Your single most important tip for someone's first 5k?

The one race day tip that I haven't seen mentioned - plan your arrival to the race carefully. Make sure you know where you are going on race day and arrive in plenty of time. Get there a little early. Depending on the size of the race and the location, parking can be a problem. Sometimes directions to the start area aren't exactly clear. Know what you plan to do with your car keys.

I wasn't going to post until I saw this one! I had a 10k two weeks ago. I was up at 4:45 and out the door an hour later. I could not find the road to turn off to the venue!! The really sad part was that I did this race last year so I know I had been there! I drove around for over an hour and wound up just going to the park where I do my normal Saturday morning runs and there I did my 10k all by myself. Good news...I came in first! Bad news...I came in last! LOL!

But really have fun! That's what it's about and since it is your first, your time will be a PR.

And also...nothing new...no new clothes, shoes or food that morning.

Lots of great advice here, so I won't repeat.

For me, I take an anti-diarrheal before the race (I, unfortunately suffer, shall we say lower intestinal runner's "issues"...). Make SURE you honor that REST - spelled r-e-s-t! - day the day before. It's important. Use that nervous energy to prepare for the next morning (get your clothes ready, race bag packed if you have 1, plan the drive to the location etc.)

Afterwards, soak up the atmosphere! Be proud of this thing you just accomplished....and then get to the nearest computer & start planning your next race! (they are addicting!) I usually stay for the awards. Even though I don't ever place in the 5K's (too slow! lol) it's still great camaraderie.

Oh. and I know a lot or runners will race in the race shirts they get in the race packs. While I think it's great to advertise the race, I look to it as "don't race in anything new", and I haven't earned that shirt yet. Wait until you get home, take a shower, then wear that shirt with pride!

Pee right before you leave the house. The line for the porta-john is wicked long.

I didn't read the rest but…


Put your name on your shirt with "This is my first 5K!" You will get a ton of encouragement!




Smile and enjoy. You will feel so proud.

Get up a few extra hours early so you can have coffee and take care of "intestinal issues" before you leave the house. Then make sure you pee before the race. Get to the race early (I had to run the the start line once because my gps took me to all the roads that were CLOSED for the race and then I couldn't find parking). Bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer for the porta johns. They will run out of paper and soap and water if it is even provided.

Some races are well provisioned, some are not--bring a bottle of frozen water and a banana to leave in your car in case the race is not well provisioned. The water will hopefully be melted when you are done (it is in Florida!).

Have fun!

Wear what you normally run in! I cannot stress this enough. No extra tutus or crazy costume; unless you do this on a daily basis. Also the race tshirt worn the day of the race will show your rookie self; so don't do it. Wear your shirt when you are clean and ready to celebrate after the race is done.

Have fun! This is the most important thing. You are accomplishing a great thing!

I had to laugh about this one. Had my first 5k last month. I picked up my packet the evening before and spent 10 minutes that night trying to figure out if I'd run in the t-shirt or what I normally wore. I opted to wear a running shirt I had that was the same color (blue).

When I pulled into the parking lot, I freaked out because 80% of the people had on the t-shirt. It was a school fundrasier, so I think it was more out of school spirit than anything else. I thought I was committing some sort of running faux pas. But then I saw some others wearing their regular running gear.

Wear what you normally run in! I cannot stress this enough. No extra tutus or crazy costume; unless you do this on a daily basis. Also the race tshirt worn the day of the race will show your rookie self; so don't do it. Wear your shirt when you are clean and ready to celebrate after the race is done.

Have fun! This is the most important thing. You are accomplishing a great thing!

I had to laugh about this one. Had my first 5k last month. I picked up my packet the evening before and spent 10 minutes that night trying to figure out if I'd run in the t-shirt or what I normally wore. I opted to wear a running shirt I had that was the same color (blue).

When I pulled into the parking lot, I freaked out because 80% of the people had on the t-shirt. It was a school fundrasier, so I think it was more out of school spirit than anything else. I thought I was committing some sort of running faux pas. But then I saw some others wearing their regular running gear.

i can't... i can't run a race in the shirt they give you at packet pick up. the shirt is to wear 1-2 days after the race. wearing it on race day is just bad mojo.

This is timely as I am running my first 5K on Saturday. The problem I am concerned about is that I have really only run when the weather was in the 70's - 80's. The forecasted temps for Saturday morning race time is 45-50 degrees. Any tips for that? I vaguely recall the one time I tried to run in the cold that the breathing in the cold air was really difficult.

warm up really really really well beforehand. do 100 jumping jacks. run in place for two minutes.

also, i find that when i run in temperatures like that, i wear a long sleeved t-shirt and still wear shorts.

Check the altitude on the itinerary!! That's what killed me on my frist 5K!! I had done a C25K in 9 weeks and was able to run 3 km non-stop. I tought I could run 5K with intervals in the end. But the altitude difference was like +30m and -30m wich I wasn't used to!!

One foot in front of the other. Oh, and have fun. :drinker:

Check the altitude on the itinerary!! That's what killed me on my frist 5K!! I had done a C25K in 9 weeks and was able to run 3 km non-stop. I tought I could run 5K with intervals in the end. But the altitude difference was like +30m and -30m wich I wasn't used to!!

do you mean the total elevation of the course, above sea level? or the total amount of climbing and descending that you did?

As a non-competitive runner, who placed in the middle of the pack in my first and only organized running race (a 25K in 1995, the Old Kent River Bank Run in Grand Rapids), my advice is: for your first race, don't race. Run at a comfortable pace and focus on finishing strong. You'll be buoyed by the enthusiasm of the crowd and the presence of the pack, but try to start out more slowly than you'd like and pick up speed in the second half of the race, if you can. It's exhilarating to pass people as you're approaching the goal.

If you find that you like the race and want to improve, then you can focus on race strategy, etc. But the first time out, just enjoy yourself while pushing yourself just a little bit harder than in a training run.

And have fun!

Already tons of great tips here. I'll add one.

Keep your race bib and on the back write down the date, location, if you ran with someone, your time and how you felt about the race. "It was so cold but a lot of fun." "I had a great pace until I crashed into the Gatorade table." "The course was beautiful and I can't wait to run this race again next year!".

I toss the bibs in a bag that I got from some race and pop it in a drawer. Nice memento and cool to see how you advance as a runner.

Just ran my first 5K last Sunday. It was everything I hoped for. Just relax, and run your race, just like your training. It is easy to get caught up in race day nerves, but just let it be, and enjoy it. And I kept my number too, have it framed on my wall. Oh, and one last thing, my Wife and kids were all there, and THAT was what made it even more amazing. Have friends and family if you can, to share in your day! And GOOD LUCK!!!

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