One of the most common questions I hear in my coaching practice is “what is a good time for my 5K race?” The answer to that question is layered and depends on where you are in your running career. Here’s a cliff notes version of the long conversation I have with them.
What to expect when you’re running…
A Good 5K Time For Your First Race:
When you set out to race your first 5K, you really can’t go wrong because any time that you finish in will be a personal record. When I finished my first 5K, I was almost last, I was beaten by a 72 year old man, and they announced it on the PA system. But none of that mattered to me because I finished something I never dreamed I would even start. A good finish time for your first 5K is on the same day that you start. I highly recommend aiming for the finish and set a solid foundation from which you can build moving forward. (And btw, if you race this first one too quickly, it’s going to be that much harder to improve on the second one.)
A Good Time For Your Second 5K:
When you race your second 5K you’ve got just enough experience to know what it will be like, but not enough pacing talent to run like a seasoned veteran. If you can finish within a minute faster or slower of your first 5K time, you’re on track. Every race is an opportunity to learn little tips like starting slow and finishing fast. We all want to get faster, but it’s much more important to learn to run stronger, especially through the finish and this is a great strategy to focus on in this race.
What To Focus On For Your Third 5K:
In your third 5K, you know what to expect, you’ve worked a little on your pacing and now you want to take the next step and improve. You’re right on the mark if you’re thinking this way, and in most cases, you will improve. But keep in mind, that improvement isn’t only measured in time, it’s also measured in effort. You can run a stronger race, but have a headwind that causes you to finish more slowly than your first or second 5Ks. You could also have a strong race with a tail wind and shed several minutes off your time! That’s the beauty of running races and towing the line into the great unknown. It’s fair to say, the more you race, the stronger you’ll be, the faster you’ll be able to cover the distance.
To Infinity And Beyond!
In your fourth and fifth races and beyond, you’ll have the familiarity of the race scene, the fitness to push harder, and the particulars to pace yourself to a strong finish (think tortoise, not hare). Like any new sport, hobby or skill, time teaches us our craft, and in time, you’ll improve. It’s common to earn several personal record times in your first ten races, but it’s wise to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket (racing only for improved times). When you think of elite runners, they can win a race, yet not earn a personal record. And they can lose a race, and set a personal record. It’s wise to focus on winning the race by running the stronger performance on a given day. And with that information, you can begin to compare your finish times with your own history, and how well you did against the others in your age group.
Coach Jenny Hadfield is a published author, writer, coach, public speaker and endurance athlete. To find out more, visit our Meet Our Writers page or visit Coach Jenny’s website.