If you're here, it's likely you've decided to take the plunge and sign up for a 5k race. Congratulations! Getting into running can be a life-changing decision, and completing your first race (or, let's be honest, even your 100th race) is an exhilarating moment.
In this complete guide, you’ll learn the answers to every question beginner runners have about running a 5k race.
You’ll learn the answers to the following questions:
- How Long is a 5k?
- Can You Walk a 5k?
- What's the Average 5k Time?
- How Long Does it Take to Train for a 5k?
- Can You Train for a 5k on a Treadmill?
- What's the Weekly Mileage you Need to Train for a 5k?
- How to Pace a 5k?
- What to Wear for a 5k?
- What to Eat and Drink During a 5k?
- What to Eat After Running a 5k?
- What to Do Before a 5k?
You'll also see several 5k training plans ranging from 8 weeks, 12 weeks, to 16 weeks with variations for beginners, intermediate, and advanced runners.
Complete 5k race guide
How long is a 5k?
A 5k running race is 5000 meters, twelve and a half laps on a standard 400 metre track, or 3.11 miles.
Read the full article on the length of a 5k race here: How Long is a 5k?
can you walk a 5k?
You can absolutely walk a 5k, there is no ruling stopping you from walking a 5k running race.
However, you might encounter time cutoff issues if you can't walk the 5k in under 60 minutes.
Read our full article here: Can You Walk a 5k?
what's the average 5k time?
The average finish time for a 5k race is between 25 and 28 minutes.
But answering the question, "What's a Good 5k Time?" depends on your age and gender. You can read about those details in our full article here: Average 5k Time
how long does it take to train for a 5k?
Training for a 5k can take anywhere from four to 16 weeks.
How long will it take you to train for a 5k race will depend on your current athletic ability and your race goals.
You can figure out how long YOU will need in the full article here: How Long Does It Take to Train for a 5k?
can you train for a 5k on a treadmill?
In theory, yes, you can do all of your training for a 5k on a treadmill.
Running on a treadmill has some distinct advantages, but also some serious drawbacks so we shouldn't do all our running on a treadmill. You can read the details about training for a race on a treadmill here: Can You Train for a 5k on a Treadmill?
what's the weekly mileage you need to train for a 5k?
Training for a 5k race can be done in two to four runs of just 30-75 minutes each per week.
How much you decide to train for your 5k running race depends on the goals you have for yourself. Read the full article here: Weekly Mileage for a 5k
how to pace a 5k?
You pace a 5k by running at an 8-9/10 effort level.
5k race pacing is very challenging, it should feel very close to "blowing up". You can read about the details here: How To Pace a 5k
what to wear for a 5k?
During a 5k you should wear a pair of quick dry running shorts, a quick dry shirt, and a proper pair of running shoes.
See more details about what to wear when running here: What to Wear for a 5k
what to eat and drink during a 5k?
You don't need to eat or drink much during a 5k race (if anything at all) because it's a very short race.
However, some runners will get thirsty in a race, while others might feel a performance benefit from a small amount of calories.
You can read more about eating and drinking during a 5k here: What to Eat and Drink During a 5k
what TO eat after running a 5k?
After running a 5k you should eat a large meal with at least 15 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrates.
We discuss all the options for what to eat after a 5k and what the benefits are here: What to Eat After Running a 5k
5k training plans
beginner 5k training plans
Beginner runners are people who fall into one of the following categories:
- You have never run before and have very little fitness background
- You want to train as little as possible
- You just want to finish a race and don't care at all about the time
You can see a beginner 5k training plan here: Beginner 5k Training Plan
intermediate 5k training plans
Intermediate runners are people who fall into one of the following categories:
- You have a strong fitness background in another high level sport
- You want to train a moderate amount, but not huge levels
- You want to finish the race in a solid time
You can see an intermediate 5k training plan here: Intermediate 5k Training Plan
advanced 5k training plans
Advanced runners are people who fall into one of the following categories:
- You have an elite fitness background in other endurance sports
- You don't mind training as much as reasonably possible
- You want to finish the race in as fast a time as you possibly can.
You can see an advanced 5k training plan here: Advanced 5k Training Plan
wrap-up
Read as much as you can in our 5k running race guide and you'll know all about what it takes to finish a 5k race feeling great!
You can also check out our complete list of 5k training plans.
