Adidas Womens 5K Challenge

I've just signed up to the Adidas Womens 5K Challenge in Hyde Park on the 7th September. 

It'll be my first race, so I'm both excited and apprehensive at the same time. 

Has anyone else signed up for this race, in Hyde Park, or either of the other two races around the country on the same day? 

We could share some motivational tips!

Lisa

Comments

  • You and me both.  After an assortment of minor hitches (my dog, who is my running  partner can't run anymore).  I've decided to go back to square one and start from the beginning again.  Am going to get some new trainers this afternoon and will start day1/week 1 training tomorrow. 

    IIf anyone is out inKent tomorrow and  sees a grey haired lady putting her trianers on outside the forntdoor its me!!!!!!!!  Dog knows that trainers=walk/run and I am daft enough not to want to upset him

    I think the aim will then be to run the full 5K in September and  move on. 

     Janet

  • Hi Ladies,

    I run regularly but my mum is a total newbie and I have managed to convince her to sign up for this one. We've only been out training a couple of times so far just doing 2 min run 1 min walk but I'm confident she'll be able to run the whole thing by September . . . probably faster than I can!

  • Hey Lisa, I too have signed up for it in Hyde Park and it is also my first race

    Hows your training going so far? I'm on a bit of a downer at the moment because mine's been crap the last few days and I feel like I'll never be able to run a straight 5k

    I'm really determined to go do it and run the whole thing with no walk breaks, just don't know if I'll manage it

     

  • Hi Guys

    LIverpool is my nearest one but I've signed up for Birmingham cause I'm doing a 10km round the Liverpool route and I didn't want to do the same one twice.  Am kicking myself now for not signing up for Liverpool cause my friends are going on the Tesco wine fair the previous night and it was a really good laugh last year.  Anybody any idea if there is any sort of route map about for this as not knowing Birmingham that well and with it being run on road I wanted an idea of the terrain and what sort of training to do.  All I remember about Birmingham city center is that it isn't flat

  • Hi I have signed up for the Hyde park 5k, i am hoping to push for my first personal best run, but my training is falling flat right now. Any advice out there?
    mishy
  • Hi everyone, 

    Good to hear there's a few of us doing the race, and most are relatively new to running.

    I've been running for about 2 months now.  Started from scratch using the R1W1.5 schedule.  Now I can run for about 30mins.  Looking back, I'd never have thought I could do what I can do now! 

    Mishy - Everyone probably has different ideas but I find logging my runs a good motivator.  At the beginning of the week I enter the days I plan to run on an Excel spreadsheet.  After a run, I then highlight that day as green, and enter time/distance info.  If I fail to do my run I highlight the day in red.  The red days don't look too good, so even if I'm not keen on a run, I always get a good buzz when I've updated my spreadsheet in greenimage

    Plus, I find signing up for my first race is a good form of motivation - I don't want to come in last!

  • I've fallen at the first hurdle and overslept this morning - will start tonight, ho hum, not the end of the world.
  • Ixr

    Yes i know last year i had a very bad year with illness, and was planning on a marathon with a friend - but had to cut back to a half, but by time it came around to the half i still had not really put in enough training - i managed it but i think i was very much one of the last few people i think there were about 3or5 people behind me.
    I get scared that i am going to be the last person to finish when i book onto a race (which i think is bad, as looking back it sometimes hinders my training and i put alot of pressure on myself to really push - that in fact i push myself too hard then i suffer and can not train for a week or two) and even at the start of a race, i look around and see all these great fit runners and i start to worry what if i am the last person through.... scares me alot
    BUT yes that is a good plan on logging runs, might have to start that next week.
    thanks
  • Hey Mishy,

    Even if you finish last at least you've finished!

  • Hi all - *gulp*! This is my first forum post so be gentle with me!

     I did the Hyde Park 5k last year (I think it was called HydroActive then - change of sponsor perhaps?) and have signed up for the event on the 7th September this year too (in aid of the RNLI).

    I've been jogging to keep myself vaguely in shape for over a year now, but only recently started to take it seriously in the last month or so. Am part-way through the RW 30-minute training programme and have done 3 5ks in the last year, with a pb of 35'16". So I'm looking to improve on that at the Hyde Park run, if I can.

    But - big BUT here! - last year's event was poorly organised. The starting line was arranged by speed, with markers indicating whereabouts you should stand depending what you expected your time to be (and walkers at the back, as usual); I and my companions stood around the 35 minute marker, but then they left us standing there for absolutely ages without telling us what was going on - turned out they'd let the front part of the race start and then held us back by at least 20 minutes. So once we got going, we ran into the tail-end of people from the first lot who were walking and/or slow-jogging.

    That wouldn't have been a problem if the marshalls had enforced the 'walkers to one side of the path - leave space for the runners' rule. But they didn't - and the track was narrow in places. So quite a lot of runners ended up pushing past walkers, getting very tetchy, and a lot of aggressive shouting took place on both sides - 'walkers get out of the way!' versus 'calm down it's not a race love, don't take yourself so seriously' etc etc.

