Y’all, please welcome my blogger friend Kate today. Make her feel welcome and make sure to check out her blog, Kate Moving Forward!
Hey there! I’m Kate and I blog about my imperfectly healthy life over at KateMovingForward. On my site you’ll find recipes, healthy living tips, motivation, my own weight loss journey and my little family’s adventures in West Michigan. My readers love my practical and “real” approach to healthy living and I think you will too!
One of my biggest pet peeves is when people say “I ran a race, but it was just a 5K .”
Just a 5K? I mean come on! It’s 3.1 miles! Most Americans CAN’T walk, let alone run a full 5K….so doing that is a huge accomplishment.
I definitely have a soft spot for the 5K distance. I started running back in high school by training for a 5K. 5Ks are quick to train for and short enough that even if your run is horrible at least it is over quickly! Whether you are an experienced runner or a certified couch potato running a 5K can be a fun challenge that helps you lose weight, get toned, feel accomplished, and increase your happiness. Here are my favorite reasons to run a 5K!
1. Running a 5K will help you lose weight and get healthier. Most couch to 5K programs are built on 20-30 minutes of exercise a day 4-5 days a week. That is a great amount of exercise to promote weight loss and other health benefits like better sleep, lower cholesterol, increased lifespan, and regulation of blood sugar levels.
2. Running a 5K will help you feel accomplished. There is nothing like the feeling of setting a goal and attaining it. So if your goal is to cross the finish line in one piece or to run a sub 24:00 race you get the amazing high of doing exactly what you set out to do. And let me tell you that feeling is addicting! From there you can build more success through different or longer races and events.
80s Fun Run with a friend!
3. Running a 5K is fun, truly! There are so many awesome 5K events out there: local races for charity, color runs, foam runs, night runs, zoo runs, zombie runs, runs in the city, scenic trail runs, big party runs, even beer and doughnut runs! You’ll be having so much fun you won’t even notice that you are sweating! Also, getting a group of people to do a fun run together makes it so much more enjoyable…especially if you can train together beforehand too.
4. Running a 5K for charity is rewarding. Running for a local charity is an awesome reason to run a 5K! Many local runs benefit small community charities and even larger events you can run for a charity like Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or World Vision. One local run I completed earlier this year benefitted local Michigan blood banks. You can fill good knowing a portion of your race fee went to a help a great cause.
My most recent 5K: a local even for charity I ran with my daughter and sister!
5. Running makes you happier. The post-run high is a real thing fueled by your body’s endocrine system! Generally it takes about 5 minutes of average-intensity exercise to improve your mood. So if you’re having a bad day and you lace up your running shoes, you are just minutes away from feeling so much better. Having a goal like a 5K keeps you committed to running (and your own happiness) even when you would rather hang back and munch on Doritos.Plus, losing weight, giving back, and doing fun things will all contribute to your overall happiness and wellness. What’s not to love?
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Thanks Kate for sharing — I love 5ks — but they are HARD! 🙂
Great post Kate! I love a good 5K, especially knowing you can run it hard and still be able to function afterward 🙂
Stacey recently posted…TotR: Fall Race Schedule
That’s another great pro of a 5K!!
Kate @KateMovingForward recently posted…Raspberry Balsamic Pork Chops
These are all great points and thank you for sharing. I’m actually training exclusively for 5ks. I think they are the hardest distance to master because everything has to go just right. Thank you for sharing these and I hope more people realize the benefits if 5ks and good speed training!
Hollie recently posted…Favorite Summer Products Pt 2
That’s true! There is not a lot of distance to make up for anything that goes wrong.
Kate @KateMovingForward recently posted…Raspberry Balsamic Pork Chops
I love this post! I just sent it to a friend who has been going back and forth about running a 5K 🙂 And we all play that “just” or “only” game no matter the distance…in the offseason, I’ll say I “only” ran a mile and now I’m finding in marathon training that I say I “just” ran 12 miles today as if that’s not a lot!
Thanks for sharing it Kylie! And Right?! It’s so weird how “only 12 miles” tends pop out when you’re training for longer distances. Good luck on your running!
Kate @KateMovingForward recently posted…Raspberry Balsamic Pork Chops
Our competitive world poo-poos the 5k, but it’s still a big accomplishment and can be so much fun. I find it harder than longer distances though, mostly between miles 2 and 3.
Lesley recently posted…My Next Adventure
I’m with Courtney; the 5K is definitely a tough distance to race, but a great measure of fitness! Thanks so much!
Tara @ Running ‘N’ Reading recently posted…Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford
Great post Kate! Lots of the moms in our running group feel embarrassed that they only “run a 5k” and we work really hard to help them see how rewarding it can be and that they should be proud of their accomplishments.
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…Taking Initiative
The training time is so doable for me as a mama and I’m okay that it’s where I am right now. Rocking the 5K is fun and challenging!
Kate @KateMovingForward recently posted…Raspberry Balsamic Pork Chops
Hi, Katy! I enjoyed reading about all the pros about running 5Ks because they’re so hard for me that they terrify me and make me not want to do them! But I also really want to get better at them so am planning on carving out time from longer distances to focus on 5k training.
Jennifer @ running on lentils recently posted…Hansons’ Method: Long Runs
Yeah! Even just picking a fun one to do would maybe help you get use to the race atmosphere at a shorter distance. My brother and his wife just ran an inflatable obstacle 5K that looked awesome!
Kate @KateMovingForward recently posted…Raspberry Balsamic Pork Chops
This is so true! The first 5K I ever ran was last fall (a turkey trot), and I was so bummed because it was the only thing I could run that year after missing my main goal: a 5 miler…BUT I knew when I finished that it was a big deal to run that thing start to finish. 5Ks are not consolation races.
Definitely not! And what an accomplishment to be out running on Thanksgiving! I love starting that holiday with a run. 🙂
Kate @KateMovingForward recently posted…Raspberry Balsamic Pork Chops
Great post, the 5K is such a wonderful distance, and one that is manageable for lots of people.
Abby @ BackAtSquareZero recently posted…Abby the Running Coach
Great post! 5k’s are such a great way to race fun and stress-free!