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Competitive Running

Ruth K. Ruth K. Sendmail

Short distance running

posted 6 months ago | Report

Are there any short(er) distance runners here -- 5Ks, maybe some 10Ks?

I keep running up against the fact (no pun intended) that I just don't love going longer distances. I think I'd rather work on my speed for shorter distances.

I'm curious about other people's experiences related to deciding to focus on 5K distances and speed, rather than marathons or running for general fitness, per se.

I should note that I have not been a competitive runner in the past, but would like to start running races. I assumed, perhaps wrongly, that aiming for a half-marathon would be the most rewarding, but I'm starting to second-guess that. I can easily run 6 miles, just not at a pace that I find enjoyable. I like the sensation of running as fast as I can, and I'm starting to see that I'd rather do that for a shorter period of time than slog through a longer course.

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15 posts

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  • Leslie G. Leslie G. Sendmail

    As you know, I'm playing with longer distances at the moment, but that in no way diminishes the value of shorter faster running. (And for many people the idea of running 6.2 miles or even 3.1 is unfathomable -- it's only here on dailymile that it's considered "short"!)

    In my opinion, the 5K and 10K race prep is in many ways better than training for longer distances. Here's why:

    * It's much easier to fit in cross training when you're training for the 5K/10K distances. When your training runs are 2+ hours long, it's harder to find the time or energy to do other stuff. This leads to...

    * ...generally speaking, a more balanced physique. Have you noticed that the sprinters and shorter distance runners are the ones with more muscle? Compare that to the elite marathon runner physique. There's no doubting the athleticism, but I much prefer the more balanced muscular sprinter look for myself.

    * Again generally speaking, you're less likely to suffer from overuse injuries when you are keeping your weekly mileage lower.

    * Saving the best for last, there is HUGE value in doing what you love. If you love to run fast, then run fast!

    posted 6 months ago

  • Ruth K. Ruth K. Sendmail
    in reply to what Leslie G. said:“As you know, I'm playing with longer distances at the moment, but that in no way diminishes the value of shorter faster running. (And for many people the idea of running 6.2 miles or even 3.1 is unfathomable -- it's only here on dailymile that it...” read more

    Thanks, Leslie! I have noticed the differences in people's physiques, but hadn't yet weighed that as a factor in deciding how to spend my time training. It's true, I do want balance. Also, I don't think I want to eat into my weight training time... so I'm going to look into 5K and speed training programs. It's starting to become clearer :)

    posted 6 months ago

  • Chaz H. Chaz H. Sendmail

    Ruth... Despite the fact that I just did a marathon, my "thing" is really more what you describe... The shorter stuff... 5K, 8K, 10K... Personally, I find doing quality shorter races to be tremendously more rewarding than the marathon. However, I think there is a mindset in the endurance community that puts a lot of value (in my opinion, too much value) on marathoning.

    Personally, I think folks would be better served to focus on quality racing rather than quantity racing... But perhaps I'm a bit old school. In my many years of competitive running, I have only done four marathons and prior to two weeks ago, it had been six years since my last one.

    The beauty of the short races is that you can have a bad race, and then turn around a week or two later and try again. With a marathon you train and train for weeks and months, and if you blow up, it's not like you can quickly or easily turn around and try again in short order.

    I think you need to go with whatever YOU feel works best, and know there are others of a similar mind. Miles, in and of themselves, are not rewarding for everyone, so no need to fixate on them.

    posted 6 months ago

  • Ruth K. Ruth K. Sendmail
    in reply to what Chaz H. said:“Ruth... Despite the fact that I just did a marathon, my "thing" is really more what you describe... The shorter stuff... 5K, 8K, 10K... Personally, I find doing quality shorter races to be tremendously more rewarding than the marathon. ...” read more

    Thanks for your insights, Chaz. Boy, I've never given this much thought to how I exercise before. It's like a whole new part of life.

