I love the 5K

I planned to write about each of the distance races I have run since my very first 5K race back in December of 1988.  As always happens, life gets in the way.  I found that I wanted to write about other things.  But I promised myself I would get back to the theme as soon as I could.  Finally I have nothing else pressing on my mind about my life or running.  Therefore, I can now start off this series of blog entries with my experience with the 5K distance.

Personally I love the 5K.  It is the one race that I can go out and run with little or no preparation.  Now if I want to run a certain time or set a PR, I have to train.  But it is the once distance race that can truly be called a "fun run".  The best part is that if I do decide to train for it, I can still have a normal life.  It is not an all consuming training program.  When I am training for a 5K, I never feel too tired to do other things in the evenings or weekends.  Best of all I can run a 5K race every weekend if I choose.

The other great thing about a 5K is that the whole family can participate in one of these races.  My children both liked to run with me when they were growing up.  My son even ended up running cross country, indoor and outdoor track in junior and senior high school.  We ran his first 5K together when he was only 8 years old.  It wasn't a fast finish but seeing the look of satisfaction on his face when we crossed the finish line was worth it.  Since then, I have run with both my son and daughter in several different 5K races.  I find it so rewarding to see them embrace the sport I love so much.

Most of my runner friends think that a marathon is the only serious race.  While it is serious, no one should ever look down on someone who runs only 5K races.  Every 4 years when I watch the Olympics, I love watching the 5 and 10,000 meter races.  Partly because I too run those distances albeit not as fast.  No one I know looks at those athletes and says they are not serious runners.  The simple truth is that there are some runners who simply aren't well suited to run long distances.  If you are a casual runner just trying to get healthier and more fit then I would say that the moderate mileage you need to run to prepare for a 5K is perfect.  It will put less stress on your body and potentially provide more satisfaction than training for and running longer distances. And best of all, it will most likely keep you injury free.

Now I cannot talk about racing without dealing with the elephant in the room - costly entry fees.  The nice thing about most 5K races is that they are usually the cheapest races to run.  I have never paid more than $35 for an entry.  The 9 marathons I have run in averaged over $175 per race.  I consider the 5K race the value proposition when it comes to distance racing.  Plus you get to run with all levels of runner because the entry fees are not prohibitive making it affordable for anyone who wants to participate.  If you want to make it a family event, it will not break the bank.  The last 5K I ran with my kids cost us $75 for all three of us to participate.

If you are reading this because you are contemplating running your first 5K, I encourage you to do it.  Send in that entry form and let everyone know you are going to race in your first 5K.  You may ask me why.  The simple answer is because I know when you cross that finish line, no matter how long it takes you, you will be much happier than when you started.  Running always makes me happy.  The experience is like nothing else you will do in your life.  Don’t let the fear of being "too slow" deter you.  You are still better than all those people who never even try.  What have you got to lose?

“Our running shoes have magic in them – the power to transform a bad day into a good day; frustration into speed; self-doubt into confidence; chocolate cake into muscle.” - Mina Samuels, Author

Mar. 13 – 6.10 miles (1:02:28, 10:14 pace) - Hill Repeats
Mar. 14 – 5.30 miles (45:12; 8:32 pace) - Speed Work
Mar. 16 – 5.00 miles (42:30, 8:30 pace) - Tempo Run
Mar. 17 – 6.20 miles (54:42, 8:48 pace)
Mar. 18 – 9.20 miles (01:21:45, 8:53 pace)
Mar. 19 – 9.30 miles (1:22:40, 8:53 pace)
Mar. 20 – 6.20 miles (1:05:41, 10:36 pace) - Hill Repeats
Mar. 21 – 6.20 miles (54:48, 8:50 pace) - Speed Work
Mar. 23 – 8.20 miles (1:12:58, 8:54 pace) - Tempo Run
Mar. 24 – 6.20 miles (53:46, 8:40 pace)
Mar. 25 – 8.30 miles (1:16:02, 9:10 pace)
Mar. 26 – 10.20 miles (1:30:18, 8:51 pace)

Total Miles:  86.4 miles
2017 Total Miles:  495.1 miles