5K: Who here has run one?

[Heidi]

What is a reasonable time for a 43-year-old woman? I've no aspiration to win anything. Completion (in the middle) of a 5K is something I want to do for myself in the next 19 months.

So, gimme your tips, DUers. And make 'em rational. I'm into _process_, not medals or accolades. And please hold the medical advice, as I'm consulting both my doctor and a trainer. :)

[billyskank]

1. HEIDEEEEEE!!!1

No advice - just :*


:loveya:

[Heidi]

2. Whaaaaaaaat?

I _hate_ running. But I lovelovelove _process_. Hard to explain, sort of like making an abstract painting. :)

:* to you, too. (But wouldja smooch me when I'm hot and sweaty, huh? :shrug: )

[billyskank]

3. That must be a rhetorical question

With thoughts of a hot and sweaty Heidi, I think I must take a cold shower. :blush:


:loveya:

[Heidi]

4. Me, too!

I've had a long trek/climb today and a cold shower sounds like _just the ticket_! :)

:loveya: my friend. :hug:

[billyskank]

7. Get Call Me Wesley to massage you later

:hug:

:loveya: too.

[xchrom]

5. me -- you should reasonably do a 12 min mile

if you're not a regular runner.

i should think.

i think you'll really have a lovely time.

[Heidi]

6. Thank you!

I can already _walk_ a mile in fewer than 12 minutes, but doing that 3.10 times is the challenge. :blush: I'm starting to feel _good_ about this lil project. :)

How are you, my friend? :hug:

[xchrom]

8. i'll say doing just fine --

i'm watching that cute boy robby ginepri do some damage to tommy haas on the tennis court -- and that makes life ok.

the rest you know -- and we won't spoil a good day with that.

how are you?

you seem to be doing well -- saw a pic of that lovely little town.

[LostinVA]

17. Go to Jeff Galloway's page

He has good walk/run programs.

[nosillies]

20. Do you do Galloway? Me too! n/t

[LostinVA]

22. I do the trail running variation of Gallowaying

Walk steep uphills, and run teh "flats," downhills, and smaller hills. I can run for hours that way.

[nosillies]

26. Sounds like fun...not much exciting in the way of trails around here

I did trail running when I lived out west, and I loved it. I do have beach running here, though, so it's not all bad!

Galloway is a great program for runners of all types, IMO.

[LostinVA]

28. I love trail running

I haven't ran on a road in years.

[Maestro]

9. I agree.

A 12 minute mile is reasonable for the 3 miles or so that a 5K is.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

10. I haven't

but I was just just thinking about you last night and am so glad to catch a post...

good luck training for the run! :bounce:

[Nikia]

11. Start running regularly

At least 3-4 times per week. Preferably due at least one run per week at a longer distance from your race. The last time I ran a 5k I was in shape and in my early 20s and ran 6-6:30 minute miles. I do know that aside from mental issues associated with running for me, one barrier is that I cannot seem to run slow so I get discouraged when I am not able to run very far. Personally, I have never been able to run slower than a 10 minute mile. Any thing slower seems to be in bad form and counter productive. As far as what time you should shoot for at your age, it really depends on how good of shape you are in. World class women your age, are still running 5ks faster than the average D1 scholarship female runner. You might want to look in the paper or internet for results of local races to see what times you would need to achieve to place in the middle or to place in your age group.

[LostinVA]

18. It's not just the shape she's in -- many factors

She could be in great shape, do lots of speed intervals, and run 14-minute miles.

[nosillies]

12. My times, as well as those of most runners I know, are greatly

affected by temperature. A hot day can turn an 11 minute mile into a 13 or 14 minute mile. So it can depend on when you're racing.

Get a few timed runs or races under your belt, average it out, and then just try to beat yourself!

[Deja Q]

13. I've ran a 5K run...

5000 inches...

