not go out and have fun run, walk or crawl.
  • FancyPantsFran
    FancyPantsFran Posts: 3,687 Member
    No Shame At All- I did and didn't feel guilty one bit. I figured at least I was out there doing something. The next 5k I do will be even better. Have fun :smile:
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I walk/run pretty much every time I run. It's more enjoyable to me if I take walk breaks, and doesn't really alter my overall pace. I finished a 5k in 25:30 and won my age group with a couple of walk breaks.
  • silvergurl518
    silvergurl518 Posts: 4,123 Member
    the only shame would be NOT doing the 5K. you have to start somewhere, and if you walk a 5K, you're still lapping everyone still in bed/on their couches/stuffing their faces at brunch :) you can then build up to walking/jogging, and then just jogging, and then supposedly (i haven't gotten here yet), the all-elusive "RUNNING." i'm a proud walker/jogger. ain't no shame in that game!

    i jogged 8.5 miles of my first half marathon and walked the other 3.6. whatevs--i finished and that's all that matters! i walked most of the tough mudder last weekend....probably 7-8 miles of it--with only 2-3 miles of jogging...but there were crazy hard obstacles and beautiful scenery to enjoy. point is: do what you can do and be proud of your accomplishment! you will always have something to work toward and you will be exercising your heart, muscles, bones, mind, etc etc.

    xoxoxo.
  • Hestion
    Hestion Posts: 740 Member
    No shame at all. Although not my first i have a 5k in December and may be walking it all as just done my hip flexor and may not be back up and running fully by then :-(
  • astange83
    astange83 Posts: 105
    A lot of 5ks have sign ups for runners or walkers. I walked one 100% 2 years ago, and finally this year I did the same one again this year "running" about 40-50% of it, and shaved about 13 minutes off of that and its gave me a huge confidence boost. So walk this one train more for the next add a little run to it and your times will get progressively better :) I've also seen some of the walkers have faster times than the runners because the runners push too hard too early and can't finish up, so just do the best you can do and have fun!
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    I think I have walked part of every race I have done. (I need to work on my pacing) I did 13 races this year.
    No shame at all.

    I just like to have a strong start and a strong finish.

    Here is another great alternative.. I was running a 5k, with a jogging stroller, so I always start in the very back. You should be in the very back for this first 5k too. I get to pass a lot of people, I was running by this girl I knew from some of the 10k events I did, so she was a runner. She was running next to this kid, not hers, and chatting to him. He had a lot of anxiety about being last, so she said she would run with him..
    Just find some poor soul and run next to them. Its great the kind of random running pals you can make.. Enjoy!
  • RheneeB
    RheneeB Posts: 461 Member
    Shame? Just the opposite....be proud for the fact you are even doing it at all!! There are two types of people that will be there....the ones participating and the ones watching...and the ones watching are all going to admire you because they wish they had the courage to be out there and you just may be the encouragement they need!!
  • perfectflightisbeingthere
    perfectflightisbeingthere Posts: 66 Member
    There is no shame in walking or mixing up walking and jogging however much you like. I did my first 5k with my 16 year old daughter yesterday. We walked some sections (despite being very fit as a competitve figure skater and keen mountain trekker R. struggled more than she expected to maintain a steady pace - being able to skate flat out for 3 1/2 minutes isn't the same as running steadily for 30+!) and we were in good comapny all the way. Starting towards the back is good advice, but we got carried away with overtaking people in the first kilometer and slowed down alot thereafter including several walking breaks. It was an out and back course, and I was really impressed how many of the front runners took the trouble to shout encouragement to those of us still on the way out as they passed us going the other way. Recording a time will give you something to aim for next time, and it has certainly inspired us to look for some more races and see if we can build up to some longer distances next year.

    No one will mind you walking and I'm sure you will get plenty of support. Have fun, just keep putting one foot in front of the other and let us know how you get on!
  • DavePFJ
    DavePFJ Posts: 212 Member
    Not at all. Go for it.
  • bethanytowell
    bethanytowell Posts: 256 Member
    Hi, Everyone.

    Well, I have my first 5K coming up this Sunday. I have trained, not as much as I should have, but I still plan on doing the 5K. Just wondering if there is any shame in walking during any part or all of a 5K. I am definitely going to give it my best shot, but I don't want to embarrass myself either.

    Any input is appreciated!!

    Thanks and have an awesome week!!!

    The only shame would be sitting at home on your couch wishing you were at that 5k! Go for it! Walk, run, crawl, you can do it!
  • red0801
    red0801 Posts: 283 Member
    Congrats on doing your first 5k!!

    The best advice I ever got was "PUSH yourself, but remember a 5k is a 5k no matter how fast or how slow you finish!!! Just Finish :-)"

    Your going to do great!
  • kechiemc
    kechiemc Posts: 1,355 Member
    None. If you are moving, you are improving!
  • Cyclingbonnie
    Cyclingbonnie Posts: 413 Member
    Absolutely no shame! In fact many do, go for it, enjoy it, and keep on signing up for more. Before you know it you'll be running them completely. Most people I know who run (5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon) decide how much they are going to walk. In the beginning they mostly walk. Jog a little walk a little. I use the count the paces method others use time. 1 minute to 5 minutes is a common beginning. Run for a minute walk for five. In your training you would decrease the walking and increase the running till you get to the 9 - 1. Run for nine minutes and walk for one.

    Good Luck and the big one is to have fun!
  • slouw10
    slouw10 Posts: 82 Member
    Nope, no shame. Shame is for those not doing anything at all! Go for it, and most important - enjoy it!

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