First 5k in 2 days

ekenners
ekenners Posts: 3 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
hello everyone,
Just looking for a little advise before doing my very first 5k in 2 days. This is my first time running EVER, I was always over weight and never exercised. I ended up with dangerous high blood pressure after my 3rd baby and have changed my lifestyle. So I am in better shape than I have ever been but still far from being fit. Does anyone have any tips for doing a 5k?

Thanks

Replies

  • GFielding_56
    GFielding_56 Posts: 76 Member
    HI If you have not done any running before and jumping straight into a 5K I'd advocate a bit of caution.

    You will have to take it very slow and steady - you should find a nice running pace and if possible still to be able to hold a conversation (that will give an indication your pace is ok)

    Try to avoid walking - running slow is better than walking otherwise you will get lactic acid building in your muscles.

    Slow and steady will get you there - the time isn't the important thing - getting there is

    Good luck - let us know how you get on.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member

    Try to avoid walking - running slow is better than walking otherwise you will get lactic acid building in your muscles.

    Lactic Acid build up occurs with increased efforts. Walking or slowing down won't cause this. Quite the opposite.

    Walk some if you need to.
  • LiveLoveLift67
    LiveLoveLift67 Posts: 895 Member
    Congratulations on doing your first 5k! If you havent been running or jogging much in the last several months to get ready then i would suggest you do a walk / jog combo. You dont have to win...you just have to finish and enjoy yourself. I started out doing them with just walking then i progressed to adding jogging and now i only walk for a minute or two......

    Good luck and have fun and just do what you can. No shame in not running the entire thing.
  • angela828
    angela828 Posts: 498 Member
    absolutely nothing wrong with walking during a 5k or other distance race. thats intervals and that helps burn fat anyway!

    have you trained for this 5k?

    HYDRATE! eat well and be dressed for the weather.
  • boehle
    boehle Posts: 5,062 Member
    I have my first 5k this saturday.
    I plan to walk a good portion and then jog as much as I can.
    I wish you luck!
  • tirola
    tirola Posts: 74 Member
    Everyone else has some good tips. I just want to add, don't start off too fast! Sometimes at the beginning, the adrenaline gets the best of you and you start off at a faster pace that may not be sustainable and end up burning out. I've done a few races and still struggle with this! If I start off at my normal pace, I can maintain it through the race and usually have a little extra to push it at the end. My first couple races I started off way too fast trying to keep up with the people around me and didn't even make it 1.5 mi before having to slow down and walk and really struggled with the last half of the course.

    Have fun and good luck!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Are you saying you have never run at all and are planning to run a 5K?
  • TheKeithEllis
    TheKeithEllis Posts: 155 Member
    I couldn't run for toffee a few months ago, finding even a 100m to be taxing! However, I can now run a 5k without walking, and although I won't be winning any time awards, I am extremely proud that I have got this far. I'm actually enjoying running too now which I never thought I'd hear myself say. My method was simple:

    Devise a 5k looped route local to your home (use Strava or MapMyRun for this, or even Google maps)
    Work out a 2-2.5k version of this
    Do run-walk lamp post intervals, or if you don't have street lamps just time a 15 second walk 15 second run
    Keep doing this until you are comfortable then start increasing the length of time running, but still maintaining the walk, so walk one lamp post and then run two
    Once this is comfortable increase the running again and start to extend the course to your full 5km loop
    Once you feel that you don't need the walking segments start to run the course, but don't ever be afraid to walk when feeling it - it will keep you in the zone and won't deter you. Listen to your body basically!

    Jumping straight into a 5k is inadvisable, but if you are doing so then make sure you don't push yourself, even if it means the vast majority of the course is walked.

    Hope this helps in some form. :O)

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