I started jogging n Jan. of this year. I wanted to do a 5k in Sept. But I am really SSSLLLLOOOOWWWW! On the treadmil I run 4.5mph and it takes 40 mins. Outside it takes 42 min. If I run this 5k, am I goin to be the last chick before the guy picking up the cones? I am not sure why it matters to me. I am proud that I can do it at all! But I guess I wonder what other peoples times are. Thanks. Jelly

Go do your 5k and have fun!! You will NOT be the last person in. On race day you will be pumped and full of adrenaline and you will run much faster ... So go for it and have a great time ... Good luck

I'm betting you won't be the last. Most 5K races have walkers in them, too, so even if you're really slow, you'll beat the walkers. Additionally, at most races I've been in, there are elderly runners who are usually fairly slow. Like you, I thought I'd be the last runner in, but I was pleasantly surprised to be 18 out of 30 in my age group at the biggest run. And even in smaller runs, I've never been last. I always went in with the attitude that even if I was last, I was going to run the entire thing (no walking), and that given my former physical state, I was doing 100% better.

You'll beat the walkers - my first 5K I walked in 50:02, and we were at the very front of the walking pack, so LOTS of people finished after us.

Be SO proud of yourself for doing this - it's a great accomplishment, and once you've done one, you can always work on improving your time from there.

I'm a slow runner too... and I've had the same concerns as you, since I want to do the Run for the Cure at the end of September for my first 5K.

I'm currently at 5.1K in 36 minutes. I figure that although it's pretty slow by an athlete's standards, it really isn't too shabby, since when I first started four months ago (walking and running combined), it took me 55 minutes to go 5.2K (yes, I was a very slow walker, I'm short, and there was the hill of death on that route, in my defense). I'm just competing against myself. Every week, I try to shave a little bit of time off of my previous time, and it's working!

I'm another that's a slow one, though I'm not even out of C25k. I can already tell I'm going to be one of the last people crossing the finish line, and that's ok, as long as I cross it.

When you're in a race, running against others, you run faster than usual. You try to keep pace with those around you, and it pushes you more than running alone. You may be surprised by your time in a race.

Just for kicks and grins, I checked the stats on a race I was in. The last person (probably just walked it) came in at 1:06:47.

Do the 5k and have fun! I guarantee you will not be the last person across the line. I'm a slow runner too, and my first race was a half marathon in June - I had visions of being last, but there were plenty of folks behind me (many more ahead of me too, of course). I was in a battle for a while to overtake a 70 year old woman, and finally passed her, but whew, she was in darned good shape!

I am eyeing a 5k too and think, after reading this, that I'm just going to go for it...

Go for it! You will not be last, and races can be really fun and will push you to run faster. Then you can always try to beat your time in the next one. You're not competing with anyone but yourself, so as long as you improve you always win.