I've been training for the past five months for a 5k tomorrow. I don't know how many of you ran 5k or still do, but what advice is there for an over-the-hill runner like me? I ran in HS but afterwards, not so much.

Here is the 5k. It's at a local college:
race webpage

Find a short cut and take it.

I ran back in HS as well. Mostly a sprinter but I ran a 5K. I guess the best advice is to don't set the pace too fast too early and if you feel strong pick it up a bit. No matter how you feel smile when you cross the finish line.

How old is over the hill? What is your target mile pace?

Aren't you in your mid-20's? How's that over the hill?

I'm a sprinter by nature, but try and put in about 20 miles a week, mostly either doing daily runs of 3.1 (5K) or 5 milers. If you have that sprinting bug in you, go at a steady pace that YOU can handle for as long as you can, then with whatever distance is left that you feel comfortable gunning it, DO IT.

Mid 20's? I'm 44 and run down but I wouldn't consider my self over the hill. At the top, looking down but not over it.

I looked at the course map. The elevation change is 0. Run as hard as you can until you puke. Then settle in to a nice pace. Avoid running in circles it takes longer.

if youre not ready after 5 months, you might be better off using your POS Cavalier

I ran 5k 3 times a week for 20 years and never got any better at it except the weeks when you took the time to go farther, but I never WANTED to get much better. I could still do it in 20:30 at age 38, so I was happy with that.

Short intervals will really decrease your closing time(s).

Quit running after 40 -- it hurts the knees.

Sorry I got here late - good luck with your run.

If you want a certain time then the idea is easy... just pace yourself and try to hit your mile intervals....

best advice I ever got for racing... you only have to beat the man in front of you... meaning that all you have to do is beat the person who is immediately in front of you... after you pass him then move on to the next one.

Also, if you are racing and find someone going the pace you want to then just tuck in behind them and let them do the work for awhile. Much easier running with someone than by yourself.

I did exactly what you said, jaybird, and it worked.

Went out smarter than usual. In HS I'd average 19:30, really crappy, because I'd go out 5:36 for my 1 mile and die in the 2nd mile. I'd come in at 12:47 for my 2nd mile and finish strong for mile 3.

Today I ran 18:33 and finished 3rd in the 20-24 age division. The winning time was 16:47, which was slow for the fast course we were on. I finished 8th or 9th of 200 runners. (Edit to add: Last year's top 5 times were high 15s or low 16s. 16:47 is by no means slow)

I went out around 5:55...there were 3 girls ahead of me at one point. Big race. Two of them, I later found out, ran on the track and XC teams at the college we were racing at. They went out too fast so I settled behind them, drafting (it was a little bit windy at points and cold). Halfway through the race I overtook them and started picking people off. Came in the 2 mile at 12 flat, which made me very very happy

(The girls finished around 18:50 or so.)

Third mile...a bit tougher, because the pack spread out at this point and it was me and a tall guy (6'3'', 190)...I hung with the tall guy through the last 100m and then he just burned me. He was ahead of me going into a downhill about half a mile from the finish. I caught up to him somehow and was neck and neck with him...he beat me by about 3 seconds. Later found out he had just done a marathon the week before (Akron RR?) maybe.

I hated high school. What got me through it was XC and Track. I didn't really run in college and I should've. The best thing about the race is just finishing it and congratulating everyone that finished behind and ahead of you.

For some reason when I was done I was able to breathe easier within 2 mins, which means I probably should've gone faster. But at the time who knew?

My times aren't great but I'm glad I did the 5k. That being said, I know I have a long way to go: There are some high schoolers that would kill an 18:35 or whatever--a girl I know runs 17:53 and she's only a junior! When I was in HS there were girls from rival schools that ran in the 18s and 19s consistently and would've been the #4 and #5 runners on the guys team. And the guys, forget about it. They run in the 15s and 16s, all day long.

I'm doing the 5-mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving. That should be an adventure.

Thanks to all who responded.Ubr />
AsianDawg.

Good job of beating those girls dude

Ok just kidding, seriouly though congrats on the good run. About 17 years and 80 lbs ago I used to run 10k's and 5k's. My first one I did zero training for, I was 17 and was downtown with the Boys and Girls club to do volunteer work at the Revco Marathon and 10k. I just happened to be by the registration desk and picked up a form, the B and G club director saw me and told me I should run and he would pay my fee. I ran it, dont remember my time, but I won my age division(under 19 I think). I didnt specifically train for that event but I did run the 400 meter in high school. I also ran from the school to the football practice field everyday in full gear with a Ahole coach breathing down our backs. I would say that was a good 5 mile run daily, sometimes we had to run back to the school after practice too. That was a grueling run after practice. After that running 5k's was a breeze, I won one in Bay Village when I was 17 , during the summer before my senior year. Thats was pretty much it, after that I still ran but was looking at playing college football and really started concentrating on adding some size and strenght on rather than working on my quickness because it didnt matter how quick i was off the ball I was not going to play DE in college at 210.

A friend of mine ho was really a die hard runner, has run 100s of marathons, told me the best thing he did for getting faster times was adding sprints into his training. He would start at 20 yards, then go to 40,60,80,100. Just absolute as fast as he could go. He also used to do something called fartlegging. Basically you run on a track,jog one lap, then jog the straights and sprint the turns, then next lap jog the turns and sprint the straights,then jog a lap, repeat as many times as you can.


KING

Good job AsianDawg. It was a nice day for a run.

Maybe in 40 or 50 pounds I'll get back out and run again. Working and watching my kids just seem to take priority over getting in shape.

Very nice dude!!!

We always tried to just be in the top third of the field after the first mile or so... have a solid second mile and then hammer the third... I miss my old cross and track days!

But sounds like you had a really smart race man! And now you know for next time that you can push it a little harder.

My advice -
1) don't get caught up in the start...quite often people go out way too fast at the start line like it is a 100m dash.
2) If the course is marked at each mile, check your watch to see if your pace is on track and adjust accordingly.
3) when you see the finish line, pretend you're being chased and take off - the quicker you'll get to a beer

Scratch that, you already ran the race...nice time!

I was doing well until the end...18:33 isn't that bad. You guys are great for giving me good advice.

5:54 first mile. three girls in identical blue sports bras passed me. (former ksu runners). For a second, I did not mind being the tail dog in this fight.
6:06 second mile...came in at 12 flat. I'm coming in and the stopwatch guy didn't look at me until I waved at him.
5:50 third mile! I was at 17:50 at the 3 mile mark, 200m shy of the finish. There's a slight downhill and I was keeping up with this guy who was 6'3 and 190 or so..Long legs (I'm only 5'2). He took a slight lead but I caught him toward the finish. We were neck and neck until he gave a final kick with 30m to go.

At least it was better than in HS, where I'd be in the last 200m and just die with no kick.

I'm glad I didn't go out at 5:34 in my first mile...when that happens, then I know my race will be 19:30 or so because my second mile will be crap *about 6:50 or 7:10 or so* and I'll come in at 12:4x or something like that.

Here are the results: 8th of 294 runners.
Race results

1 Brad Neumann 20 M 16:47 5:25
2 Curt Bachus 43 M 17:03 5:30
3 Ryan Montgomery 21 M 17:08 5:31
4 Nick Winiarski 22 M 17:48 5:44
5 Craig Melzer 34 M 17:55 5:47
6 Patrick Gallagher 46 M 18:16 5:53
7 Robert Heller 21 M 18:32 5:58
8 Josh Echt 24 M 18:33 5:59