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Running a 5k, worried going to be last

27 replies

twirlypoo · 16/10/2015 09:17

Please can someone reassure me im not going to be a laughing stock here?!

I've entered a 5k race to try and motivate myself to start running. I am appalling. Currently doing 13 minute miles with a combination of running / walking.

I have entered the race alone and won't know anyone there, im embarrassed by how unfit I am and how slow I am, but I really want to still do the race because i never stick with anything and I will feel worse if I drop out.

What happens if I'm last? should I just cancel? I'm really nervous and embarrassed and that's now not even next week when the race is!

Argh!!!!

OP posts:
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celtiethree · 16/10/2015 09:30

Don't cancel. I enter lots of different types of races where I am definately at the back! The support for everyone that takes part is always amazing. I find that people love a trier - those in the race/event that are clearly pushing their own personal limits regardless. You'll find that spectators and race marshals will all cheer you to the end & no on will be laughing at you. I also bet that you'll find others in the same situation as you and you'll have company as you go round!!!

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ExplodingCarrots · 16/10/2015 09:34

I had this worry but then I thought it doesn't matter I'm still beating all the people sat on the sofa. Grin

When it comes to the race you won't worry about it because there'll be lots of people the same as you and like PP said you might have some company.

No one laughs you'll have great support!

Good luck!

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ThroughThickAndThin01 · 16/10/2015 09:38

Don't cancel. I run 5k every Saturday at a Parkrun. Although I run all the way round I am slow and there are always people around me who are part walking, part running. So just walk if you have to, you won't be far behind the slower runners if you are behind at all.

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whatdoIget · 16/10/2015 09:39

It doesn't matter if you're last. Someone's got to be. Having said that you could check the online results for previous years to find out whereabouts you are likely to be.

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hangingoutattheendofmywick · 16/10/2015 09:50

Don't cancel!! Go for it.

Strangely I have just signed up for a park run that is every Saturday (5k) (wonder if it's the same one) I can't run for shit! But I want to start. There will always be someone slower than you I reckon (me!!) and I'm hoping that I meet someone like you and we can have a laugh. You'll feel super proud of yourself after it.

I'm not going to focus on speed at all - I'm just going to focus on getting through it. Good luck OP!

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mollyonthemove · 16/10/2015 10:01

No way! I did a 10k last year and was absolutey terrified of coming last. I deliberately put myself at the back and ran with a man for the first 5k who used to do marathons but had a heart attack and was easing himself in again slowly. He told me that all he wanted to do was finish and to be honest that was my goal too! In the end I came about ,5th from last but so what! The achievement was the thing. In fact the ones nearer the back got more applause as we were obviously not elite or super speedy Grin just think how proud you will be. (I cried .......)

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Boleh · 16/10/2015 10:03

Firstly the person who comes last will probably have walked most if not all of it and that may well still be an achievement for them, so you probably won't be last.
Even if you are towards the back of the pack it's a great achievement and far more impressive than 45 mins on the sofa!
Go for it - you'll be proud of yourself wherever you finish :-)

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mollyonthemove · 16/10/2015 10:03

I didn't know anyone either. Apart from a few snooty elite runner (33 mins? Really???) everyone was really friendly!

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nmg85 · 16/10/2015 11:44

I am due to do a 5k on Sunday for charity and I am worried about coming last. To be honest have only been able to run 5k once which was 3 weeks ago and since then I just haven't been able to do it without stopping which I am so mad about as I worked so hard to get to that point. Also now plagued with a bad knee which keeps flaring up.

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MorrisZapp · 16/10/2015 11:50

There was a letter in a running mag from a runner who had come last in a race. She said she got loads of cheers and waves, and extra goody bags! Somebody has to be at the back of the race, it's finishing that's the achievement.

I do half marathons in 11 minute miles. My medal is as hard earned as anybodies. Please don't duck out of running because others may be faster.

