Forums >Running 101>How long did it take for you to enter your first race?
^^^fussy biatch
I've only been "running" for two months and have not even considered entering a race. How about you?
somewhere between 8 & 10 years from when I started running consistently to when I entered my first 5 k race.
(Yes, that's a LONG time, but I wasn't in any rush).
Life Goals:
#1: Do what I can do
#2: Enjoy life
somewhere between 8 & 10 years from when I started running consistently to when I entered my first 5 k race. (Yes, that's a LONG time, but I wasn't in any rush).
Wow, crazy. Do you remember how you did?
Yes, 11/15/2008, a local 5k race with about 200 to 300 runners. My wife and I both raced for the 1st time. She beat me and won her age group. I decided I needed to race more often and make sure she wouldn't beat me anymore.
I don't remember how long it took me for the 5k, but I remember the route and the temperature that morning.
I started running with the C25K program, and like many folks, I wanted to run a race soon after graduating. I believe that first race was about a week after finishing the program, so I must've registered for it sometime within the 9 weeks that the program ran . . . probably about a month after starting.
Started training in Jan 2006. First 5K in April, first half marathon in June and first marathon in October. 50 some races since then and top 3 in AG in more than half of them. But I'm one of the crazy people and I still walk more than I run. And it's easy to place in AG when the other old women don't come out for the same races I do.
Marathon Maniac #991 Half Fanatic #58 Double Agent #22 It's a perfect day and I feel great!
A Saucy Wench
I kind of entered a race before i started running really. I started running sproadically at lunch at work because it seemed to be the thing to do. I thought I would try it. And I had worked my way up to about 2 miles (although at the time I thought it was more - no really good way to map it then) and someone talked me in to race for the cure.
AFTER the race. when I had run the whole race, THAT high is what made me really start running "for real"
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7
I didn't start running till I was in Afghanistan in 2010, age 37. Had a surgery in July while there that I was trying to recuperate from. It was about August when I started, and I pretty quickly got up to the 8 and 10 mile distance range.
I couldn't wait to get back home to run a race, so I signed up for the "Army 10 miler Shadow Run" in Bagram, Afghanistan less than 3 months after I started running, and I beat most of the Army dudes and almost all the Air Force dudes. --- It was on from there, I was hooked on running and also various races after that.
Currently I run a race almost every single weekend (most are 5k but some 10K, Half, Full, Longer...) I'm doing something like 40-45 races a year now, and lovin' it :-).
The Plan '15 → /// "Run Hard, Live Easy." ∞
After running about a year, I entered a race.
For me, the race gave me a focus. I used to run when I felt like running. So after a Christmas break, that was 3 months break. Then maybe ran once or twice a week. After registering a race, I picked a 12 weeks training plan, and stuck on it most of the time. It gave me the motivation.
After the first race, suddenly I felt more confident and start running faster and longer. I am sure it was not just the race, but mainly the 12 week hard work.
Then I registered a second race 6 weeks later to see my training progress. Again I felt more confident and can run faster and longer after the race.
However, I don't like racing. It hurts. I battled a lot during the race and constantly wanted to give up, but I wanted to finish it. The good news is after the race my training seems nothing now compared to the pain I got during the race. And sometimes I get some low point during my training, but I can push through as it was really nothing compared to the race.
5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08 (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)
Jess runs for bacon
I started C25K last November, and ran my first half in April '12. I had to walk/run it and did terrrible, but I was still hooked. Completed my first and second half marathons in October and November. I love races
I started running in July and ran my first 5k the first weekend in November. A few days later I registered for my second 5k during the third weekend of November. A few days after that, I registered for my first HM (end on March).
I don't need to have a race to be focused, but racing lets me know if I'm improving and what I need to work on. Plus, it's a lot of fun!
5k - 25:15 (11/18/12)
10k - 1:01:51 (2/14/15)
10mi - 1:33:18 (3/2/14)
HM - 2:06:12 (3/24/13)
Upcoming Races:
Benched until further notice. :/
Everything you need is already inside. [[Bill Bowerman]]
Entered a race before I even started - as kind of a motivator to get me to do the training part. It didnt work. I entered a 5k and did 2 training runs for it and hurt like hell at the end. I just kind of realized that I knew in the back of my mind that I could finish a 5k without training and did.
So after that I started signing up for races that I knew I would have to put the training in - did some triathlons and my first marathon less than a year later (which also hurt a lot because I was way undertrained).
jules2
About five minutes but its quicker now as you can enter most races on line.
i did it the other way around I entered a race found out how unfit I was and then started training, this is a comment not advice.
Old age is when you move from illegal to prescribed drugs.
About five minutes but its quicker now as you can enter most races on line. i did it the other way around I entered a race found out how unfit I was and then started training, this is a comment not advice.
I'm surprised it took this long for this response.
Cool stuff guys thanks, keep it coming.