    posted 6 months ago

  • Suzanne L. Suzanne L. Sendmail

    I would consider myself a short distance runner. I have run 5k's and 1 10K. I enjoy the 5ks a lot and could see maybe doing another 10k. I can safely say that I don't see myself doing a marathon because after a certain point I don't find it (running) enjoyable and I have to keep it that, enjoyable, to keep training! Glad I know I'm not alone as a short distance runner!

    posted 6 months ago

  • Eric M. Eric M. Sendmail

    Hey Ruth,

    It sounds like you're already comfortable in the "shorter" distance category as am I. If you get Runners World magazine they had a great article, last month I believe, about determining what type of runner you are based on criteria like free time and your fitness goals. I couldn't find it online but you might want to search around.

    I admire your desire to run a half-marathon but the best advice I can give is to sign up for a 5k race sometime in the early spring and I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised by your performance. It may seem like a smaller accomplishment than running a marathon but for beginners like me it's what took me over the edge of being a runner for life.

    posted 6 months ago

  • Chaz H. Chaz H. Sendmail
    in reply to what Eric M. said:“Hey Ruth, It sounds like you're already comfortable in the "shorter" distance category as am I. If you get Runners World magazine they had a great article, last month I believe, about determining what type of runner you are based on cri...” read more

    I think training for and running a high quality, competitive 5K is every bit as big an accomplishment as just finishing a half marathon or a marathon... The general non-running public, and our sport's novices, don't see that. They just see the number of miles and that seems like the easiest measure.

    I've had this conversation with my neighbor many times over the years... She'll say to me "Wow, a 5K must seem so easy to you... Why do you even bother..." ...And she runs!... But not competitively.

    She just doesn't get it, and I guess I can't blame her... Until you've been there, etc etc...

    posted 6 months ago | edited 6 months ago

  • David N. David N. Sendmail

    Do what *you* enjoy doing. Train for 5K (or shorter if you prefer). I think it's good to occasionally throw in a longer race to mix things up...maybe one or two 8 - 10K races every year.

    I find shaving time off of my 5K PR to be very gratifying and ever more difficult.

    posted 6 months ago

  • Rich M. Rich M. Sendmail

    im going to have to agree with u that shorter distances are better cause its all about the 5k's but i need to start doin some 10 k's

    posted 5 months ago

  • Phil G. Phil G. Sendmail

    All good thoughts, I would just like to mention that although a marathon can be rewarding, in the end its not actually great for you. Its very hard on the knee and hip joints. Often because of its intense time needed, things like cross training and simple all around basic fitness get substituted for long runs. Go for the shorter distances, I think they are great. If you get the urge to go the for a half or a full later then you will already have a good base and good speed to handle the training.

    posted 5 months ago

  • R L. R L. Sendmail

    I just signed up here, but I am a "semi-serious" runner, and I primarily run the 5k.

    My interest in running is competitive, and I just don't have the time, inclination, or committment to run a "good" marathon. It is such a gargantuan effort, that I would rather just forego it altogether.

    Yes, there is the argument that you can just run a "fun" marathon rather than a good one, and then the training isn't so much. But to me the primary enjoyment from racing comes after you have finished, looking back and being proud of what you did. And to me, running my best 5k is much more fulfilling than jogging upwards of 3 hours while listening to bands at every mile.

    I actually hate the actual act of racing 5ks. It's bearable for about the first 5 minutes, but the other 10 or so are excruciating. But racing is such a small amount of total volume that it doesn't really bother me. I enjoy the hell out of my training, and to me that's the most important part. I probably run about 350 miles per month, and at most will race twice a month. So racing is at most %1.7 of my total running. I see racing as a test to validate my training, and a goal, not as something fun.

    My theory: train however you want, and run whatever races your training works well for. The training matters a lot more than the racing.

    So I guess that's why I run the 5k.

