My honest thoughts about my first 5k race

newbyrunner

Racing's great craic, isn't it?

hiram

newbyrunner wrote: »

Racing's great craic, isn't it?

I'm doing my first 10k on Sunday. Dreading it.

career_move

hiram wrote: »

I'm doing my first 10k on Sunday. Dreading it.

Why?

RoyMcC

Waiting with bated breath for this thread to move on - fascinating...

newbyrunner

RoyMcC wrote: »

Waiting with bated breath for this thread to move on - fascinating...

Careful now...

MrCreosote

I think it's a nice thread.

Treasure the first time OP, not all of us can even remember it. Maybe we did it because we thought everybody else was. Maybe we were drunk or high on EPO. Maybe we just wanted to have a race done and didn't care where we ran it or how fast we went. Maybe we were so nervous we started out too fast and came to a shuddering halt well before the finish line.

Not everybody has a good time the first time.

I've blocked my first time out of my mind.

As for my first triathlon though....its brilliance etched itself onto my very soul like the light of a thousand suns...

JosDel

hiram wrote: »

I'm doing my first 10k on Sunday. Dreading it.

Best of luck Hiram,

newbyrunner

So what did you guys experience the first time you ever did a race?

For me the excitement at the start of the race was the best, went out a little fast - 5:28 for the first mile, wish I could keep up that speed for the full distance! I finished in 17:48, which isn't too bad I guess, would be nice to get down to 15:00 or so eventually with more racing.

forestman

newbyrunner wrote: »

So what did you guys experience the first time you ever did a race?

For me the excitement at the start of the race was the best, went out a little fast - 5:28 for the first mile, wish I could keep up that speed for the full distance! I finished in 17:48, which isn't too bad I guess, would be nice to get down to 15:00 or so eventually with more racing.

Christ I hope you are trolling....either way I hate you

newbyrunner

forestman wrote: »

Christ I hope you are trolling....either way I hate you

Nope, not trolling, used to play football 3 times a week before starting running about 2 months ago. We started doing a lot more running training during training at the start of the year and I noticed my endurance was a lot better than the others and I was increasing the gap as time went on.

Did anyone else get into running because of this? How much did you improve, say, over the first year?

hiram

hiram wrote: »

I'm doing my first 10k on Sunday. Dreading it.

No no no.

Don't dread it. Relax. Think. It's only a run. It's the first of what might be many. Yes, it can test the body and mind during it, but think of the finish line, the knowledge that you have done one, the satisfaction in posting a time that will set the bar, to be lowered in future runs as you get more used to it.

Just do not set off too fast. The only real disappointment is completely running out of puff in your first and growing to dislike them. Don't be afraid to slow right down and take in some air. Plenty of time to go breaking records in the future. If you relax and enjoy the experience, bet you'll surprise yourself with the time you post anyway.

Mint Sauce

First 5km was last year, absolutly loved it, although I did often think how the hell I would progress from it, and also on every distance ran afterwards. Ran my first Marathon this year, so the buzz stays with ya.

Unfortunatly the Marathon took so much out of me was unable to try and beat that 5km time in same event this year.

newbyrunner

Yeah, I couldn't imagine running a marathon yet! I could imagine it'd burn me out pretty quickly, the legs were pretty sore just after 5km alone!

Might try and focus on training for a 5 mile race soon.

Gambas

newbyrunner wrote: »

Racing's great craic, isn't it?

I think that was my first impression too. I always thought it was about the sense of achievement afterwards, I hadn't really considered the competitive element of the race itself (and I really enjoy competition) because I figured I was only going to be trundling along. Loved getting the results sheet, brought me back to my teens.

newbyrunner

hiram wrote: »

I'm doing my first 10k on Sunday. Dreading it.

How did the 10k go hiram? Did you enjoy it?