Ep #387: How to Choose Your First 5K

Welcome to the Not Your Average Runner podcast. I’m Jill Angie, a certified running coach, and your running BFF here to help you start running. Feel confident and love the journey no matter your size. Now, if you’ve ever felt like you just weren’t meant to be a runner, think again. I believe that running is for all bodies, even yours.

This podcast is your warmup buddy, giving you tips, motivation, and the support you need to lace up and get moving. I’ve helped thousands of women become runners, and now I wanna help you. Let’s go.

Hey runner and welcome back to the show. So today we are talking all about how to pick your first 5K race. Now if you are brand new to running or maybe you’re coming back to it after a long time, I know that signing up for a race can feel super intimidating. I hear it all the time. It’s like, what if I’m the last person to finish?

What if everyone’s faster than me? What if I don’t even finish and I get it? These worries are very normal. I had the same before my own first 5K, but the truth is the right 5K can make your first race experience feel exciting and empowering and yes, even fun. So fun. So today I’m gonna walk you through exactly what to look for in your first 5K, how to avoid some common mistakes, and how to set yourself up for a finish line moment that you will never forget.

Now, the very first thing to consider is timing, and not the race clock, but actually your calendar. So if you have just started running. Um, maybe you are still building your consistency. I recommend picking a race that is at least eight weeks away at least. Why? Because that gives you time to train in a way that feels manageable and not panic inducing.

Now, if you are already running regularly and you can do at least, um, a mile and a half of run walk intervals, yeah, you might be able to do a 5K sooner. But here’s the thing, I want you to feel confident and not rushed. So choose a race that lines up with your current fitness level and gives you some breathing room.

Okay? Next up is what I like to call the race vibe check. Not all races are created equal. And I want your first one to feel welcoming, not like you accidentally wandered into an Olympic qualifying event. So how do you know what kind of a vibe a race has? Well, there are going to be some clues. First thing to do is look at that race website.

Does it say all paces allowed? Does it say walkers are allowed? Because even if you’re not planning to walk, knowing that they are welcoming to people doing slower paces are go, is going to put your mind at ease. Um, if they say pets are allowed or strollers are allowed, again, that is another clue that they are going to be very welcoming to people of slower paces.

Now look at the raise photos on their website, on their social media. Are there people of different sizes and body shapes? Are there people of different ages? Right? Does it look like there is a wide variety of paces represented? Um, look at the cutoff time. This is gonna be on the website. Does it give you plenty of time to finish?

If they tell you that the cutoff is 40 minutes, you know, if you’re like me, that’s not gonna be enough time to finish a 5K. You wanna look for a cutoff time of at least one hour. So generally, races that support a local cause or a school or a community organization tend to be a little more on the relaxed and friendly side.

Um, sometimes they actually will advertise themselves or walk as walker or stroller or pet friendly. So again, if you see that, that is a great sign. Um, you can also check race reviews on sites like biv Bib Rave, um, or Hey, ask in the not your Average Runner podcast Facebook group for recommendations if anybody else has done the race.

And if you wanna join that Facebook group, you can just head on over to the show notes. I will have the link right there for you. Now the bottom line is you want to find a race vibe that says, come as you are, and not only fast people are allowed. All right? So just get that vibe right so that you feel comfortable and welcomed at the event.

Next, let’s talk about location. So for your very first race, I personally recommend staying close to home. Traveling for a race can be super fun later on. But it does add a lot of moving parts like hotels and traffic and parking and maybe flights and, uh, you know, unfamiliar surroundings. And if you’re staying in a hotel, you might not have your normal pre-race meal.

So for your first one, just keep it as stress free and simple as possible, and pick something very local to you. Now, if the race. Is local to you. If you’re able to find one that’s super close by, you might even be able to practice on the course ahead of time. If you can look at the, uh, website for the race, they will tell you the route.

You might even be able to run that route ahead of time, um, or at least get familiar with the area. Then that way on race day, you’re not also working about worrying about getting lost or finding parking or all of that stuff. And you know, honestly, being close to home means you get to have your support crew, your friends, your family, your dog, all cheering you on at the finish line.

And trust me, that makes a big difference. So let’s move on to talking about the course itself. You do not, I repeat. Do not want your first 5K to be a hilly nightmare, if at all possible. Find a race that at least has some flat parts, and you should be able to figure this out by looking at the race map.

Now, um, if there are steep sections, just be aware for it, be prepared for it. Um, but also are you running on a trail? Or pavement or gravel or grass paved, flat courses are going to be the best for beginners. Trails can be beautiful. I I love running on trails, but they can also be unpredictable with roots and rocks and mud, and there’s no spectators to cheer you on.

