I've run quite a few races this year, and I can't think of a better cause than Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Sunday. While cancer hasn't directly effected my friends or family, all the stories of success, strength, heart, and fight I read are inspiring. If me running a 5k to support this great organization helps a teeny tiny bit, sign me up!With that being said, I have no idea how to run this. I've never raced a 5k before. There's a goal time dancing in my mind, but it's not based on anything scientific and I have no idea if it's even doable. Basically it's what my friend ran in Minnesota that I'd kind of like to beat.
Any suggestions for a race strategy? Fly and hold on? Keep the reigns on the first half? There will be 15,000+, so the first mile may be slower whether I want it to be or not. What kind of pace should I plan relative to my repeat 800s? I'll take any advice.
Also, super cool Jess at Run Girl Run tagged me because apparently my blog is tops. (Duh.) Thanks Jess!
Answer the following questions with only 1 word answers...
1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2.Your hair? brunette
3. Your mother? nutty
4. Your father? hilarious
5. Your favorite food? pizza
6. Your dream last night? odd
7. Your favorite drink? water
8. Your dream/goal? family
9. What room are you in? family
10. Your hobby? running
11. Your fear? dark
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something you aren't? short
15. Muffins? yum
16. Wish list item? purse
17. Where did you grow up? Omaha
18. Last thing you did? eat
19. What are you wearing? sweatshirt
20. Your TV? big
21. Your pets? none
22. Your friends? awesome
23. Your life? great
24. Your mood? happiness
25. Missing someone? slightly
26. Vehicle? Accord
27. Something you're not wearing? socks
28. Your favorite store? grocery
29. Your favorite color? pink
30. When was the last time you laughed? dinner
31. Last time you cried? Tuesday
32. Your best friend? lovely
33. One place that I go over and over? fridge
34. One person who emails me regularly? husband
35. Favorite place to eat? Pancheros
I tag anyone who needs something to write about. Anyone who reads here is tops too.
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41 comments:
GOOD LUCK this weekend! Your gonna do great! I hate 5ks-- they are too short for me. But maybe i hate them b/c i've ran that distance 100s of times! Have fun!!!
Good luck at your first 5K! I personally think go out as fast as possible - it's short enough, you know you can survive, even if you feel like you're going to die.
I agree, great cause. Start out a bit slower than your 800s pace and hang on. 5Ks suck because of the fast pace, but at least they're over with quicker. The good news is, whatever your time, its a PR!
Good luck at the 5k. Komen races are just HUGE so you'll be fighting people non-stop!
Go out hard and then speed up! Also die at the end right after a ten year old passes you. Yeah I'm not much for race strategy...
Yay race for the cure! It's a fun race. I can't believe you've never raced a 5K, I'm sure you've run them at races just never stretched for a goal, right? Either way, your first mile'll probably be slow like you said then I think you should just open up and run. It'll be fun! I love this race, crowd and all. Maybe I'll see you there? (maybe not...) :D
I am challenging #28. I never see pictures of stuff you buy at the grocery store on your blog. But I do get to see many of your running togs.
I wish I had some good advice for a 5K, but I've only done one. The boyfriend always says to go out fast and then just hope that you can finish (though you may die at the end). I dunno'...that strategy sounds risky.
Good luck!
Wow, good luck girl! I've only ran like one 5k before, and I learned to just go fast from the beginning. Its only 3 miles, so you probably won't die or anything :)
The Race for the Cure is a great event. They really do a nice job. I say go all out, it is only 3.1 miles!! Good luck and have lots of fun.
lol about going to the fridge over and over. you are a trip.
good luck at r4tc! love that your goal is, yet again, to beat someone else's time ;) get it!
You've never raced a 5K?! How is that possible?
Well, I'm sure you will smoke it. I predict a 21:23 finish for you.
seriously?!?! you've never run a 5K race before?
have fun, go fast, smile at the finish. that's usually my plan. ;-)
I never raced a 5K until this year too...so I actually understand where you're coming from. Here's my strategy tip...
1. Look up your expected finish time from McMillian calculator based on a recent race.
2. Figure out what average pace that would be.
3. Aim to run that as your first mile.
4. Adjust based on how you feel in second mile.
5. Push hard for the last mile and hang on for dear life!
Hey, worked for me, so I'm hoping it will work for you. Good luck!
I'm doing the Race for the Cure in MD. in a few weeks. The first mile is usually packed and people tend to push up to the front even if they shouldn't be there, at least that's been my experience in previous years. So my advice, start close to the front, get out fast to get away from the crowds and then about half a mile in find your pace. That worked for me last year lol. I PR'd it.
I'm with Lam, enter a couple of your most recent race times into McMillian and you will get an idea of where you can finish. The first 1/4 mile will be a zoo, try and get close to the front of the starting line. Hit that first mile according to your NcMillian time and hold on from there...R4TC is an awesome race filled with A LOT of emotion....Seeing the parade of survivors is really touching.
Good luck on the race you'll do great. That is a large crowd so sure you'll be dodging folks the first mile or so. A great cause for sure. I keep debating racing in it but going to do a bike ride in CB instead.
