Running a 5K when you can't

One of my goals for 2004 is to run a 5K. I just discovered there's a
race going past my house and into my park next Saturday. I'm trying to
figure out if I should enter it.

Right now the farthest I can jog without stopping to walk (to bring down
my heart rate) is 2 miles. I go about 5k once a week (for the past 6
weeks or so) where I run/walk and finish in about 45 minutes. I haven't
run outside with hills and ice and snow in many months: all my running
has been on a treadmill lately. I'm 39 and am too fat and have lousy
endurance for someone who wants to be a runner.

So, should I enter this race when
a.) I'm not trained for it yet,
b.) I came down with a cold yesterday and I'm not sure I'll be 100% in
six more days
c.) I'm scheduled to work so I'd have to reschedule the client and
d.) I'm scared to run outside with hills and 20 degree weather and
whatever unknown elements that adds.

What do you think? I intend to run a 5K this year, but I hadn't
actually meant JANUARY when I made that goal. Should I push it or wait?

(Cross-posted to the ASD and MFW.)

Dally

"Dally" wrote
One of my goals for 2004 is to run a 5K. I just discovered there's
a
race going past my house and into my park next Saturday. I'm trying
to
figure out if I should enter it.

Right now the farthest I can jog without stopping to walk (to bring
down
my heart rate) is 2 miles. I go about 5k once a week (for the past
6
weeks or so) where I run/walk and finish in about 45 minutes. I
haven't
run outside with hills and ice and snow in many months: all my
running
has been on a treadmill lately. I'm 39 and am too fat and have
lousy
endurance for someone who wants to be a runner.

So, should I enter this race when
a.) I'm not trained for it yet,
b.) I came down with a cold yesterday and I'm not sure I'll be 100%
in
six more days
c.) I'm scheduled to work so I'd have to reschedule the client and
d.) I'm scared to run outside with hills and 20 degree weather and
whatever unknown elements that adds.

What do you think? I intend to run a 5K this year, but I hadn't
actually meant JANUARY when I made that goal. Should I push it or
wait?

(Cross-posted to the ASD and MFW.)

ASD: Oh, yes, do it, you will be SO self-actualized.

MFW: Butch up, BITCH, and get your flabby ass out there and run!

David

David Cohen wrote:

(Cross-posted to the ASD and MFW.)

ASD: Oh, yes, do it, you will be SO self-actualized.

MFW: Butch up, BITCH, and get your flabby ass out there and run!

But now I've got to consider whether that's a MFW "do it 'cuz it'll kill
you and then you'll stop posting here" or a "do it because we support
your efforts" yes.

But you did call me BITCH and that usually means you like me...

Dally, who knows she's over-analyzing this

Dally wrote:

David Cohen wrote:

(Cross-posted to the ASD and MFW.)

ASD: Oh, yes, do it, you will be SO self-actualized.

MFW: Butch up, BITCH, and get your flabby ass out there and run!

But now I've got to consider whether that's a MFW "do it 'cuz it'll kill
you and then you'll stop posting here" or a "do it because we support
your efforts" yes.

But you did call me BITCH and that usually means you like me...

Dally, who knows she's over-analyzing this
nah your not , he has an ulterior motive ,
personally I prefer the bike. My knees thank me

atec77 wrote:
Dally wrote:
David Cohen wrote:
(Cross-posted to the ASD and MFW.)

ASD: Oh, yes, do it, you will be SO self-actualized.

MFW: Butch up, BITCH, and get your flabby ass out there and run!

But now I've got to consider whether that's a MFW "do it 'cuz it'll kill
you and then you'll stop posting here" or a "do it because we support
your efforts" yes.

Dally, who knows she's over-analyzing this

nah your not , he has an ulterior motive

Getting me to lose my fat ass before I post pictures again?

Dally, racking her feeble brain

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 16:28:19 GMT, "David Cohen"
wrote:



ASD: Oh, yes, do it, you will be SO self-actualized.

MFW: Butch up, BITCH, and get your flabby ass out there and run!

David


LOL!

If it were me -- maybe a tad more running practice than Dally, but
**not** a cold weather fan -- I would probably go if I had a friend
going with me to talk me into it, and probably wouldn't if I were
going alone.

But I'm happy to try to talk you into it :-).

Chris

Chris Braun wrote:

If it were me -- maybe a tad more running practice than Dally, but
**not** a cold weather fan -- I would probably go if I had a friend
going with me to talk me into it, and probably wouldn't if I were
going alone.

I was just thinking that this afternoon, and trying to figure out who to
get to run with me.

You were my first choice.

