Help with my first 5k

I'm not really sure it's a good approach to just jump right into a 5k like that. You may end up injuring yourself from pushing yourself. There's such a thing as too much too soon. However, you might want to look into trying the C25K program. I don't want to discourage you or anything, but please readjust your expectations. It's great you can run 20 minutes though, and that will definitely carry you far. You could probably alternate run/walking and just be mindful of how your legs feel. Remember to warmup, stretch, and cooldown.

To answer your questions, specifically
1. There's no real way to know what your time is going to be. My first 5k I did, I was 20 lbs overweight and I had a time of 38:22. The path was hills and curves. The 2nd 5k I did was nearly 2 years later (this past spring), no longer overweight, and a baby later to boot, and my time was 32:46. The path for this one was in the city and only had one incline, and was in the pouring rain. There's just too many variables, and your current ability is going to affect your time greatly.

2. Warmup, stretch, cool down Go at your own pace. Don't try to "race" other people. Just do you. Listen to your body's cues. Don't push yourself. It's ok to slow down or even walk. Also, day before race, carb load. Usually after the race there's refreshments, which are all carbs. Eat them.

emmaling142 wrote: »

Ninkyou wrote: »

I'm not really sure it's a good approach to just jump right into a 5k like that.

I am VI so need a sighted guide to run the 5k but can train on a treadmill. As such, I have to fit into their client schedules. It was either start on the 24th and go every Saturday or wait until the end of February 2017 when they are taking on new guides and have more slots open. I though sooner rather than later was the better option before I give up on the idea and never get moving. I know it isn't the best but I thought it was better than nothing.

Just be mindful of your body. Don't push yourself too hard. The first time I tried training for a 5k, I pushed myself too hard and did too much too soon. I ended up giving myself Plantar Fasciitis which sidelined me for a while, not to mention it was painful. I couldn't even stand up without my foot feeling crippled with pain. It took a long time after that, nearly a year, before I could train again. So, cautionary tale, and all that. Listen to your body.

ParkRun is a really good way to get into running without much pressure. What I'd say is , don't worry about the time it takes you. Once you've done one you have a benchmark for improvement.

What I would do is suggest that you use some form of structured plan to help your running development. Couch to 5K is pretty good, but there are others.

In my local ParkRun people will do anything from 16 minutes to 60 minutes, so don't worry about what someone else thinks is a good time.

What I'd add is, have a chat with the guide beforehand. They should be asking about your situation and will probably give you some advice about the route. So a run/ walk approach might work out better than running for 20 minutes then walking. Try a run for 5 then walk for 2 or similar.

I am a little unclear about your running schedule... are you only running the one day a week? This will make it very hard to see much progress if you cannot run another 2 or so days per week. Agreed that C25K is the best way to go. You will build your speed this way if nothing else. Even marathoners find that running for a mile then walking for a minute during a RACE will give them a faster finishing time!

I would actually suggest to go with a structured 5K program like C25K before jumping in like this (if the first weeks are too easy for you then move on to the next one).

Also for your first run I would recommend not focusing on a specific finishing time but just focus on the experience of the race and on the finishing line. After that you can slowly start building speed through structured training. Or go for endurance if you plan to run more than 5k.

Hello. My advice with running is to build yourself up. Get out and jog 1k and see how that goes. If you're OK then increase the distance. You need to jog at a steady pace at first. As you get fitter then try sprinting for 25-20 seconds before jogging while you recover. I would say 25-40 minutes is a reasonable time depending on how fit you are.

If you are new to treadmills don't do what I did trying one last week - went at my desired pace (rather than one I can really run at comfortably) and forgot that unlike the road, the inclines aren't followed by downhill so hilly routes on a treadmill might be harder than real life! I run regularly and that knackered me.

(Oops!)

Only other tip - run slowly at first. My first mile is usually my slowest so I don't burn out before it's over.