[sbj405]

14. Check the race website.

Most post all the results, so you can see what the middle of the pack time is. 5k is a nice distance. I think nearly everyone (barring major medical problems) can work up to running one. Check out the runner's world website for various training programs.

[elocs]

15. Good luck in any race you run.

I never run now unless something or somebody is chasing me. As a young duffer I was a very fast sprinter, but couldn't run distance.

[LostinVA]

19. I can't sprint, but I can run distance

Training for a 50k.... oi. Better than the 50 miler I was almost talked into.

[LostinVA]

16. What's your pace running a medium-fast mile?

Times that by three. It could be anywhere from 21 minutes to 60+ minutes. Is it hilly? Road or trail?

If you want training advice, PM either me or Binka.

(I'm getting ready to go trail run five miles in the rain...)

[Recovered Repug]

21. Find someone to run with you.

It always helped to see someone else looking as bad as I was feeling.

[u4ic]

27. LOL

Welcome to DU!:hi:

[ComerPerro]

23. I heard Jean Schmidt can run a 5k in 3 minutes flat

[RumpusCat]

24. I have!

You can do a 5k, especially in 19 months! You shouldn't have any problem running 3 miles in under 40 minutes. Check out some of the training programs on Cool Running or Runners' World websites. There is a program called the "Couch to 5k" that a lot of people swear by.

I am 25 but pretty slow--I run 12 minute miles when doing distance runs and I'm not much faster even over shorter distances. 5ks tend to attract a lot of fast runners but there will be a lot of 'fun' and personal-best runners like yourself, especially if the 5k is a charity run.

Good luck in your training! I'm working up to a half marathon in December so I'm in training as well. :hi:

[MissMillie]

25. I did 3 of them last year

My best time was 41:40, but I am slow as molasses running uphill in January.

It won't take you 19 months to train. I started running for the first time in my life last March 27th, and did my first 5K on May 21. Mind you, I'm a big girl (not as big as I used to be, but still a little heavy), and it took me nearly 45 minutes to finish, but I did it.

If you're going to give yourself 3 or 4 months to train, I suggest working your way up to running every other day, and running at least 2 miles per run. Once a week, add the 3rd mile.

I'll never win a race, but I'll keep running them. Next month I'm doing the Tufts 10K here in Boston.

[anarch]

29. I'm no expert, but I think the 19 months is definitely a reasonable amount

of time to give yourself for this. I'm pretty sure even I could make it five kilometers in 19 months.

[hfojvt]

30. Well, 15% of 5K

would be $7.50. Can I get your mailing address and send you a check?

[jpgray]

31. Yo! Depending on lead time you could get down to 7:45 min miles

In 19 months that should be more than reasonable. Your training program is up to you, but what worked for me in general:

1. Start very slow, and don't worry if you have to walk a bit on your route at first. Be comfortable above all.

2. Have two days a week where you run a fixed distance at a generally unchanging pace. Every week try to either step up your pace a bit or increase the distance, but since your race is going to be only 5k you could easily start off with as little as one mile and gradually up it to just three, working on pace from there. A good rule of thumb is increasing your mileage no more than 10% each week, and increasing your pace only at a rate that remains comfortable.

3. Have a long run every week! Measure this by time rather than by distance. A good starting time would be thirty minutes, and this should really be a light, light comfortable jog. This made a huge difference for me when I added it to my training.

4. Good shoes.

5. Stretch before and after, always. Hold twenty seconds at the first gentle stretch, and then push a little for twenty more seconds.

6. If soreness isn't going away in two or three days, or if something hurts, take a break. Don't try to "run through" any real pain.

Good luck!

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

32. Once. Barefoot.

Never again, my friend, never again. Now I just make people run one barefoot every summer. I actually run with them, but I have shoes on and I'm yelling at them.

On the plus side, if you think about running it barefoot, while people yell at you, it will make running one with sneakers way easier.

[LSK]

33. I ran 5 blocks once...

I was never a long distance runner. I have ridden bikes > 10 miles thou in the past.