But I'm happy to try to talk you into it :-).

Thanks. Igor made me feel a bit like I was on the verge of dying from
my lack of exercise, LOL.

Seriously, though, until a few months ago I had been doing exclusively
short workouts - 20 minute HIIT or maybe 1/2 hour on my NordicTrack at a
moderate pace. Not exactly couch potato, but I am a bit stunned by how
bad my endurance has gotten to be. I'll never take youth for granted again.

Dally

"Dally" wrote in message
...
Chris Braun wrote:

If it were me -- maybe a tad more running practice than Dally, but
**not** a cold weather fan -- I would probably go if I had a friend
going with me to talk me into it, and probably wouldn't if I were
going alone.

I was just thinking that this afternoon, and trying to figure out who to
get to run with me.

You were my first choice.

But I'm happy to try to talk you into it :-).

Thanks. Igor made me feel a bit like I was on the verge of dying from
my lack of exercise, LOL.

Seriously, though, until a few months ago I had been doing exclusively
short workouts - 20 minute HIIT or maybe 1/2 hour on my NordicTrack at a
moderate pace. Not exactly couch potato, but I am a bit stunned by how
bad my endurance has gotten to be. I'll never take youth for granted
again.

Dally

As someone who ran distance races for many years (not over the last few
years, though), I always found road running much, much easier than the
treadmill. I liked controlling my pace over a machine. But, you should just
do it, sa they say. Why not? If you run out of steam, you can walk for a
while.

The thing with races, and this is why I always found 10ks to be easier than
5ks, is that you'll get loads of energy from everyone else around you and
you'll run farther and faster than you ever thought you would.

Martha

"MH" wrote in message
...

"Dally" wrote in message
...
Chris Braun wrote:

If it were me -- maybe a tad more running practice than Dally, but
**not** a cold weather fan -- I would probably go if I had a friend
going with me to talk me into it, and probably wouldn't if I were
going alone.

I was just thinking that this afternoon, and trying to figure out who to
get to run with me.

You were my first choice.

But I'm happy to try to talk you into it :-).

Thanks. Igor made me feel a bit like I was on the verge of dying from
my lack of exercise, LOL.

Seriously, though, until a few months ago I had been doing exclusively
short workouts - 20 minute HIIT or maybe 1/2 hour on my NordicTrack at a
moderate pace. Not exactly couch potato, but I am a bit stunned by how
bad my endurance has gotten to be. I'll never take youth for granted
again.

Dally

As someone who ran distance races for many years (not over the last few
years, though), I always found road running much, much easier than the
treadmill. I liked controlling my pace over a machine. But, you should
just
do it, sa they say. Why not? If you run out of steam, you can walk for a
while.


This is exactly what I was going to say...treadmill running sucks the big
one compared to being out on the road. For starters, you can alter your
pace considerably faster than waiting for the belt to speed up or slow down.
Also, you can take larger strides than on a treadmill. I run much slower on
a treadmill than I do on a road.

As I've told you before, if your goal is to complete a 5K, then just do it.
Walk when you have to. You'll find the adrenaline and the energy from the
group will definitely pull you along. If your goal is to win a 5k, then
yep, you aren't trained enough for it. My goal is to not finish last in my
age group and I've come in 2nd to last but never last

The caveat to this is that if you really are getting sick, or the weather is
horribly cold and you aren't dressed appropriately OR the course is icy and
there's a good chance for a fall, then pass on this one and do the next one.
I won't run outdoors when it's in the single digits or below, or if I don't
have a safe place to go. I don't need to fall and break a hip or anything


Jenn

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 18:23:12 -0500, Dally wrote:

Chris Braun wrote:

If it were me -- maybe a tad more running practice than Dally, but
**not** a cold weather fan -- I would probably go if I had a friend
going with me to talk me into it, and probably wouldn't if I were
going alone.

I was just thinking that this afternoon, and trying to figure out who to
get to run with me.

You were my first choice.

Wish I could! Would one of your kids go with you?


But I'm happy to try to talk you into it :-).

Thanks. Igor made me feel a bit like I was on the verge of dying from
my lack of exercise, LOL.

Seriously, though, until a few months ago I had been doing exclusively
short workouts - 20 minute HIIT or maybe 1/2 hour on my NordicTrack at a
moderate pace. Not exactly couch potato, but I am a bit stunned by how
bad my endurance has gotten to be. I'll never take youth for granted again.

Dally

I think you're right to just regard it as another 5K training session.
You don't have to run the whole way; you can just do what feels good.

And you **are** young, girl! :-)

Chris