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whatdoIget · 16/10/2015 14:52

When you actually do a race, the atmosphere and the support of other runners and spectators does tend to carry you along, and you might end up going faster than you think you can.

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SvenandSven · 16/10/2015 20:06

I speak from experience of thisGrin I have been last on most of the 10k races I have been in and if I'm not last I am at the back end.
I am a slower runner and normally run 12 minute miles.

I have never came across anyone who has laughed or made fun of me for being last.
I have found nothing but support from the marshalls and other runners.

In fact I am running my first 10 mile race next month and fully expect to be last and will be very surprised if I'm not last.
Run and be proud of your achievements no matter where you finish.

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chutneypig · 17/10/2015 20:11

Please don't cancel. I completely agree that everyone is very supportive.

I'm slow and often do a walk/run combination. I time them and my overall pace is usually faster doing that than running straight.

I'm comfortable with the fact that I'm slow, but I am getting faster and running further and that feels fantastic. You just have to judge against yourself. The thing is to start and you've put everything in place to do that.

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HemanOrSheRa · 17/10/2015 20:29

Don't you dare cancel! I did the C25K (again) back in the summer. I ran my first parkrun at the beginning of Sept and came third from last. The support from other runners was amazing. I ran it on my own. It was fine. I treated it as one of my usual runs. I've done a charity 5k on my own too and thought about it the same way. It was one of my 3 times a week plods!

I'm slow, very slow. I've been doing a C25K improvers course to try and pick up speed. But I can't Grin. Left to my own devices I'm a plodder (5k in about 40 mins) and I enjoy it!

The C25K+ podcasts are very good if you want to try and pick up a bit of speed. I can do 4k in 24 mins listening to the Stepping Stones one while running. But as I say, left to my own devices it's a much different speed!

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LemonBreeland · 17/10/2015 20:31

Do it! You will feel such a great sense of achievement when you finish. 13 min miles is not that slow. I am happy when I average 12 min miles. I have done 2 races this summer and been middle of the field with times of 36-38 minutes.

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fakenamefornow · 17/10/2015 20:35

Do you dare cancel! Even if you do come last (which you almost certainly won't) so what, you've still done a 5k race. Besides the person who comes last gets the second biggest cheer, only the winner gets louder.

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BlueChampagne · 17/10/2015 23:06

Just came on to say "do it anyway!" If you're last, you can only get better!

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TRexingInAsda · 17/10/2015 23:10

So what if you're last?! Someone is last every single race. They still beat everyone who stayed at home and rested their fat arses on the couch! It's a great idea, you can only get better from here, running is brilliant for your fitness, go for it.

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chutneypig · 18/10/2015 07:27

I wanted to add that doing that first race, and I was equally as worried as you are, really changed my life and my family's. That was in March, since then we've all started doing parkrun pretty much every weekend. First 10k last weekend - my aim was to finish, not focus on times. And it felt amazing to finish. Today I've got three sets of race entries to sort out and I'm still the slowest of them.

None of it would have happened if I'd not gone for that first race, though I really wanted to back out. I promise the feeling you get when you finish will keep you motivated and interested and sticking with it wont be an issue.

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nmg85 · 19/10/2015 10:08

So I was not last! Yay... even with a min walking I was nowhere near last. So annoyed at myself for worrying so much about it. Did I enjoy it? I am not sure yet :-)

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whatdoIget · 19/10/2015 12:55

Congratulations! Flowers

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longdiling · 19/10/2015 12:58

Well done nmg - that's great! Time to enter another one now ;)

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nmg85 · 19/10/2015 13:32

I know I am trying to decide what to do. I need to rest my knee for a bit now as I have done some damage.

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mollyonthemove · 19/10/2015 14:06

See! it's so easy to catastrophise when you're doing your first run!! Well done!!

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longdiling · 19/10/2015 14:07

Oh, definitely rest up then! Hope it heals quickly.

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