5k race, start quick, start slow, or steady pace

I have been running 5ks for a while, and personally I like to start a little faster to get out of traffic. I start in front and usually finish top 5 percent, but there are also a lot of people that start near the front that dont stay there.
Thans actually one of my favorite parts of racing, its a factor you cant control but you know its going to happen. Going in and out of traffic gets my adrenaline going or something, i dont know.
Starting too fast has not gone in my favor a couple times, once on a hilly course, and once when the group i was running with happened to have have about 40 really fast people. i know i can keep up with the front----usually----- so i wasnt even looking at watch, we made it to the first mile and the clock was at 5:15, that was a little bit too fast for me and I ran out of gas at the second mile.
still finished under 20 but i was hating it.

whats your opinion??

Seriously considering running a 5K but not to sure I am ready for it. I don't know if I have prepared for it and I am not sure I know what to expect. Any suggestions?

I know that when I am running I do alot better when I start out slow and work up to going faster. But I haven't had the chance to race yet either so I can't determine what is the best way to start off.

go ahead and run a race you will be hooked, its an awesome time, nothing else like it, your first is just as excitiing as your 5th or 30th.

stay around for the awards, its really inspiring. im 34 and really think the top finishers are great and i am impressed, but what i really like to see is the 50+ age groups. the times are just as fast as the other groups and i think that is so cool.
all of the older people in my growing up were....... i guess i would say old before their time, not going to bore you with the demographics of where i grew up, but lets just say it was a little town where everyone worked at the same factories and told you were doomed if you left and woked anywhere else. really negative place.
anyway, the 50 year olds acted like they had about a year to live. self-pity,


running really changed my life in many ways, and the biggest is seeing 80 year olds finishing 5ks just as fast as 20 year olds, what is more cool than that? i wish i wouldnt have grown up where i did, but i cant change that, but i can change the attitude that was beat into my scull about aging.

its tough to change your mind when you were taught certain things for 18 years, but running and especially racing have changed my whole outlook on life.

Afullerton . . you are absolutely ready for your first 5K. Sign up for a local race that is kind of small. Make it your goal to finish . . . that's right no time goal. Just finish. You will feel so great just that you did it. Like the above poster said . . once you do one race you will be hooked. Make the goal of your 2nd race to beat the time of your first. You will likely be able to do this. Then, you can start to create time goals or other things after that.

That said, when I race a 5K I try very hard NOT to go out too fast. I am not a fast runner by any means and by going out too fast I risk having to walk. My biggest goal in any race is not walking. Only after that do I have a time goal.

Plus, going to a race on Saturday morning while most people you know are still in bed will make you feel pretty good about yourself, no matter your time.

when I run in 5K's (my least favorite distance), I will do about 2 miles of a slower warmup and try to time it so that I'm done just a few minutes before the 5K is going to start. That way I can start out the race at a faster pace and try to stay competitive. So, if your goal in a 5K is to be competitive then I would suggest a good enough warm-up prior to the start so you can start out fast. I tend to not really hit my groove and don't really start feeling good on my runs until at least a couple miles in and if I started out a 5K w/o warming up first, then by the time I started flying, it'd be over.

Thanks Everyone... I think I am going to do a 5k in March I should be ready by then. all of your advice is great I can't thank you all enough... this is a great forum the positive feed I get when I long on is enough to push me through the next mile.

About a year ago, Runner's World published an article talking about best 5K strategy when trying to set a PR. The conclusion of the study was to actually run the first mile 6% FASTER than your previous PR's average pace. Then from there on, hold on with everything you have. The rationale is that the race is far too short to make up the time you lose by NOT going out strong.

That being said, I decided to run two 5K's this year specifically with the intent of trying to run them as well as possible using this approach. Despite fighting a foot injury (from playing indoor soccer, not running), I still dropped my PR from 22:08 in March, to 21:08 in June, to 20:27 in July. And the drop off on miles 2 & 3 weren't nearly as significant as I feared they might be. I'll go again this summer with the plan to get into the low 19's as my fitness continues to improve, and I hopefully avoid the injury bug.

A good, significant warmup is required too. You should have already broken into a bit of a sweat before you hit the line, and be ready to go right from the gun. A marathon, you have tons of time to make up time, and to warmup during first mile or two, so a shorter warmup (15 minutes) is necessary for a marathon. I typically spend a good 30-40 minutes warming up before a 5K. Slow jog at first, stretch a bit, run again but at a higher tempo, then do some 100-meter striders.

Give it a try!

Piggy backing on this thread.
Sotally you are a knowlege of info.
Your pr's show this technique works. Makes sense to me. I am going to be given smaller races a try out in between Marathons. So I may be poking around in these threads for awhile

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Im still torn on this, when i hit my PR i held off and ran my first mile at 6:08 or 6:10..
the next race i went out fast and hit my first mile at 5:55. its enough to break away from the pack but i faded fast from the leaders,
between 18:30 and 19:30 minutes in a 5k is no mans land.. theres no one around. the leaders are in front of me pulling away, but there is no one really close behind me. i dont get passed, but i dont do any passing. i just dont feel any urgency at the 2 to 2.5 mile mark. im just running alone.

i guess its just a matter of who shows up for a race. i would like to run a race where there about 5 people finishing right at 18:00 or just below, i can see 30 seconds in front of me, that might give me the motivation im lacking to speed up.

right now i can see the 5 or 10 top people but they just keep getting farther and farther away. winning times are usally between 15 and 16 minutes, 2 mintues is far ahead.. i cant run with those guys... yet, i guess i just need to train more.
its really all up to me, thats why i love running