(UPDATE in OP) First race ever tomorrow and freaking out!

[centralperk]

I'm running my first ever race tomorrow, a 10k! I have run farther than that several times bc I'm training for a half in 3 weeks (eek!!!!) so I know I should be able to finish. I have no idea how to pace myself though. Most of my training runs are hilly and this race is flat. I recently ran 5 flat miles at about a 10:20 pace. DH thinks I can run the 10k in less than 60 min, I'm not so sure. Either way, I just hope my nerves don't get the best of me and that I can finish!!

I am freaking out, guys! Talk me down.

Thanks for reading.

Signed,
Super nervous

UPDATE: it went well! I was dying at the end but I finished! My time was 1:00:16. I can't say I'm not frustrated to be oh so close to the 60 minute mark, but I gave it everything I had and I couldn't have run it faster. Thanks everyone for your support!

[trigal]

I wouldn't be surprised if you went under an hour! Best piece of advice I can give is to go easy at the beginning. If you are feeling good and fast, slow down a bit. Most of us start off too fast because it feels good, then we pay for it later!

Good luck and, most importantly, have fun!!!

[centralperk]

Aug 24, 2013 17:07:43 GMT -5 trigal said:

I wouldn't be surprised if you went under an hour! Best piece of advice I can give is to go easy at the beginning. If you are feeling good and fast, slow down a bit. Most of us start off too fast because it feels good, then we pay for it later!

Good luck and, most importantly, have fun!!!

Thank you! And thanks for the advice, that's a really good point! I will definitely try to start slow.

[G22]

Good luck! I always run slightly faster on race day due to all the excitement. So I think under an hour is definitely doable!

[coconutbug]

Good luck and have fun!!

[hannahb]

Same advice. Try and go out easier than you think you should. Race day adrenaline can really be a positive and negative. Negative when you go out like a bat out of hell and the crash and burn!
Also have fun!!

[kams]

Good for you! Have a blast!

[gt7301b]

My advice... HAVE FUN and don't worry too much about the pace.

[agswife]

Good luck and enjoy your first race! You're going to do great!

[jene]

Good luck! Have fun!

[pamela]

If you can do 5mi at that pace, you can easily go under an hour in a race. Hold back to start and let each mile get faster is my style. And I find my race pace is about a minute faster than in training. Apparently I suck at motivating myself solo.

[msturtle143]

Aug 24, 2013 17:03:03 GMT -5 centralperk said:

I'm running my first ever race tomorrow, a 10k! I have run farther than that several times bc I'm training for a half in 3 weeks (eek!!!!) so I know I should be able to finish. I have no idea how to pace myself though. Most of my training runs are hilly and this race is flat. I recently ran 5 flat miles at about a 10:20 pace. DH thinks I can run the 10k in less than 60 min, I'm not so sure. Either way, I just hope my nerves don't get the best of me and that I can finish!!

I am freaking out, guys! Talk me down.

Thanks for reading.

Signed,
Super nervous

I had my first ever race this morning too and also a 10k! I had also ran a little farther than 10k before the race a couple of times but I was very nervous this morning. I did take a pepto a couple of hours before the race just in case. LOL
I'm sure you'll do fine! Have fun out there!

ETA: if I may give my 2 cents as a newbie runner also: I usually start slow in the beginning during my training but this morning I was intimidated by the crowds who seemed to take off fast even though we we near the back. I felt I needed to run at their pace and I tired out by the 2nd mile. My lesson learned for me is to just go at my own pace. I did finish under my goal but I'll know better next time.

[centralperk]

Thanks again for all your help!

[jchokie79]

You did awesome!!! Good luck with your Half!!

[patches31709]

Aug 24, 2013 22:54:36 GMT -5 msturtle143 said:

ETA: if I may give my 2 cents as a newbie runner also: I usually start slow in the beginning during my training but this morning I was intimidated by the crowds who seemed to take off fast even though we we near the back. I felt I needed to run at their pace and I tired out by the 2nd mile. My lesson learned for me is to just go at my own pace. I did finish under my goal but I'll know better next time.

This is very hard to do but so important! I think a lot of people start off way too fast; I know I do it sometimes. You really just need to do your own thing - you'll probably pass half those people eventually anyway.

[cinco]

You did awesome! Congrats!

[thom]

Congrats!! It's awesome you were SO close to 60 minutes, and this just means you've got a good goal for next time.

[msturtle143]

you rocked it!!! great job!!

[libbygrl109]

An awesome time! Congrats!