    Really spoilt the lovely supportive atmosphere you usually get at these women-only events.

    Anyway, sorry for the really long post and sorry for putting a downer on things. Hopefully their organisation will have smartened up this year but if not, at least you're warned in advance. Hope to see some of you on the finishing line!!!

  • Joanne, I did the Birmingham one last year.  I don't know if it's the same route this year but it was Broad Street which other than down and up one underpass, it was a pretty flat route- up one side of the road and then returning down the other side (dual carriageway).  It was a really good atmosphere and unlike Ciao B, I didn't hear anything about starting in a certain place and so I started not far from the front (not my choice, however!) despite a PB of 42 minutes previously.

    The marshalls were great and one even came up to me to congratulate me on my progress  - I guess he saw my very red face and thundering breath but also my determination not to walk at all!! unlike others who were running very fast and then having to walk again 50 yards down the road then repeat!  The runners coming up to the 2.5 Km mark cheered the front runners who were returning on the other side of road which was fantastic.  There's plenty of room at the end for your family to cheer you along the last section.  Enjoy!

  • MM ✭✭✭
    I've signed up for it too.  First race in about 2 years!  Hoping to get into London marathon next year -i've been rejected so many times i should get a guaranteed place - figured i'd better start doing some races again!
  • Cool I know Broad Street.  So do you go as far as Five Ways and up the Hagley Road or do you turn back before then ??
  • I think you turned at the lights just past Libertys night club - so starting just outside the Hyatt hotel, going under Five Ways and then up to Libertys.
  • CB - Last year's organisation sounds like a complete fiasco.  I hope it improves this year.  As this will be my first ever race I really don't know what to expect, but I don't want to be put off signing up for future races with a bad first experience....

    Managed 3.6miles yesterday in 45 mins (including a 3min walk in the middle).  This has been my best run to date speed wise,  averaging about 12:15min/mile.  From what I've read, this appears quite slow. I really hope I can improve on my speed in the next 7 weeks.  I guess speed does come with time, and I shouldn't really beat myself up about how fast I am at the moment - when I started I couldn't even run for a minute without being completely out of breath!

    Next run Saturday...going for drinks on Friday, so not sure how it will go if I'm carrying a hangover!

  • I've signed up for Hyde Park, and am still thinking 'what the hell have I done?!'  I'm a bit of a fatty and very unfit, still struggling with run 2, walk 1 BUT I'm determined to do it.  I used to be a really good sprinter at school and hate how much I've let myself go so I need to do this.  My friends think I'm mad so I'm doing it alone which I'm a bit scared about.

    Still, have got a nice wall chart with all my training runs on it which is helping to motivate me.

  • lxr - yes it was pretty annoying to be honest! But at least fore-warned is fore-armed - I think it makes a big difference psychologically if you know what's going on and can anticipate any problems.

    Ellie - it's a bit intimidating turning up on your own but trust me, as soon as you arrive the friendly & supportive atmosphere will give you a massive boost. I love women-only runs as you get a real spirit of cameraderie, people are really encouraging and friendly.

    Re: speed, I've been doing a little reading recently and my understanding is that the most important thing is to build up the time for which you can run continuously; after that, building distance is important and the extra stamina helps. Interval training (fartlek) including maybe some short hill sessions can also be used.

    My Lifeboats t-shirt arrived yesterday so I enjoyed breaking it in last night! I did the RW 5 mins run, 2 mins walk x4. Went pretty well, pushed myself a little towards the end but was reasonably comfortable with the effort. Didn't want to push myself too much as this was my first run after the Blackheath 5k Race For Life last weekend.

    Hoping to do some interval training on a local hill this evening.

  • How's everyone's training going?

    I'm on a rest day today, but I had a good run yesterday, managed to complete my 3.6mile route without stopping for the first time since getting over a summer cold.  So feeling quite good at the moment! Not boasting, but just wanted to share the fact that I'm feeling quite chuffed.

    Next run tomorrow!

    Hope everyone else is doing OK.

    Lisa

  • Hi, I'm in for Hyde Park.

    I'm in Lancashire but travelling down to run with my ex's neice. She lost a baby, still born at full term, last year, so we're doing it for the Charity SANDS. She's a total novice but I'm not completely new to running. I've been injured though and just getting back to fitness. I'm training for my first Half Marathon in August.

    5K should be no problem in September provided I can stay injury free. I should already have got a few 5K's and 10K's in before my Half Marathon.

    It'd be good to go for a 5K PB. Target for me currently is less than 29 minutes. Mind you it's pretty hard to get going in these big races with loads of runners. We'll see. Doing it in memory of Baby Vanessa is the main thing.

    Good Luck with the training girls.

  • Ello!

    I've entered Hyde Park in September. Am halfway through my run-walk programme. Currently doing 10m mins run, 2 mins walk x2.

    I am determined to run the whole distance and hoping to get round in about 30 minutes.

    My first ever running event. Will be taking immodium incase nerves get the better of my tummy! lol

    x

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