45 minute 5k

Running on the treadmill is definitely easier than running outside. Increase your incline just a little bit to make it more challenging. And do take the advice of the previous poster -- get into the habit of running outside well before race day! I ran my first 5K in just under 43 minutes. I wasn't last!

yes, my advice is the same as the above posters!

i just ran my first 5k (the warrior dash) yesterday. i ran it in 37min 56sec. i had never ran outstide before race day which i probably wouldnt recommened. it is quite a bit different so i would practice running outside but i would definetly sign up now. because it is a race and everyone is "competiing" it makes you keep going and push yourself. good luck

Well I walked my first 5K today and it took 51 minutes which is 3.66mph. I usually do 3.5mph on the treadmill but really pushed it to walk as fast as possible. I started out a few months ago doing just 2.5mph.

I agree that's it's best to try train a bit outside before race day. Today was rough since I wasn't used to anything but leisurely walking outside especially since it was hot and the terrain changed and the footing wasn't always smooth. A lot different than the treadmill, elliptical and recumbent.

I would definitely do it. i don't really think the time matters at all. What counts is that you challenged yourself to do it. You'll set your next goal to better your time.

My advice is to come here next Saturday and run the 5K I've just signed up for - that way you're certain to not finish dead last.

I've done C25K but then slacked off. At my peak I ran 2.1 miles once, and that took me 40 minutes. I'm sure I'll end up walking more of it then running.......BUT......I will be trying and I will be able to say I completed a 5K race. That in itself is a huge accomplishment for anyone in my mind.

I live in a suburban neighborhood and two local 5K races pass by my house each year. I work at home and it's so fun to sit at my desk and watch the first group go by - running about a million miles an hour. Then another group comes through running what looks to be an average pace. The third group is all people slugging along slow enough that some people would likely walk faster than their running. Fourth group is the folks who have to walk for intervals. Finally, there are people just out their having a good old time chatting with their friends and barely trying to walk quickly.

Given all of that, I'm sure I can at least be a person at the race having a good time! Keep on running until October, and you'll likely be faster. More importantly, you'll have become healthier, succeeded in running a 5K, and will likely feel like a million bucks! See you at the finish line <in a another 15 minutes or so> :bigsmile:

I have been "jogging" 3.1 miles on the treadmill about 3 times a week for a few weeks now. It usually takes me 45 minutes to complete (I count my warm up/cool down). I will be "running" a 5k in October and I'm worried I will still be at 45 minutes. I know that it's better to take a long time than to not do it at all, but I don't want them to be packing up while I'm still finishing the race. Is that irrational or should I wait until I have a better time to sign up?
Thanks!

You will do it faster than 45 minutes because in your training you say you count your warm up/warm down - well within the race you won't be warming up and warming down - that will be done before/afterwards, therefore you will be jogging the whole lot and so will have a faster time.

Regarding them packing up whilst you are finishing, that is highly unlikely to happen because they would wait until the final person crosses the line before doing such a thing plus there are more people that complete their 5k races in similar time such as yourself than you realize.

Have a great race and enjoy it, do NOT wait until you have a "better time" - there is no better time than now :oD

You can train yourself to run faster by running DOWNHILL not up hill. A lot of people think that because its harder it will make you faster, its not the case


Mix your training up a little bit.
Go outside for a start. The ground outside doesn;t move under your feet. Doing 5k outside and 5k are a threadmill are totally different, WIND< RAIN, uneven surfaces

To increase your running times, run downhill at angles of roughly 15degrees and try lenghtening your stride as you do it.

Also do some interval running. So run 200 metres as fast as you can, then slow right down for a minute, then run 200metres as fast as you can, slow down for a minute, do that about 8 times, once a week. Have warmed up first.

But never mind worrying, sure the atmosphere is amazing at these things, you will LOVE IT

Do it! You won't be the last by a long shot. Plus, I always run a little faster on race day than I do in training. Maybe you will, too! Don't wait to do that 5k. You are ready now. This time, focus on finishing. Next time, work on racing against your previous time. :flowerforyou:

Do it, sign up - You will find running with others will speed you up without you realising it and running outside and with real people is soooooo much nicer than the treadmill

You can train yourself to run faster by running DOWNHILL not up hill. A lot of people think that because its harder it will make you faster, its not the case


Mix your training up a little bit.
Go outside for a start. The ground outside doesn;t move under your feet. Doing 5k outside and 5k are a threadmill are totally different, WIND< RAIN, uneven surfaces

To increase your running times, run downhill at angles of roughly 15degrees and try lenghtening your stride as you do it.

Also do some interval running. So run 200 metres as fast as you can, then slow right down for a minute, then run 200metres as fast as you can, slow down for a minute, do that about 8 times, once a week. Have warmed up first.

But never mind worrying, sure the atmosphere is amazing at these things, you will LOVE IT

Running downhill for extended periods of time will do your quads in. Lengthening your stride on hard ground in order to run harder and faster is a recipe for shinsplints.

OP be really, really careful.

First 5k i even ran i did it in 28 mins. 3 months before i had never run a mile. The way I did it every time i went to the gym i increased my speed on the tredmill by 0.1 so it wasn't a drastic change. I also ran on a slight incline. But i agree with everyone else you need to run outside as its very different.

Good luck )

I ran my first 5K back in June, in 33:22. I took 5-7 mins off my best time on my own.There something about being in a race makes you try harder and the adrenaline pushes you a little bit harder. The first words out of my mouth when I finished were "I AM definitely doing that again"
My time on my own has improved a lot since that day and I run my next race Aug. 4
You will be fine!

Update: I did my first 5K Saturday hoping to finish by 45 minutes. I was so happy when I made it in 39 1/2 minutes! I picked up a bunch of flyers for upcoming races and will be doing my next one in two weeks. Yup - I've got the 5K bug!

Sign up and have a blast!!!!!

WTG!!!

My best time so far is in 45 minutes, that is with mainly walking and a little jogging here and there. I have done seven 5Ks in the past year, and I try to do better each time if I can. But if I don't, I don't consider it the end of the world.

The first one I walked with a friend, and it took us almost an hour. I was proud first of all that I did it, and secondly that I wasn't last.

For me personally, i think it's about the registering, looking forward to it, getting your tshirt, the actual event, and that feeling of euphoria that lasts most of the day after you cross the finish line that all count.

Enjoy yourself out there!