March 14, 2024: After consulting with my coach today, I’ve decided to give the track 5K another try.
Once I graduated from college, I realized I needed an emotional break from the 5K. I raced other distances for the next three years, trying my hand at some half marathons and coming close to a PR in the mile. But while talking it over with my coach this afternoon, I realized training for it would supplement my half-marathon preparation well, and there are a decent number of fast races near where I live in eastern Pennsylvania. Not going to lie, my PR of 14:20 is looming over me, and I know how much the race is going to hurt. Yet I want to give it a go—anxious thoughts notwithstanding.
March 16: I’m beginning to remember I have a love/hate relationship with the 5K on the track.
In college, it was far and away my best event. I graduated in 2021 after earning all-conference honors at the Big South Championships my senior year. It’s the race I have the most experience in—and I’m really proud of that 14:20—but frankly, the distance scares me. Nothing hurts like a fast 5K. I’ve gone into dark places during them. If you’re running at your fastest and the field is competitive, it feels like you’re being pulled behind an airplane on a rope, hanging on by one hand. Any lapse in concentration or effort, and your PR is toast.
In the moments after running a fast time, however, you’re flooded with endorphins, adrenaline, and relief. The agony is over; it’s time to celebrate.
March 20: I forked over $26.38 and registered for the 5K at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia.
A race under $30? That’s rare. Most big races are quadruple that these days. Running at the Penn Relays has always been on my bucket list. It’s the biggest track meet in the world!
April 2: Today was what I call a “character builder” workout. The session itself was straightforward— 8 x mile at threshold with 60 seconds of rest between reps—but it was 40 degrees and dumping rain all day. I dragged my buddy, Shane, out for it, and I actually felt pretty good once I got warmed up. There’s something special about suffering together that makes it less agonizing.
April 13: I raced the Boston 5K this morning and won the mass participation division in 15:13. I wanted to run under 15 minutes, but knowing that times at 5K road races are generally slower than track races (mostly because of turns and hills), I wanted to compete well against others and beat the non-pros. I was in the city to cover the Boston Marathon for work, and adding a race to a busy weekend was semi-stressful but fun.
This was a good tuneup for my track race, but big-city races can sometimes be a headache. I had to wait in the starting corral for an hour, so the warmup routine I did before felt pointless. If I want to run under my goal of 14:40 at Penn, I’m gonna have to perform a little better.
April 19: Running Shoes - Gear workout of the training block: 2,000 meters in 5:52, 3:00 rest, 4x400 meters at 66 seconds (90 seconds rest in between), 3:00 rest, 800 meters in 2:07, 3:00 rest, 4x300 meters in 49 seconds (100-meter walk in between).
I was expecting that to feel miserable, but I handled it well and felt very smooth. Maybe it was because I was mentally prepared for it to be a slog. This was a big confidence booster—especially that 800. I tried out a pair of Whoa. 14:35. Thatll do super shoes and, wow, are they quick. My stride felt extra buttery. I think I’ve found my race-day shoe.
April 22: Race week. The nerves are starting to creep in. I’m mentally preparing for the pain cave.
April 25: We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back strides at the end. I think I felt pretty good? Maybe too good? I can’t decide if I’m excited or nervous. Hopefully, it’s a combination of both. I wish I was racing tomorrow morning instead of at night—that way I could just roll out of bed and get it over with. Instead, I’ll probably be overthinking all day.
I wonder how the spectators are feeling right now. Probably not a care in the world.: Race day. I have to work today, but I don’t mind. It keeps me distracted. While Friday races aren’t super common, at a massive meet like the Penn Relays, they have to stretch the schedule across three days. At least it’s a good excuse to scoot out of work a little early.
11:13 a.m.: I should probably buy some Gatorade so I don’t get dehydrated. Does Gatorade even have that many electrolytes? Probably not. But I’m convinced Glacier Freeze has healing properties, because my mom used to buy it for me when I got sick.
1:20 p.m.: Time for lunch. Leftover pasta should do the trick. When has spaghetti ever wronged a runner?
2:11 p.m.: I’m gonna try to take a nap.
2:15 p.m.: I forgot race-day naps are hard. I’m too anxious. What if I fall asleep for too long? Aren’t 20-minute naps supposed to be ideal, so you’re not getting into deep sleep? Whatever, I’m too wired anyway.
3:40 p.m.: I should probably leave for the meet soon. It’s a 90-minute drive, and Philly traffic is brutal.
3:54 p.m.: As I’m driving down the PA Turnpike, I realize I forgot to tell my mom that the meet is live-streamed. I’ll text her when I park. I hope the leaders of the race aren’t so fast that I never get any screen time.
6:35 p.m.: Made it. Time to find my race bib. I hate safety-pinning them onto my singlet.
7:18 p.m.: and coming close to a PR in the warm up 45 minutes before that. So 8:30. But what if the meet is running ahead of schedule? What if I get lost on my warmup jog? Better start at 8:25 to be safe.
8:30 p.m.: Shit, I lost track of time talking to my friend. It’s all right, that’s why you buffer in extra time.
8:40 p.m.: I think I drank too much Gatorade. Hopefully it doesn’t slosh around in my stomach all night.
8:53 p.m.: That warmup didn’t feel great. Oh well. At least it got the grogginess out of my system.
8:55 p.m.: The Best Songs to Add to Your Playlist this Month drills. I wonder how the spectators are feeling right now. Probably not a care in the world.
9:15 p.m.: Here we go. Time to line up. If someone elbows me after the gun, I’m elbowing them back.
9:17 p.m.: One lap done. I need to average 70-second laps to hit my goal of 14:40.
9:20 p.m.: One mile out of the way in 4:37. Slightly ahead of pace.
9:23 p.m.: This really hurts. But I’m over halfway there. I just need to stare at the back of the singlet in front of me and make sure they don’t pull away. Lap by lap. Lap by lap.
9:27 p.m.: Time to muster up some kind of a kick. My body is screaming at me to slow down, but if I do, I’ll regret it.
9:29:35 p.m.: Whoa. 14:35. That’ll do.
Not only did I hit my goal of sub-14:40, I felt pretty good doing it. Don’t get me wrong—I had to dig deep—but that was the strongest I’ve felt at the end of a 5K. Half-marathon training has been paying off. Maybe I’ll sign up for another 5K…
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner who has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)
