How Running a Hard 5k Feels

How should running a 5k feel? What kind of markers do you look for in each km? Forget data. Forget heart rate. How about the "feel"

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[funwithmadness]

I think any race, that section between 1/2 and 3/4 complete is always the worst. The first 1/4 is easy as you're fresh. The next quarter isn't bad as you're still pretty fresh and just cruising. The last quarter isn't too bad either. It's hard because you're tired, but the adrenaline and attitude start to kick in, propelling you forward. That third quarter is just soul draining. You're tired. Your body aches. Your lungs are on fire and you cannot catch your breath. The heart is POUNDING. The mental gremlins are unrelenting, forcing you to second guess every decision you've made up to that point throughout your life. Doubt becomes a sadistic demon harassing your, trying to crush you, force you to give up so it can laugh at your pathetic existence. Then you cross that magical mark where the home stretch is near and suddenly you feel free. It still hurts, but you know you'll make it.

[carlospagos]

i have never specifically trained for a time in running. i just once a year test my 5km 10km half and always PB. my last pb was 20:52 for 5km and i decided to do some specific training and attempt a sub 20:00. i got 20:06 completley blew up with 300m left and lost the 6 seconds. that 5km was the hardest run ive ever done and ive ran 3 ultras between 50-60km!

[jobanski]

Basically that “middle mile” is when I start questioning my life choices.

[michaelmacleod]

Can I just thank you for some really enjoyable videos. Followed for a few years and the quality of your videos has got better and better. Appreciate how much time and effort must go into it. Keep it going and thank you.

[IainThacker]

Great run through! Ran my fastest parkrun/5k on Christmas day (Congleton) with a 21:19 (5k in 21:10) and the 3rd km is a complete git. Was really happy though - paced it to perfection with all the km splits between 4:11 and 4:18 - last km the fastest.

I mostly race 10k so this was a real challenge to not go out too fast and, having missed a lot of training with and annoyingly small injury I really didn't know where my pace was.

[danielswaim]

I ran my first 5k race back at the end of October. It was about 3 weeks after my first marathon. I ran it in 18:41. My first thought after crossing the finish was, "I'd so much rather run a marathon." The pain of a flat out 5k effort is just unreal.

[kevinclark]

I always feel at my worst about half way in a 5k. Looking at my stats on previous runs if ive gone off too fast then my second mile is always the slowest then i seem to be able to hold on to that pace until the end. So ive learned not to push the pace that first mile but then make up that time at the sprint finish. Its still not easy but when im on for a good time it seems less painful than trying to get yourself out of a hole with half the distance to go.

[drjd]

Needed this, have a 5k in 6 weeks that I'm training for where I plan to go sub 20. I love this prospective, thanks!
1k controlled: not too fast, feel for your pace
2k settle: find your target pace, get comfortable and fall asleep
3-4k: hold on, it's gotten real, stay asleep, it hurts but you'll be done soon
5k: Dig DEEP, count down the distance, your mind may tell you there's nothing left, but your body has that last drive. 400m leave it all on the course! All the training, those times where you didn't want to train, those hard days, leave it all out there!!

That's what I got anyway! I welcome more prospective from anyone with more experience (1 year old runner 😅)

[Tom_Plumb_PHS]

Did my local parkrun new years day pb attempt. Was huffing like a train the whole way round. 😂 Got my pb down from 28:31 to 22:16.

[Stevenc]

I'd add it may start to feel hard and then feel easier again. Strange things happen when you're at the edge of your capabilities.

[timmy]

Ben I watched this video barely 30mins before going for a jog along the Perth Foreshore. It was a bit surreal to then see you and Mary run past me... I thought I was hallucinating! 😂

[frangalarza]

Great to see some familiar Parkrun courses in Sydney :)

[boeck]

Did go from 23:46 in june to 22:00 on the 31 decemeber parkrun. It felt kind of similar to what you are describing. After 2.5k though my mental starts to go like "Oh well half way done. It's less than half way you can do it.". Sub 20 in 2024? We'll see. But going all out for a new PB every saturday is too painful. Might do it on a monthly basis and do those over Parkruns in fast but more "enjoyable" pace.

[justinlloyd-jones]

Love this channel. This is a great video and a taster of what the faster runners are going though. I'm nowhere near the end of Parkrun when the quick runners finish but when I marshal and get to see them and it's actually encouraging to know it's all relative and nice to see them bent over, hands on knees too 😊

[terciosantana]

i ran 19:26 last november and it hurt like hell! can't wait to do it again! :D

[sman]

Haha going off too fast ! Last week I was in a South African park run and I was tailing a 60 year old woman and assumed I would keep up, she accelerated away and when I finished I saw her and it was Zola budd 😂

[TiloDroid]

my favorite mantra is: save energy. as long as i can keep a little pocket of energy available through the first 3-4k, i will manage to finish strong, theres always more energy leftover than you think in the last 400

[BryceRKoehn]

I love y’all’s content! Thank you for this video!! ❤ The first K for me I always feel like I’m running too fast even if I’m running slow. K2 & K3 I generally get in the zone. K4 is all mental for me. If I can get passed the mental part, K5 is fantastic but if not my last kilometer is pretty slow. 5K’s are my favorite race.

[nicw]

I ran a new Parkrun location and THOUGHT I saw the finish line, sprinted to it, emptied the tank and then realised I still had another 200m to go 🤣 worst feeling ever but managed to push through 🤣🤣

[martinlovesart]

Nice video! Got a 5k race in a few days!! Always good to know that you’ll always feel pain if you’re racing a 5k to your best.
Some good insights! Cheers ben. Also some great times!!