It's finally here...my first 5K

[SAHDad]

I'm so sorry your first race experience left you feeling that way. But, you finished! I've read many people say you shouldn't really have a time goal for your first race. You did more than many people ever do in a lifetime - you competed in a race and crossed that finish line! I hope in a few days you feel better about the experience and get back out there and kick butt on your 10k.

Exactly! The first time you race a certain distance (especially without a lot of races or running experience under your belt), you should really just look for finishing. While you did not get your time goal, you should always remember that DLF beats DNF beats DNS. Or, dead last finish beats did not finish beats did not start.

You beat everyone out there who did not even start. And, if I am guessing correctly on the results, you were ahead of DLF, so extra points to you!

Not every race goes as planned. Sometimes, the running mojo just isn't with you - sooner or later, every runner has a race where everything goes wrong. The trick is trying to figure out if what went wrong was within your control, and fix it.

Did you start too fast? Were you doing the Galloway method, and skipped the first couple of walking breaks? Did you try something new on race day?

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Sorry you had a rough first race. Could you give us a race report so we can help you figure out what went wrong?