Two races on one day - what would you do? (Read 469 times)

Last year, I ran my first 5k on the first weekend of December. Well, it's an annual race, and I'm looking to beat my last year's time (obviously). However, there are some options at this race that make it a complicated decision for me. There are two races held on this day at the same event. There is a 5k, and then 40 minutes later, there is a 10k. Last year I was only just getting started running, so I ran the 5k. However, as long as you can complete the 5k in <40 minutes,="" you="" have="" the="" option="" of="" running="" both="" races="" (the="" "double="" pump"="" they="" call="" it="" (it's="" sponsored="" by="" a="" local="" gas="" station="" chain)).="" my="" problem="" is="" this.="" i="" want="" to="" run="" all="" out="" for="" the="" 5k="" to="" see="" how="" thoroughly="" i="" can="" destroy="" my="" previous="" pr,="" but="" i'm="" also="" interested="" in="" running="" 10ks,="" and="" this="" is="" the="" only="" one="" held="" locally="" on="" an="" annual="" basis.="" i'm="" also="" drawn="" to="" the="" idea="" of="" extending="" it="" to="" a="" 15k,="" albeit="" with="" a="" small="" break="" in="" the="" middle.="" if="" i="" totally="" trash="" myself="" in="" the="" 5k="" like="" i="" hope="" to,="" i'm="" not="" sure="" how="" good="" of="" an="" idea="" it="" is="" to="" run="" a="" tough="" (two="" trips="" over="" a="" steep="" bridge)="" 10k="" with="" 12-16="" minutes="" of="" rest="" in="" between.="" do="" i="" have="" the="" base="" miles="" to="" support="" such="" an="" effort,="" given="" that="" my="" longest="" run="" to="" date="" is="" only="" 8="" miles?="" (of="" course,="" i've="" got="" a="" lot="" of="" time="" yet="" to="" prepare="" and="" extend="" that.)="" anyone="" done="" anything="" similar="" before,="" or="" just="" have="" some="" advice="" that="" you'd="" like="" to="" share?="" oh,="" by="" the="" way,=""></40>This is the race, if it matters.

I did the same thing last year for a charity run in Big Bear,CA. 5k followed by a 10k. I got 3rd overall in the 5k, running it in 22:41, turned around and started the 10k, 7:19 later, and ran that in 49:56, and got 7th overall. At 7000 feet, I just couldn't push my legs fast enough in the 5k to get trashed. You can also see my pace dropped quite a bit in the 10k. I wouldn't expect much out of your 10k, if you race your 5k all out. I'm doing it again this year. Would I do it at Sea Level? Debatable. If it was for a charity I support, I would do it at sea level. If not, probably not.

Not sure what I would do, but all offer another option since I haven't seen it mentioned. Your saying that there aren't any 10K's local other than this one right? What about 5K's? How about running the 5K as a warm up then racing the 10K? Go for the 5K PR on a different day. I agree with pRED though. If it costs more to run both then my suggestion would be to skip the 5K, do your own warm up, and race the 10K.

I've thought of that too (well, not exactly that, but just racing the 10k), but my hesitation there is that all the 5ks around here are FLAT FLAT FLAT, except for this one, which goes over a huge honkin bridge. It's kind of the "it" race in the area. It does cost more (though only a little - $10 extra) to run both races. I'll probably just run the 5k this year, (hopefully) destroy my PR from last year, and then maybe next year I'll move on to the 10k, and do as you've suggested and move on to other 5ks. Maybe in future years, when I've got more miles behind me, I'll even learn to pace myself over both races and race them both as a unit, if at a proportionately slower speed. Thanks, folks.

You know, Stevie Ray, I may just try that. I've never run a 10k race before, so anything is a PR, and if I'm really trashed running it, I'm almost certain to be in better shape next year, so I'll be primed to demolish 2 PRs in one go. I'll probably waffle on this for a while, but I do like the idea of the challenge of the Double Pump.