realistic goal?

Renae_Nae
Renae_Nae Posts: 935 Member
edited September 19 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok. I'm working on the couch to 5k! I just started last night and did a mile in 16 mins. (half walking/half jogging). I am planning on running a 5k early May. I want more of a goal than to just "run" it. I'm looking for a good time that would push me to do well...but it's far fetched :laugh: Anyone have any suggestions as to what my time should be per mile?

Replies

  • Renae_Nae
    Renae_Nae Posts: 935 Member
    Ok. I'm working on the couch to 5k! I just started last night and did a mile in 16 mins. (half walking/half jogging). I am planning on running a 5k early May. I want more of a goal than to just "run" it. I'm looking for a good time that would push me to do well...but it's far fetched :laugh: Anyone have any suggestions as to what my time should be per mile?
  • connieq288
    connieq288 Posts: 1,102 Member
    I just recently did a 5k and I am not the one to tell you about my time. LOL..... I was just proud that I did it. Anyways the fastest person that finished the race did it in a little bit more than 18 minutes. Mine was 49.43 minutes. Which I guess would be about 16 minutes a mile.
  • klmccl05
    klmccl05 Posts: 20 Member
    Hello again! Thats great! I was a runner my whole life until I graduated high school. I began running again in August and I'm finally at a good pace and running 5 miles at a time! If I can do it, so can you!! Its taken me longer than I thought it would to get to that point but its still an achievement. Just add a mile every other week to your routine. I signed up for a triple crown, which is 3 races, starting at 6 miles and ending at 13. Its a committment but being in a training program with other runners will keep me going I think. You're doing great so far. At first I dreaded getting my shoes on, but once I got used to doing 2 miles, I'd add one...and eventually I got to 5. Keep it up!!! Its defintely realistic!
  • jojo52610
    jojo52610 Posts: 692 Member
    I just started running - about 6 months ago - one mile at a time - first I built my endurance and made it to 5 miles - but I wasn't that fast - I was running like a 15-16 minute mile

    I ran today and I'm at 11.5 a mile my all time best - :happy:

    but at 46 hey I'm not complaining my daughters friend can run like a 5 something mile - so really in my opionion unless your looking to race- whatever pace your most comfortable at
  • lpadilla75
    lpadilla75 Posts: 154
    I ran my first 5k May 08 and beat my time by quite a bit. My goal was just to finish, not worried about time at all. I was very exciting to finish at 27.07

    While training I averaged 11min miles.
  • crystalicfusion
    crystalicfusion Posts: 79
    You should check the guidelines for the race your planning on entering.
    Some of them have a set time...like they expect you to keep a 14min per mile run the whole time.
  • nopogal
    nopogal Posts: 162
    I think a 12 min mile (5 mph) is a good goal for a beginning runner. With a shorter race like a 5k, your adrenaline may push you a little faster than that. I think I did about a 12 min mile for my first 5k and it was challenging, but not impossible. Good luck and have fun!!
  • Renae_Nae
    Renae_Nae Posts: 935 Member
    You should check the guidelines for the race your planning on entering.
    Some of them have a set time...like they expect you to keep a 14min per mile run the whole time.

    It's listed as a 5k run/walk so I'm ok :laugh:
  • runnerdad
    runnerdad Posts: 2,081 Member
    Ok. I'm working on the couch to 5k! I just started last night and did a mile in 16 mins. (half walking/half jogging). I am planning on running a 5k early May. I want more of a goal than to just "run" it. I'm looking for a good time that would push me to do well...but it's far fetched :laugh: Anyone have any suggestions as to what my time should be per mile?
    I did a couch to 5K type program at the Y several years ago, and most people in the group ended up setting 10 minute pace as their target.
    If you want to actually win an award, you probably have to go under 6:00 minutes/ mile. It's your first race - just have fun and don't worry too much about your pace. May is still a long way off, so if you are running regularly until then, your pace should improve a lot from where you are now. I would just keep working on the training, and about two weeks before the race, see where your pace is, and set yourself a 'target pace' if you want to challenge yourself on the race.
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