Jeff’s Post – The 5k – Not My Favorite!

The 5k is a milestone for many.  Almost everyone’s first race is a 5k.  I ran my first “official” 5k six years ago with a time of around 32 minutes.  Then I took about 4 years off to let me legs recover 🙂 and ran my second 5k a year and a half ago with a time of 23:50.  I caught the “running bug” with that second race.  But I also went straight to longer distances running a 10k, a 10 Miler, 2 Half Marathons and 2 Marathons this year.

Yesterday, 5 days removed from my RnR Las Vegas ½ Marathon PR, I decided to register for the local Jingle Bell 5k.  It wasn’t on my race or training schedule but I found it hard to resist this very popular local 5k.  About a month ago I ran my first ever sub 20 minute 5k (19:40).  This goal has been in the back of my mind all year and I was very excited to achieve it.  I knew the race yesterday would be tough to PR but I wanted to run it and see what happened.  Well I ran it and knew from the start it wouldn’t be my best run.  I finished in 21:28.  I ran this same race last year and finished in 23:50 so I will look at that as a positive but it ended up being one of my slowest 5k’s all year.  You just can’t have a bad mile in a 5k and mile 3 was a bad mile for me.

Won 1st Place in my AG in my Second 5k!

The 5k has always been a tough distance for me.  I just want to race it no matter what and I find that I’m basically uncomfortable the whole time.  I want to push and push. I also haven’t trained to be good at the 5k.  I’ve had some success at the 5k placing in my AG multiple times and I also won my first overall race in a 5k.  I feel that I’m capable of a sub 19 5k and that will be one of my goals in 2012.  Although that will be a goal I won’t be registering for a bunch of 5k’s next year.  This is my least favorite distance, its too short, too frantic and when I’m done I don’t really feel like I have gotten a good workout.

What are your thoughts on the 5k?

Have a great day and go for a run if you can!