    And to point out, the 5k is definitely not a "short distance" race, and it is most certainly not a sprint. In official (IAAF) terms, a sprint is a race of 400 meters or less. Anything from 600m up to 3k is considered "middle distance", and anything up to 10k is considered "long distance". It is only in the realm of road racing (which is a relatively new phenomenon, and, barring the marathon, is much less competitive than track) that the 5k is the shortest event, and that's because road racing came into existence due to the marathon being too long for the track.

    posted 5 months ago | edited 5 months ago

  • Mark F. Mark F. Sendmail

    Interesting to see you post this because I've sorta gone through "it" twice. Once with running and then again with Triathlons. When I was just running I started to up the distance to get to the marathon distance. But after doing a 1/2 I was done. I wanted to go back to 5Ks. Then I got into triathlons and did the same thing. Went all the way up to a 1/2 IM and that was it. Back to the sprints.

    Some of us are born to push for short distances, some of us are born to go the distance. No matter what, have fun doing what you enjoy the most.

    posted 5 months ago

  • Leane B. Leane B. Sendmail

    I love 5ks! Like most people who run the 5k, it was the first race I entered with a friend of mine who had been doing them for quite some time. I thought at first that I might not belong there b/c while she always ran competitively, I only ran recreationally to feel good and keep a figure. With her encouragement I did it with her and fell in love with the atmosphere of it. I began doing a 5k 1-2 times per month with her. Like you mentioned I liked racing against myself and trying to beat my previous time. I think the distance is perfect for staying fit while not having to devote an endless amount of time on training. You also don't have to worry as much about injury from overuse. It really is a distance that you can stick with for a lifetime love of running.
    Even though I am training for my first half right now I also wonder if I will ultimately enjoy it as much as the shorter races. I am still sticking to shorter distances for 3 of the running days and will only go longer 1 day per week to avoid overuse while still building up the endurance needed to complete the race.
    It certainly is fun to push yourself to do something new. Give it a try. Say you did it! Then you can always go back to what you truly enjoy.

    Like someone also mentioned, I think it was Leslie, there are plenty of short distance runners that I see at the 5ks with Rockin' Bodies so don't think you need to go longer for ultimate physical fitness!
    Remember to just love whatever it is you are doing.

    posted 5 months ago

  • Gordon T. Gordon T. Sendmail

    I am with you Ruth. I definitely consider myself a short distance runner. I ran 110 high hurdles and 330 intermediate hurdles in high school and it was fun. Now that I have been out of school for a long time, I don't know of any races shorter than the 5K and 10K. So that is what I am working on.

    I have no intention of running a marathon or even a 1/2 marathon. I like to sprint fast and you can't train that way running really long distances. I do some long runs in practice but that is so I can work on building up speed and endurance for the 5k and 10K. I will say this, I may do a marathon once at some point, just to say I did it, but I don't have any plans right now.

    For endurance racing, I am working toward Triathlons. I want to do the Olympic distance and I have no desired to do the Iromans or 1/2 Ironmans. Dividing up the training between swimming, biking, and running is a lot easier on my body. I also like the idea of being well rounded and competitive in different events.

    posted 5 months ago

  • John P. John P. Sendmail

    I consider myself pretty doggoned serious as a runner - not fast, but serious. And if it weren't for the need to force myself to do some LSD runs in training, I'd probably never run anything longer than 10K! I love 5K road races, and I look for every opportunity to race 800m and the mile on the track - opportunities that are hard to come by when you're middle aged. For me, the attraction of shorter distances is simply that I'm better at them (or maybe I should say "less bad at them").

    I suspect that the distance that suits a person best is a combination of innate ability - fast twitch versus slow twitch and all that - and temperament. For me, the pace I have to run for longer races is so slow that they just don't feel much like races. By contrast, I absolutely live for that all-out, heart-in-the-throat, lung-burning feel of 5K and down.

    I do tend to schedule a few races in the 15K to half marathon range throughout the year to give me the motive to keep my overall mileage up. I'm probably going to run a marathon sometime to see if I can improve my time at that event, but that's pretty far down my priority list. But even speed demons need to build an endurance base, and you can run a few of those longer races without targeting them.

    posted 4 months ago

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