Forums >Racing>Which would you rather PR, a 5K or a 10K?
Another option that I've been toying with is running both races. The 10K starts at 8:00 and the 5K starts at 9:00. They are point to point races, but the start is only about 1 mile from the finish. If I had someone lined out I could finish the 10K, get someone to drive me to the 5K start and then run the 5K. If I did that I doubt I could PR the 5K, but it would be kind of fun to see how it went.
Another option that I've been toying with is running both races.
The 10K starts at 8:00 and the 5K starts at 9:00. They are point to point races, but the start is only about 1 mile from the finish.
If I had someone lined out I could finish the 10K, get someone to drive me to the 5K start and then run the 5K.
If I did that I doubt I could PR the 5K, but it would be kind of fun to see how it went.
Not sure what the point of this would be. PR a non-continuous 9.3 mile race?
You can certainly race the 10k hard then run the 5k as cooldown, but that's an expensive cooldown. To do the converse, I think that's much too long a warmup.
Pick one, I think you'll be glad you did.
Dave
I've got a fever...
Given that my 10k PR is a lot weaker than my 5k PR, I'd go with the 10k given the choice. But since that PR is 30 years old this spring, I'll have to settle for age-grading.
On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.
- If you are currently in marathon training, racing a 10k might be a more appropriate workout.
These race(s) would be about a month and a half after my goal marathon. Originally I was just planning on them being more of a fun run type deal back where I grew up kind of thing, but with the big elevation drop I've been thinking about really doing some sharpening and trying to shoot for a good race on them.
The part of the race that has the 200' elevation drop is on a gravel road as well. It should be pretty invigorating.
The Longest Dam race is the event.
https://runkeeper.com/user/npaden/route/4567690
Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)
Current PR's: Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)
It was fun though!
Worth the drive.
Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
These race(s) would be about a month and a half after my goal marathon.
Oh. Then you can disregard the point about the 10k being more appropriate. I thought this was during marathon training.
Yeah, just a small time race at a time when I wouldn't normally be doing much racing. The weather should be good there that time of year though, not too hot and not too cold.
Anyone ever tried to run back to back races like that? I guess I could do some interval training with short breaks for recovery and possibly see if it is doable at all. Do some 10K type training then take a 15 minute break and then do some 5K type training.
I think the biggest problem will be to get going again on the 5K race. I would almost need to jog a few minutes before the race to loosen up again. When I do a cool down after a race it is always tough to get going but after the first 1/4 or 1/2 mile it gets easy again. Of course that is jogging, I've never tried to or even thought about trying to run hard 15 minutes after racing.
I guess worst case if I did the 5K as a cool down I would be out the $5. It would be really cool to get in the top 10 in both race results though. Last year it would have taken a 23:00 5K to get in the top 10 and a 48:00 10K to get in the top 10.
5 !
- Joe
We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.
Yeah, just a small time race at a time when I wouldn't normally be doing much racing. The weather should be good there that time of year though, not too hot and not too cold. Anyone ever tried to run back to back races like that? I guess I could do some interval training with short breaks for recovery and possibly see if it is doable at all. Do some 10K type training then take a 15 minute break and then do some 5K type training. I think the biggest problem will be to get going again on the 5K race. I would almost need to jog a few minutes before the race to loosen up again. When I do a cool down after a race it is always tough to get going but after the first 1/4 or 1/2 mile it gets easy again. Of course that is jogging, I've never tried to or even thought about trying to run hard 15 minutes after racing. I guess worst case if I did the 5K as a cool down I would be out the $5. It would be really cool to get in the top 10 in both race results though. Last year it would have taken a 23:00 5K to get in the top 10 and a 48:00 10K to get in the top 10.
Ha, OK for $5, go for it.
I'm no training expert, but I wouldn't think you'd train any differently than you would for a normal 5k or 10k (they would be pretty similar).
If you are dead set on both, but want to do your best at one of them, just go into this like you are racing a 10k. Don't even think about the 5k; whatever happens, happens. It's gonna suck. I am just thinking about my typical race cooldown; even at a slow jog, that is usually the worst run ever. Can't imagine trying to run it fast.
heh.. my order is just about opposite. Just the thought of running 50k hurts my legs.
I would rather PR ..in this order: 50K Marathon Half Marathon 10 miler 10K 5k mile
I would rather PR ..in this order:
50K
Marathon
Half Marathon
10 miler
10K
5k
mile
And we run because we like itThrough the broad bright land
I would rather PR ..in this order: 50K Marathon Half Marathon 10 miler 10K 5k mile If I can PR a marathon, I can also PR a half, If I can PR a 10K, I can also PR a 5K the reverse is not true...for me
If I can PR a marathon, I can also PR a half,
If I can PR a 10K, I can also PR a 5K
the reverse is not true...for me
Fun game. My "would rather PR" order is:
1. Marathon
2. 5k
3. Half marathon
4. 10k
Never run any other distances. LOL to anything longer than 26.2. This is not the same as the order I would rather race; that's just in order of increasing distance.
I did a 5k at 8am then 10k at 9am this fall. The 5k kind of sucked, I got there later than planned and did hardly any warm up. Oddly, it was cooler during the 10k. But it was small event, so I did place in my AG in both. I think doing it in the reverse harder would be harder, but for $5, why not?
I'd much rather PR in the 10K at this point in my life but it ain't happening . In your situation (since you're in marathon training),you should probably race the 10K. I wouldn't pull the stunt of racing both. BTW, I also wouldn't count any time I ran in that race (big downhill?) as a PR, but that's just me.
Yeah. I've done back to backs. In my case it was a 5K followed by a 10K. The 5K I ran all out, and the 10K was for funzies. The 5K turned out to be near my PR and the 10K was about 2 minutes slower than my PR but still a solid effort. I got lucky and won AG prizes for both, too. I think less people were running the 10K that day.
Since these are NOT in your marathon training cycle afterall I say go for the Double. It is a unique experience. Do not expect to PR in both races, though, unless you are having a very incredible day. Have you heard of the Double Road race series? It is actually kind of a thing around these parts. https://www.doubleroadrace.com/eventinfo Some people really get into this challenge.
"Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt
I'm gonna change my answer and say 5k, because 10k is my least favorite race distance (besides the 800m, but the question was about race PRs, not medieval torture). No matter how badly a 5k is going, it's gonna be over soon. And if any race longer than a 10k goes sideways, you can downshift and convincingly say that you're doing it as a brisk training run. No such luck with 10k.
So given the choice, I'd take a 5k PR because running a 10k PR would imply that I was actually running a 10k.
SMART Approach
You will virtually have no chance to perform at your best in the 5K within 30 min after an all out 10K. It is physiologically impossible. It will be a "not fun" experience. I think you have best chance at 5K PR so based on that rationale, I would do that. However, I personally would try to find a 10K within 2-3 weeks and give that a go while very fit even if I had to travel to it.
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