Um, I’ve done some races that were out in a field, not on a trail, but just literally running on the grass in a field. And again, absolutely beautiful. But it can be unpredictable. And when you are running on pavement, it you, it’s just so, so much easier to stay focused on the running and not get, um, you know, stressed out about tripping and falling or anything like that.

So, I mean, unless you are already comfortable on trails, maybe you are a super regular hiker or you’ve done all of your beginning running on trails, I, if, if that’s not the case for you, I would suggest going for a well-supported, paved route that is. Flat or maybe gently rolling. Okay. Your body will thank you, I promise.

Now let’s move into one of my favorite things to talk about, which is why you choose a particular race. Okay. We talked a little bit about vibes, but this is more about what is the meaning that this race has to you. So. Sometimes it’s literally just that the race has a super fun theme. Like it’s a Halloween run where people wear costumes.

Maybe it’s the hot chocolate run and there’s candy along the root, right. The hot chocolate run is one of my favorites. Um, sometimes it’s named something goofy like the cheese steak chase and. By the way, that is a spoiler alert and a shameless plug for my upcoming mystery novel, which is going to be about a plus size runner.

And she, she solves a murder at the cheese steak chase. Anyway, that’s, that’s neither here nor there. I’m just putting in my shameless plug. Um, but sometimes, you know, it’s not about the name of the race or the costumes or whatever. Sometimes the race might support a cause that you really care about, like.

Cancer researcher, animal rescue, or something along those lines. Sometimes the race is just on your birthday or your run anniversary, which would be the anniversary of your first run. Um, or maybe it just has the perfect energy in that. You’ve seen other people running this race, and it just looks like so much fun.

Whatever the reason is, I want you to pick a race that means something to you, because this can make a big difference in your motivation to show up, to train and to finish strong. And it also gives you a story to tell, right? It gives you a moment to celebrate Now. No to-do list would be complete without a to don’t list.

So here are a couple quick do nots for your first race. First of all, don’t pick one with a super short cutoff time and I mean like if the cutoff time is 45 minutes or less, uh, 50 minutes or less, unless you know you can comfortably run three miles in 45 or 50 minutes, you may be. Unhappy at the end of the race.

So pick one that has a longer cutoff time. Um, don’t pick a race that has the words trail ultra or cross country in the name. Save those for another time when you are more experienced. And then finally, and this is really important. It, it can be very tempting to sign up for a race with a friend, and I actually think it’s a great idea, but the first thing you need to do when you sign up with that friend is agree.

You are each gonna run your own pace because nothing is worse than feeling, first of all, feeling like you’re holding somebody back. So if you sign up with somebody who’s faster than you and. And you can tell that they’re antsy to kind of go a little bit faster. Um, or you know, if that person has it. If you hadn’t had that agreement to run your own paces and you thought she was gonna stay with you, and then she takes off and you feel left behind, make sure you have that agreement ahead of time of how you are gonna handle it if you are running at different paces.

Okay, so. Signing up with friends is great, but don’t do it unless you have a really well understood agreement of how you are going to start, run, and finish the race. All right. Okay, so just a quick recap of what you wanna look for. I. The race should be at least eight weeks away. Flat paved course as flat as possible.

I recognize there may be some gently rolling hills, um, somewhat local to you, Walker and all paces friendly. Um, has a nice generous cutoff time, like 60, even 90 minutes is absolutely ideal. Um, make sure it has a meaningful or fun vibe. Check the reviews, check the photos to see if there is a, uh, a diverse crowd.

And then finally, you wanna look for a race that makes you feel a little bit excited, maybe a little nervous. That’s okay, but not dreading it, right? We wanna have positive feelings about this upcoming event. Now, just some final thoughts here. My friend, your first 5K is not about your time. Please remember this.

It’s not about your time. It’s not about your pace. It’s not about what anybody else thinks. Your first race is about you saying, I am doing this for me. So please choose a race that supports that goal, a race that makes you feel safe. Makes you feel seen and that lets you cross that finish line with pride.

Whether you run, walk, skip, or disco, dance your way to the end, it still counts. It always counts. I. I promise you. Now, if you want support every step of the way from picking that right race to crossing, crossing that finish line, I’ve got you. Come check out. Run your best life. This is where all the magic happens.

You can get all the info on that at Run your best life.com. Or check out the show notes for the link and my friend, that is it for today. So if this episode spoke to you, take a screenshot, share it on Instagram, tag me at not your average runner because I want to cheer you on. All right? Now, I will be back next week with more tips to help you run strong, run happy, and run your way.

And until then, remember that you are a runner no matter what your pace or your body size is, and I’ll talk to you next week. Bye.

Real quick before you go, I’ve got a fun challenge for you. Take my exerciser personality quiz to find out exactly what kind of exerciser you are and how to make running feel easier and more enjoyable.

Just head over to not your average runner.com/quiz to take it and get your results. That’s not your average runner.com/quiz.