Beat 30 Minutes on the 5K!!!
By Pigglies
@Pigglies (9329)
United States
November 1, 2009 11:59am CST
Yesterday I finally did it, beat 30 minutes on a 5K!
I started out only about 3 rows back, figuring that usually I start too far back. Well, this time I can definitely say I started out too close to the front! I think I only ended up ever passing one person. And tons of people passed me. And at the beginning I had to sprint to avoid being trampled. I made it to the first mile in 8:38, a new record for me since I've never beaten the 9 minute mile before.
The course looped around and eventually I saw my friend along the other side. She shouted out to me but I only had the energy to wave. Finally I was coming up on the finish. And then I see the shadow of someone behind me. And I sprint towards the finish. But so does he, faster. And he beats me. I found out later he was 65. Ouch. But good for him. And then I see the clock... I am under 30 minutes!!! I go flying through and then they tell me to get in line for a pumpkin. Yep, I also made it into the first 100 finishers!!!
The best part? My time was not only under 30, it was under 29, under 28... it was 27:50!!! An 8:57 pace. This one was almost completely flat, and it was great! It was nice and cool at the start (around 50 degrees) and stayed fairly cool.
My legs are so sore today. But it's a good feeling. I haven't felt truly and totally sore in awhile now and I like knowing that I definitely gave that race everything I had. And while I do hope that eventually I can beat the 25 minute mark, I think for this year I am done with doing 5Ks. I'm moving on to longer distances!
2 people like this
7 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
2 Nov 09
Brava!You Go Girl!! I am so proud of you.27:50! Wow you were flying! I hope you are not Too sore.How did your friend do?Will she run with you again?
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
3 Nov 09
Thanks! Yes, it definitely felt like I was flying too... I can't even believe that I made it that fast though. I am still sore even today! But it's a good feeling because I haven't been very sore for quite awhile now. So it's good to know that I definitely pushed myself as far as I could have. Although, now I'd probably be unlikely to go all out in two races in a row knowing that I'd be sore for so many days.
My friend came in at 1 hour, 5 minutes, and 7 seconds. She was pretty disappointed that that was last place. But she was glad that she was at least able to finish. She ended up walking most of it. At the beginning of the race she thought she would try to drop out. But then at the end she was pretty happy to have finished. And now she even wants to do another one later! But she says she will definitely stick to this distance, no further! I'm probably not doing another 5K until the spring, so that's when she'll do another too. Gives her lots of training time.
2 people like this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
3 Nov 09
Tell her Congrads.I hope you will feel better real soon.Take care.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
2 Nov 09
Thanks! That is good too that you are able to walk more now. I know the 100+ temps were killing me with running too. I knew that to break 30 minutes I would definitely need a cooler temperature for the race. And luckily, I got it! Apparently so cold that I could run at a pace I had never even approached before.
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@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
2 Nov 09
Well I was definitely determined. :) Because while I was determined last time, I did allow myself to slow down slightly at parts if it hurt to run so fast. This time every time something threatened to start hurting I just told myself that I was beating 30 minutes today and that was that.
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@syndibee (799)
• United States
1 Nov 09
That is fantastic. Wow. I really hope my 5K report is the same in 2 weeks. I still don't even know if I'm going to wear shoes or not. I've been doing all my running on the treadmill and not enough of it at that. I've been doing between 1-2 miles every day. I hope I can make myself do the 3 miles tomorrow.
How did your friend do? was she able to run the whole thing?
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
2 Nov 09
I saw someone doing this one without shoes. And someone else wearing VFFs! I've never seen another person actually wearing those. It was pretty funny I have to admit, but I think both of those guys finished before me.
My friend ended up stopping for awhile and looking at geese (I never even realized we ran by a lake until I went back for her). And then she ended up walking some, running some, and then by the time I showed up when she was a bit past mile 2, she decided to just walk. She came in last place, 1:05:07, which really disappointed her. They were doing medals for kids by the time she came through (the kids 1K started about an hour after the 5K) and so they forgot to record her time. I had a photo to prove her time but she didn't want to be recorded as last place. But she was happy that she could finish it at least. Which I was happy about too because before I had had my doubts.
Hope your 5K goes well! You'll have to post and let us know! I need to get running more miles a week too.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
4 Nov 09
My pace at tonight's workout was absolutely horrible! I am still so sore.
But yeah, I couldn't believe my friend stopping. I mean, sometimes I'll look around as I'm running a race. And on the bike race I really enjoyed the scenery. But I kept my pace still. I loved going back through the 5K course though because the course was really pretty. I just didn't notice at the pace I was running and concentrating so hard on beating 30.
I'll have to suggest the C25K program to my friend. I know she doesn't work out enough, but I was amazed she even finished rather than just stopping and hoping someone would come up and get her. I told the running group and they thought it was good for her to come in last and see that she should work harder. But then also good that she was proud of finishing and still wants to do another 5K.
@syndibee (799)
• United States
3 Nov 09
I did 2 miles on my treadmill this morning. still trying to get back into it. I even did about 3 minutes at a 9 min/mile pace.
Sorry about your friend coming in last though it sounds like she pretty much gave up by stopping to watch the geese....ummmmm you go back AFTER the race lol, but glad she enjoyed herself.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
12 Nov 09
Wow that is awesome! I hope someday to run a 5K in twenty minutes. My next goal with the 5K distance will be to complete it under 25 minutes.
Right now I'm focusing on longer distances for awhile so my speed probably won't be improving as much. But I'll be happy to see my endurance improve.
@lilhockenut (11)
•
6 Nov 09
I ended up running the best race of my life I ran a 16:43
1st mile- 5:15
2nd mile: 6:10
3rd mile: 5:18
I am now the fifth man out of 7 on my varsity cross country team.
@lilhockenut (11)
•
6 Nov 09
Yea dude thanks a lot valley is next week I am excited good luck in any of your upcoming races!
@lilhockenut (11)
•
5 Nov 09
Congrats on your achievement. I am currently a high school cross country runner and we have our 5k race tomorrow. Its a league meet we plan to dominate league become valley champions and compete at the state meet. I am from California so yea. I hope I can get low 17 minutes or under 17 min for the 5k tomorrow but I love running and it takes a lot of patience and hard work. I think running is a true test of your mind and you've proven yourself as a dedicated runner congrats.
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
1 Nov 09
I am so proud of you. I have never done anything like that, and it sounds so awesome. Are you training for ten K, half marathon or marathon next?
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
2 Nov 09
Thanks! It was really cool! I had so much fun and I can't even believe that I can do something like this. Before I didn't even think I could run and now I've got a respectable 5K time. :)
Next I'm training for a 10K, which will be on Thanksgiving. I'm not trying to run all on holidays or anything, I just figured I'd rather run before the feast instead of after (some runs were on Thursday morning and others were on Saturday morning). It's a fundraiser for a food bank.
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