How lon did it take to finish your first 5k?

25:58 First and only 5k ran last november. Did RunDouble C25K and finished it about a month before the race, then just did some runs for the weeks before the 5K.

Had dropped about 50 pounds since the start of C25K to the start of the race, so I am sure that had a lot to do with my time. Found out from that 5K that i don't like to race.

If you are really worried about your pace, and your race isn't brand new this year, go look at last year's results. When I first started running, I was worried I'd be last, or even picked up by the clean up car. Never happened!!! Ended up kind of in the later part of mid pack. Seeing that my races keep the course open for even 20+ minute miles pace runners helped calm my nerves. And if you have the time, stay and cheer in those later people. Sometimes I think they are the ones working the hardest on the course.

I finished in about 35 minutes, which was way faster than I thought I would. The adrenaline I got during my first race pushed me a lot harder than just running on a treadmill or around my neighborhood. It's my competitive nature, I knew I wouldn't win but I wanted to finish before as many other people as I could.

I just did my first 5k and had a time of 47:38 minutes and mosting fast walked and then did some interval jogging after the 2 mile mark. My goal was to be faster than 60 minutes. I was definitely in the middle of the pack with several casual walkers grooving behind. Just be patient with yourself. The hardest part for me was fighting the feeling of needing to keep up with the pack when the race started. I was with a group but knew that I would burn out if I started jogging right out of the gate. Know your pace and don't compare yourself to the pack. It was humbling as the masses slowly stretched to the paces/groupings for each individual and feeling like "everyone" was passing you by. Don't be intimidated or pressured. It is better to take a good pace in the beginning and later push yourself, than to burn hot and then struggle for more of the race than not. Being able to jog through teh finish line and know that I could do better makes me excited for the next race rather than agonizing because one remembers the end of the race more often than the beginning. YOu know your own pace - trust it.

My first 5k I came in around 41 minutes. Not too fast... but I reminded myself of two things: 1. I wasn't the VERY last person to cross the finish line. 2. I wasn't still laying in bed or watching t.v. like the majority of the rest of America on an early Saturday morning. Don't worry about your time. Celebrate that you are doing it and that you finish it! Then, worry about beating your own personal records at future 5ks. :-)

It took me about 30 minutes, but I did a lot of training for it. I heard that the average time to complete a 5k was about 30 minutes, so I was too scared to run a race until I was at that pace. Funny enough, at 30 minutes I placed fourth in my age group. It was a small race, but I wish I wasn't so scared to try to keep up.

My first was 32:31. And I did finish DEAD LAST. But don't worry about it if you do too...The only thing I was worried about with my first was actually finishing! You can do it!

See here's the thing - don't worry about where you finish, because unless you are an elite it is rarely about beating other people. It's about beating your own expectations. I ran my first road 5K in 28min, which was 2 min faster than any of my practice times at the track. That was 15 years ago - I'm 52 now. My fastest road was the following year - 24:30. However I have since run sub that on the treadmill and running intervals on the treadmill at this age, I still finish in about 28min.

Some tips if I may? Careful with your start - everone and I mean everyone - goes out too quickly due to the excitement of the crowd. Know your pace and stick to it. There will be distance markers every km - make yourself a paper bracelet listing the time you should hit each marker based on your intended finish time and check them off as you go. Don't feel obligated to do all the jumping around they make the crowd do before the race - do your own warm up.

Most of all have fun - that's what races are for.

cheers

The time for my first 5k was 27:38. I was ecstatic because I was shooting for 30:00.

48 minutes and I was not last. I was just proud of myself for doing it.