Forums >Racing>Why are 5K so popular and prevalent ?
an amazing likeness
Is it that they are easier to organize and therefore more folks are willing to tackle spinning one up?
mta: I might be mis-interpreting some of the replies, but want to be clear that it is not my intent to disparage the 5K race by asking. Perhaps my thread title would have better been "what's behind the falling number of 10K and growing 5K".
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
I've got a fever...
Is it that the shorter distance makes it seem like a more "approachable" event to more runners? Is it that they are easier to organize and therefore more folks are willing to tackle spinning one up?
Yes and yes.
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 have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
5kms are suitable for beginners, but good for long term runners as well
I love them they don't last too long recovery is short and you can do them more often - unlike marathons unless you are hardcore.
some peeps are more suited to the short stuff
I love them
I would say Yes and Yes to both your points.
Personally I love them. they are long enough that you have to teach yourself some sort of pacing - you just cant all out sprint 3 miles. But they are short enough that they dont eat up your whole day like a marathon can.
Plus they usually can cut down on drive time because there are so many of them there is usually one close by.
I also like them because anyone can finish one, even on NO training. That's how I started - ran one on no training and it hurt like hell. But then I started thinking about how much faster I could go if I actually did some training - then I was hooked.
First or last...it's the same finish line
HF #4362
i dont run a lot of 5K's but its a great distance for a lot of reasons.
First - with only a little training pretty much anyone can do one -- yet, no matter how much you train you can never really master one. So what if you finally got down to 20:00 mins for a 5k, there is always 19:59 and it just goes on and on.... what if you FINALLY hit 17:00 in a 5K....now there is 16:59...
Second - I'm a co-race director for a 5k coming this Saturday and we are billing it as a fimily fitness run (lots of kids and families that walk every day but never run will be ther and some will take a full hour -- thats COOL --- we have one guy that ran it last year in 17:07 (hard - hilly course) looking to break his course record and I know of at least one person that last year ran/walked it in 45 mins and is excited about breaking her PR....so its a great overall distance the anyone can compete in and enjoy...
Third - its a little less coordination for a race director, but Ill tell you we have over 200 people coming - there is a lot of things to think about when you have that many people, the only difference in coordinating a 5K and 10K is one water stop...... now a HALF with 500 to 1000 people is a lot more work and I cant even imagine what you must have to do for a marathon (even a small one)....
Its more the 5K is a distance that anyone can attempt....our race this weekend we have one person that is 80years old that is going to wallk....
Champions are made when no one is watching
just as people who run marathons might say "why is 5k so popular?" there are people like me who run 5k and say "why in the world would I try and race a marathon?".
The novice marathon runner is certainly capable of running a 5k. Most intermediate 5k runners (like me) are capable of training for and finishing a marathon. The thing is I know in my mind I would be most competitive in a 1 mile race. So the longer the race is the less competitive I am. The 5k is a middle ground where the middle distance runner and the long distance runner compete on even ground. You need speed AND endurance to do it well. I COULD run a marathon but I don't think I'd get much satisfaction from just finishing. It's just not me. I might get myself injured but if I don't I'm not going to feel that great about training for half a year just to say I ran 3:59 in a marathon. I COULD run a somewhat decent half marathon. My long runs are practicaly a half marathon 2 or 3 times a month. So I kind of feel like I can do a half marathon any time I want and save the $40.
There is very little emotional and monetary investment in a 5k. You didn't run it well? Run another next week. You can't run because Junior got sick? OK... you're out $15. Not $50 like a marathon or a relatively expensive half marathon.
ok. I know your question was more 10k vs. 5k. You are right... 20 years ago 10k was more popular. This is all I got for ya... America is a far far fatter place than it was in 1989. Me included. Anyone who runs even a little bit can finish 3.1 miles. And... if you are really out of shape you can still walk the 3.1 miles in less than 1 hour. That's the reason you see 5k races... they raise the money which is rule #1 in putting on a race. Get as much money as you can for the cause. Walkers are welcome. Overweight joggers are welcome. Here's your shirt. Thanks for comming.
Did this reply sound annoying? I read it and it kinda sounded that way. Sorry... I was trying to give a serious reply and didn't mean to sound rude. I see about five 10k races on the local calendar and about thirty 5k races. So you are correct. The 5k has raced past the 10k in popularity.
The 5k is a middle ground where the middle distance runner and the long distance runner compete on even ground. You need speed AND endurance to do it well.
Anyways, none of the above is meant as an argument or counter.
I like 10K, and they seem to be getting to be something of a rare bird, harder and harder to find. The 5K dominates in my area.
