Well... the 5k charity run for the HSPCA that I'm a part of is on Saturday... I've been working hard... and felt SO happy. I had... in my mind at least... run a 5k in 33 minutes!!!

I was SO happy... so so happy...

Until today. I went looking to see how many times around a track is a 5k equivalent (b/c I've been running on a treadmill)... and realized that a 5k is ACTUALLY 3.2 miles. Not the 2.23 I've been running.

BUT... I can run a mile in around 15 minutes... that's not too bad... right?


Anyways... ran the FULL 5k today (ok... run/walk). 46:50 was my total time. I'm not dissapointed. I only really started running again a few weeks ago... and since have probably been able to run a total of 6-7 times. Plus, I hadn't ever run that entire distance before. Last time I ran close (3.1 miles), it took a little over an hour. So... in short... I AM getting better and more fit... so I AM happy about that.

BUT... I think I'm going to stick with this exercise forum for a while. I searched "average times for 5k runs for beginners", and everything I found said 25 minutes... and then talked about how if you're running a 35 minute 5k, you're with the "grannies" and you should feel embarrassed. So... yeah.

My goal though for the 5k on Saturday is 45 minutes... but to finish first and foremost.

You've been misled on 5K times and averages.

My last formal 5K, I ran the weekend before Thanksgiving (in a college town with a lot of young people running). My time was 33 minutes. With that time, I finished #732 of 1367, meaning that I was just about in the middle of the pack - hardly back with the grannies. Even just looking at females in the 25-29 year old age group, I came in #46 of 103.

So take heart! Wherever you're getting your sample times is pretty much full of it.

mandalin... I looked at about five different sites... all said pretty much the same thing... and yeah... I think that they were full of it...

But yeah... there's another 5k in April I'm thinking I'll do... depending on how I'm doing, I'll probably set a goal time a week before...

I'd take the numbers from an ACTUAL event over any running site, personally. Not everyone is a speed racer!

I agree with Amanda, 25 minutes is fast. My husband who's a pretty good runner doesn't do 25 minutes. My best 5k has been 29 minutes and that was a flat, fast track on a warm day. 45 minutes for your first 5k is great. Don't sweat it and be happy you finished! That's the important part. All of the ones I've been to have been very friendly and supportive. You'll do great and have a great time!

Yeah, I'm sure I'll have a fun time... I'll be around a bunch of dogs and puppies all day.