running my first 5k

I started running in February of this year. Prior to that I only ran my mouth about how crazy runners are and how un-fun running looked. I was so wrong. I wasn’t overly eager to run a 5k I figured I might get to it, but it was never my main goal when I started running. I started running to find out if it might be the thing that would get me off the couch, relieve some stress, and give me a little more energy. It did exactly that and I was content to just be a runner. So what changed? More stress. Work was crazy and I just wanted something that I could accomplish and feel great about. It worked like a charm!

Things I am glad I did

♠ picked a race with a fun shirt and a cute medal
I really wanted to run something more than your average 5k. The 5k portion of the San Francisco marathon certainly fit the bill. It ended up being a perfect goodbye to the city I have made home for the last few years and where I met my husband. The shirt is my new favorite. It is especially perfect since it is close to our wedding colors. A nice yellow shirt with a blue golden gate bridge. My medal is adorable. You should see the size of the marathon medal! That thing must weigh 5 pounds.
♠ stayed loose the week leading up to the big race
We ran a few days leading up to the race and then took the day off before the race. It gave me the confidence to know I had it in me to make it 3.1 miles. Truth be told until I crossed the finish line I had never run 3.1 miles. I came close but had never actually made the mark. It made crossing the finish line that much sweeter!
♠ got there with some time to spare and enjoyed the energy
We got there with a little time to kill before the official start time. Then there was a delay and we got a lot more extra time to enjoy the atmosphere. I loved it because there was fun music and everyone was so energized and ready to get running. You could just feel an electric vibe in the air.
♠ ran my race and enjoy that finish line
Don’t worry about everyone else running around you just focus on getting to that finish line and enjoy your accomplishment. It can be distracting to have people passing you. I think I probably ran a lot faster than I would have just running through the neighborhood. I never got to a point that I couldn’t carry on a conversation so I knew I was running a comfortable pace for me even if it was faster than normal.

Things I wish I had known

♠ to have patience
I wasn’t at all prepared for the crowded course and the walkers. I thought everyone else would be there to run a 5k. Not walk it with their dog, stroller or girlfriends. It was extremely surprising to be running down the street and have a person just stop and start walking in front of me. Being prepared for that would have made it much easier to be patient when it happened.
♠ to get towards the front
Because of the walkers and the slower people, head to the front of the crowd if you plan on running the entire race. Don’t get all the way to the front that space is for the sprinters. Give them their space to run the way they want and saddle yourself up right behind them so you can run yours. When we lined up we were back with the families and it translated into some of the slower people.
♠ the first mile is crowded
A friend told me this would be the case but I was still surprised. Prepare yourself for the possibility that the route might be narrow and crowded to start, take a deep breath and just enjoy the run. From what I could tell this would be a little better if you head toward the front but marginally. I wish I had turned on my Nike app to see what my pace was that first mile. I ran the 5k in 35:43 minutes. That made my pace 11:30/minute. My normal pace in the neighborhood is 10:20/minute. So I am certain that first mile was super slow. It was like a bad traffic jam when 5 lines go down to one during the peak of rush hour.

We both loved the whole experience and are looking forward to running my next 5k. I am even thinking about training for The Mini, a half-marathon, in Indianapolis next May.

Have you run a 5k or any other races? What is your favorite part?

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