I'm bummed I'm not running it this year. It's always a fun event. Fortunately, there's a Sleep in For the Cure so that we could contribute. Good luck in the race!
Good luck at the 5K. For a 5K, I don't really find that there's time to start slow... you just have to go for it! Might be kinda tough with so many runners. Make sure you position yourself well!
For the record: my best 800 (in a set of 10) was 3:30 (=7:02/mi). My best 5K was a 7:16/mi pace.
Go hard and hold on tight!!!
hahaha i like the one word answers!!!
what kind of purse do you want?
5k strategy!! i recently wrote this to my sis who was running her first:
"you are competitive enough you'll do great! pick someone to stay with and... stay with 'em! :) that is usually a good strategy, but if the person you pick is going too slow or you feel like you can go faster, PASS them, and pick the next person to stay with. "
Good luck in your first 5K! And an awesome cause. I wish I would have been able to run it when it came through here. Make sure you hit the puke threshold :) Go out steady over the 1st mile then all out as much as you can through the end.
I'll take any advice
ANY advice? Geez, sister, it's as though you forgot I read this blog!
My advice? Run it naked and post the pix.
That's always my advice.
Not for dudes, though. My advice to them is: Let the Tall Creepy Old Guy win.
Great cause! Great run! BTW, love #33 - that is me to a "T" during marathon training!
Since the first few yards and the mile are so packed I think that once you can hit your stride go out fast and strong and pump those legs and arms of yours. It's a short race so give it all and leave nothing in the tank!
I'm with Jess: I am going to predict a low 21 min finish, too! Good luck! :)
The best way to predict your time would be to do a practice 5K training run - you'll probably be able to beat that by 5% or so.
For strategy, I, like most people, go out too fast from the adrenaline. My goal in any race is to restrain that and ease into my race pace so I don't blast my HR up too high at the start. Unfortunately, you don't have a lot of time to ease into anything in a 5K...I won't lie, they suck if you run them hard. Just try to hold back a little during that first .5 mile so you're not totally dead by mile 2. And pick a goal pace that you think is reasonable to achieve and trust in thy Garmin lap pace to keep you on track.
You'll be great...looking forward to the race report!
Good luck and great that you're running for this cause. My 5K plan is usually to run as fast as I can for 3.1 miles. No strategy. Then I usually throw up and die.
Good luck with your 5k! I wish I had wonderful advice for you about the 5k itself - but I myself am still learning. However having done the Susan G Komen race before I will tell you this - focus less on the race itself and more on the spirit and energy of the people around you. It is truly an awesome experience.
And thanks for the tag - I need a quick post to get me back in the game!
My most important advice is to start as close to the front as reasonable (for your goal pace).
The Komen run in St. Louis was attended by 66,000(!) people (and wasn't chip timed) so we ran it basically just to participate.
When we finished there were still lot's of people that hadn't reached the start line yet.
It is 3 miles... KICK it in high gear :)
I added you to High Five Friday.. Strut in your PINK baby!
As my hubs always says about 5ks, "It's only 3 miles, cake." Warm up a bit first--a mile or two--and go all out. You can do sub-25, with what you do in speedwork.--and from what I remember of that course unless they have changed it--I'm gonna say you can do 23:00. Go for it!
Good luck!
I try to hold back a little in the first mile because if I go out too fast I die. But, don't hold back too much because it is a short distance. I love 5ks! Enjoy!!!!
Never ran a 5K? Other than one 10K, I've only ran 5Ks! But I have noticed how ridiculously short these races are now. I tend to start off too fast and die out, so pacing is important. I'm sure you'll do fine, great cause too!!
That's so crazy about you never running a 5k! :) Have fun and good luck! :)
Aack! I have been so negligent in blog reading. Trying to get all caught up here!
I think I've only done two 5K's so far. Overall I'm not a fan of running for times. And running 5K's for time hurts A LOT!
Have fun with the 5k...start fast and end faster!
Ha, I've only ever done one 5k and it was at the end of a tri, so I can't help on the advice front. But I can wish you good luck! As my friend Ali would say, run like an antelope!
Good luck at the 5K! If it's a big race, get out in front as fast as you can and just keep pushing it.
I generally push until I think I'm going to puke, then back off a little bit for a quarter mile or so and then push to the finish. Probably not the best racing strategy LOL.
MCM Mama
Oh man, 5Ks are one painful beast, let me tell you. I don't think I've ever finished one without feeling like I was going to hurl. But still, I am totally drawn to them for some crazy, masochistic reason! Push it girl! You'll do great :)
Crap! I'm just reading this and didn't get to wish you good luck. I hope the race is going well. 5ks are tough but the pain only lasts a little while. Push through it!!
So, did you have fun at the race?
I've never raced a 5k before either... something about the shortness of it scares me!
My strategy would be to not get stuck behind 15,000 runners (wow!)
Haha, I'm totally guilty of #33 as well
Sorry, I have no idea how to really race a 5K. I've only done 2 and each time was hard and slower than I thought I could do even though I felt like nearly puking at the end.
Good luck!
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