Forums >Racing>What is your favorite racing distance?
Usually the "holy shit how am I going to hang on to this pace??" hits around mile 4-5. The last 5K feels like a 5K.
So true. White knuckles from 4 miles on.
Runners run
The last 5K feels like a 5K.
Well, the last 5k of a HM is a struggle, but for some reason it feels like a lot slower, more manageable struggle. And, as the little devil on your shoulder will tell you, all you have to do is ease off the hammer about 20-30 seconds/mile for a mile or two and it will come back to you. So, you run a 1:20:43 instead of a 1:20:13. That doesn't feel like nearly as big of a deal as dropping from 17:10 to 17:40. At least it doesn't to me or my little devil.
- Joe
We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.
A Saucy Wench
I have a theory on why the half is everyone's favorite--it's the distance we can race best off of pure base training and requires the least specific preparation. Basically if you have a decent base, you can always run a decent half where the races at either end of the spectrum require more specific (and harder) workouts to really race well.
Yes... that is exactly it. for awhile I was at a point where if a buddy said, hey I am running a half tomorrow, wanna join me? I could and either come very close to a PR or PR.
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
Voted 10 mile, as I died in the last 5K of every Half marathon I ran. Can be run off no taper, can take my time getting into race mode, and kick at the end to make it feel like a race. Also the 10 miler is long enough to count as a long run, so likely no big adjustment to any training plan needed, if a longer run needed, run a mile warmup and a couple cool down.
Certainly all you HM people are in the majority.
{modified to fix link to point at the right report}
Rungry!
I've never run a 10-miler, but suspect that it is the perfect fit for me. I train for HMs, but tank in the last three miles - even on my training runs.
Jen
I am still not sure, but the poll results remind me of an article I remember from few years ago: Click.
Here is an older article: Click.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
I'm a relative novice at running and racing. Now that I've done 5K/10K/13.1/26.2 at least once, the marathon wins for me.
One thing I noticed was how the marathon combines such a variety of experiences into a single event. There are long stretches where you're able to look around you, enjoy the scenery and even make a bit of conversation. And then there are others that get, well, dark.
But I had to pick one reason why I loved running my first marathon, it's probably the mental/emotional challenge that played out after about mile 20. I've never experienced anything quite like that, and I suspect enjoying it so much is evidence of insanity.
#artbydmcbride
I'm with mstuartm, I love the marathon, the distance is challenging and I enjoy the training.
I guess the steeple falls in the "Other Important Distance" category.
There was a point in my life when I ran. Now, I just run.
We are always running for the thrill of it
Always pushing up the hill, searching for the thrill of it
old woman w/hobby
I thought that the half was my favorite but since I keep signing up for al this ultra cray cray crap, I have to wonder.
steph
Live Free & Run
Half for me. Might change when I do my first full but for now this is where I stand!
PRs
1-Mile - 6:18 on 4-4-2015
5K - 21:48 on 10-31-2015
10K - 47:57 on 10-24-2015
HM - 1:52:36 on 3-25-2017
FULL - 4:41:12 on 1-11-2015
Upcoming Races
Tanger Outlet 5K
Disney World 19.3 Challenge
Race the Runways 10K
Feeling the growl again
Yet you are running Monkey. You are almost as stupid as me.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
Oh my, so many good choices! This is a tough one. I like everything from 5Ks to half marathons and can't leave out the multisport stuff. I'll head up to marathons next year and then that will be a favorite too.
I ultimately voted for the 10K right now, almost picking 10 miles. It's short enough that I can get that lung burning pace that I love about the 5K, but has some extra distance to it to give it some meaty goodness.
WordPress Speed Guides: my personal website with speed and seo guides
vincoding.com: repository of useful code snippets that I've saved over time
I enjoy the 5K, 5M, 10K, 10M, Half and Full Marathons. And I hope to add a timed Ultra (12/24 hour) within the next 8 - 12 months. I must admit, I'm quite disappointed in the lack of diversity in distances. There's such a proliferation of 5Ks and Half Marathons. Not much of any other distance, which wasn't the case even just 5 years ago.