Photo by Cellule Communication
A five-kilometre race, or 5K, is a good goal if you’re beginning to get serious about running. But what if you’re not sure you can run five whole kilometres? Don’t worry – it’s fine to take walking breaks.
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/10/how-to-prepare-for-your-first-race-whether-its-a-5k-or-a-marathon/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/1465078464997474593.jpg” title=”How To Prepare For Your First Race, Whether It’s A 5K Or A Marathon” excerpt=”Running is hard. Sticking to a training plan is hard. But knowing that you have a race in a month is a great motivator to keep you going when you’d rather be watching TV. If you’ve never run a race before, putting one on your calendar might seem scary. Will I feel out of place? What should I wear?”]
You definitely won’t be the only one stopping to walk. And if you plan to walk, rather than viewing walking as some sort of failure, you’ll be able to pace yourself while keeping a positive attitude. I alternated running and walking for the first three races I ever ran, and returned to that strategy for my marathon.
As Runner’s World reports, you’ll want to race the same way you train. So if you normally walk for one minute out of every five, do the same thing on race day. For more on this strategy, including how to navigate a crowded race course when you’re constantly changing speed, check out the link below.
How to Walk/Run Your First 5K [Runner’s World]
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