In trying to internally process my way through this conundrum (before I gave up and posted), I sort of started at this point -- but then I could never get past that 5K is short, it doesn't even get into the realm of the average, recreational distance runner; the folks who are routinely logging 10 - 15+ long runs. Seems to me that the 5Mi or 10K is a better "meeting" point where endurance and speed both come into play. At 5K it is all sprint-till-you-puke and hold on.
Well if it helps I stole that line from Hal Higdon.
I can sprint 200 meters. I cannot sprint 5,000 meters. You need to be able to run 10 miles to have the endurance to run your best 5k.
I ran middle distance a long time ago. To me a race is 400, 800 or 1500 meters. I run long runs of 10-12 miles for endurance training but it doesn't mean I am a very good endurance runner. I weigh over 200 pounds. But I think I can compete evenly with an intermediate level marathon runner at the 5k distance.
The 5k can probably be described as a speed/endurance event while the 10k is pretty clearly mainly an endurance run. 10k is great though. Just because I'm not good at it doesn't mean it is not a great race.
Prince of Fatness
At 5K it is all sprint-till-you-puke and hold on.
I regularly go out for two hour runs on the weekend. I ran a 5K race last night. I wasn't sprinting.
One thing I do wish for is more 10K races. There are hardly any of them in my neck of the woods. Lots of 5 milers though so I have to settle for those.
Not at it at all.
People like me are one of the reasons that there are so many 5K's . DD3 is Econo,
in RA, and she does Marathons, etc. DD1 and I - Ma Econo-, decided to get fit, and join in the fun! We do one or two a month as a family, Sometimes with a Grandson or two. Econo usually does the longer run that is attached. This weekend we will all be at the Gold Rush Run, along with a couple of others from RA. Econo will run the Half Marathon, along with the other RA people, and DD1 and I will do either the 5K, or possibly the 10K. If I do the 10K, it will be the first one for me of that distance, so the idea is exciting. Run/walks have a place for beginners, and also for more accomplished runners, and there is an "all are welcome" feel about them. Nice!
Woods Lady, aka Ma Econo
At 5K it is all sprint-till-you-puke and hold on. Anyways, none of the above is meant as an argument or counter. I like 10K, and they seem to be getting to be something of a rare bird, harder and harder to find. The 5K dominates in my area.
I am too weak to 5K 'til I puke, but it does give me a goal to shoot for. I think the 5K is why New Balance came up with their Love/Hate ad campaign, it's good brutal fun.
The 5K is dominant in the greater Boston area too, I recently ran a 12K (which is an odd distance...) but I've never done a 10K. Looks like my first will be the Lone Gull 10K in September , if you aren't too far up in Maine c'mon down. It's a USATF New England Grand Prix race, so you can watch the really fast guys (for a little while before they disappear into the distance...)
E.J.Greater Lowell Road RunnersCry havoc and let slip the dawgs of war!May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your SPF30, may the rains fall soft upon your sweat-wicking hat, and until you hit the finish line may The Flying Spaghetti Monster hold you in the hollow of His Noodly Appendage.
I regularly go out for two hour runs on the weekend. I ran a 5K race last night. I wasn't sprinting. Just because someone runs a lot of miles doesn't mean they wouldn't be interested in running 5K's. Right now my top two goals are to run a BQ marathon and a sub 20 5K. One thing I do wish for is more 10K races. There are hardly any of them in my neck of the woods. Lots of 5 milers though so I have to settle for those.
MrPHin,
I was looking at your log and thought I was looking at my own for a moment.
I think the reason for the popularity of the 5k is pretty obivious........I'n my neck of the woods we have several 4 milers too.
Personally, I think the 10k is a perfect race distance and would love to see more local 10k's.
In regards to racing a 5k......I like to find the point were I feel like I'm going to puke and ride that razors edge.
I think you are right and that is the key and far more mental than physical, at least for me. In last 5K i felt like I was there around mile 1.5 and mind was like "we are done .. we went to fast". Well not really puking but feeling like I might bonk and have to walk, then just stuck withit and it passed when I knew I was within 1 mile of home. Turns out t he legs kept us going and the 5K demons were wrong as probably could have gone faster if i believed I could have. i am sure I was not any less tied at 2.2 miles than i was at 1.5 miles but mentally believed I could survive 6 more minutes I guess.
someone else said earlier your mind will wont to quit before your body has to and I think that is very much true in a 5k, where in a marathon its just the opposite as your mind is pushing the body beyond its limits??
"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it Great!