First official 5K
By syndibee
@syndibee (799)
United States
November 14, 2009 2:35pm CST
This was today!!! I finished it in 31 min's. I didn't get a chip because I knew I wouldn't be in the running for any prizes so I just ran as a recreational runner. It was as promised very flat. I was surprised how long it felt to me. 5K doesn't feel as long around my neighborhood lol.
There was a pretty large turn out and I smartly started towards the back of the crew. It was tricky maneuvering around all the walkers, strollers, and dogs to begin with....and this was advertised as a race where dogs and strollers weren't welcome.
I was afraid I was starting out too fast but I felt slow, I really wasn't going fast at the start, though it did take me a few minutes to get a feel for my speed. I really wanted to run the whole thing with no walk breaks. This I did with no problem. Though that last mile I really almost called it quits and started walking a couple of times then luckily I got past the heavy legs feeling. I generally get that at the beginning of a run and again towards the end and today was no different. I ran through it and I felt ready to continue by the time I crossed the finish line. I was real irritated though right after the finish line they had it roped off to collect chips and it was real narrow. The guy right in front of me STOPPED. He just stopped and started chatting with probably his friends or family. I almost ran into him because I was still not ready to stop my run, I wanted to do a minute of slow jogging before walking to cool down.
All and all it was a great race for a great cause. It was for lung cancer research and I ran in my moms honor.
Next race is a 5 miler in December....I think, not signed up for that one yet.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
15 Nov 09
That's awesome, congrats!
I always have the opposite feeling, 5K seems like a long distance to me on a track or something, but on the race course it doesn't seem as bad. It still seems long, but I move at a much faster pace and I am always shocked at the pace I'm going at because it is faster than normal.
On my first 5K I started out at the back too and dogs and strollers were there but weren't allowed. It takes a long time to get through all of those. You should definitely start ahead of the walkers at the next race. Don't underestimate the stroller people though, a lot of those guys are fast!
My cool downs are always fairly compromised at races. But at the last one I had to stop for awhile, then had to walk back to my car, and then started my cool down jog. I think it works out okay. Normally you don't want to stop right at the beginning of the chute but you do usually have to slow to a walk shortly after crossing the finish line.
That's pretty good to be running for a cause! Congrats again and I hope you sign up for that 5 miler too!
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
15 Nov 09
You should have gotten a chip! I always get one because even though I don't ever come anywhere close to placing in my age group, I figure there is a chance. And the last 5K they didn't have chips but they did do a raffle at the end and that was pretty cool. Sometimes if they have chips I think only those people are entered for prizes.
I agree about the atmosphere of the marathon. I loved the marathon bike tour because it was just such an awesome place. I am still not completely decided about running the marathon, but I think I'll know after the 10K.
1 person likes this
@syndibee (799)
• United States
15 Nov 09
Haha so true about the strollers.
I was passed by one stroller to never see them again. Some of those people are truely dedicated. I was passed by children about 10 years old to find that they finished in about 20-25 minutes. They must have had proud parents :)
I passed one little girl towards the end and she was chugging along real nicely. I checked times online and if I had on a chip I would have come in second for my age group!!! Next time I'm definitely getting a chip lol.
I'm planning to volunteer for a marathon in Feb. I know I won't be able to run it but I think the atmosphere as a volunteer will still give me the plus I need to keep my training going.
@GS0093 (50)
• China
15 Nov 09
congratulations! running is a really good sport,i just touch my official 10 kilometers few days ago ,at very beginning i only can run 2 kilometers once. but now i try to run 8-10 kilometer or more every night and training for my first Marathon.i know i need do more! lol
1 person likes this
@syndibee (799)
• United States
15 Nov 09
You run every day?
I get so worn out I can't do it every day unless I stay below 2 miles per day.
Great for your training. Are you using a program and do you have a specific marathon in mind? How long have you been running? Do you run outside or on a treadmill most of the time? I'm so full of questions but I'm genuinely interested in your whole story :)
@syndibee (799)
• United States
15 Nov 09
You'll do great for the marathon :)
I'm a beginner runner at 43 years old.
My pace is pretty much the same as yours. It's not about being fast at least to start but getting it done. Slow doesn't mean not good.
I wish I would have cared about staying in shape at 24. I was very sedentary before this past year and my body is having a hard time getting the conditioning that it really needs to be healthy. I waited until I was at high risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer (a waist line of 35 inches plus).
@GS0093 (50)
• China
15 Nov 09
almost very day if it is not rain. i had ran 5 times this week.two days rest because one day was rain and the other day i fall over myself broken my keen.i run on the street in the city . my path is a big round so when i finish my running i can easily back home .
my speed is not very fast ,10 kilometers will cost me 1 hour or a litte more. so i never feel very tired. but it is not enough for the marathon so i am trying to add the distance very day.
this is the first time for me to join the marathon , i am not plan to finish it without walking. i only hope i can finish it in prescribe time.one of my friends who had run it for two times told me it is not as hard as sometimes people think if you are keep on training.so i decide to have a try.
i am 24 years old and have ran for more than 4 years,i started running because my mother who has insist running for more than 20 years.but a year ago i stopped running for half a year because my job is too busy i also can not find good place to run. now i am restart and i will go on :)
1 person likes this
@danrunsfast614 (1396)
• United States
14 Nov 09
Congratulations! It's always good to hear a person happy with a race. I hope you do well on that five miler coming up! It can be a long distance!
1 person likes this
@maezee (41997)
• United States
14 Nov 09
Wow! Congratulations! That's a huge accomplishment. I always wanted to train for a 5k but never got into good enough shape (I could only last 2 miles, and a 5k is 3.3? or 3.1? I forget which.) Anyway, congratulations again. 31 minutes is an amazing time! I can also understand why you might be frustrated at the guy in front of you..Who the heck does stuff like that? I don't know about him, but after running, I need like TEN minutes of power-walking just to get my heart-rate back down. 
. Anyway, good job again and good luck with your race in Decemeber!
. Anyway, good job again and good luck with your race in Decemeber!1 person likes this
@syndibee (799)
• United States
14 Nov 09
Thanks. The 5K is 3.1 miles. My first race was a 2 miler in June. I actually wished I kept up my training, I was hoping to do a half mary in Feb. but that's not happening this year. Now my goal is by the end of 2010.
I ran exactly 10 min's per mile lol. The most I've run at one time was 10K (6.2 miles) but that was a while ago and I've really slacked so I really hope I can get this 5 miler down. Gonna train and shoot for 50 min's on that one and try to keep up the 10 min/mile pace.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
15 Nov 09
If you can make it 2 miles normally, you could probably run a 5K. The race atmosphere is really inspiring and can make you push past your normal limits. Although, it would probably be better to have actually run at least 3 miles first. Still, you should train for one Maezee, 5Ks are so much fun!
