New Runners (and Old): Fall for a Fall 5K

This tip brought to you by our Running Guru Heidi Splete on Oct 06, 2011

In my opinion, fall is the best time of year for running. In much of the U.S., the weather in October is likely to be great for running.

For beginning runners, fall can be a great time to try your first road race. 5K races abound in the fall, and that's a great way to get your feet wet. Don't worry about being competitive; if you can run 3 miles, you are welcome to sign up for a 5K race, and you can be sure that you won't finish last (especially if the race bills itself as a run/walk!)

So, take the plunge! Sign up for a local 5K and treat it like just another run, but with water stops and treats and a t-shirt. If you want to push the pace and challenge yourself a bit, great, but don't go out full throttle, or you will be burned out after the first mile. Try picking up the pace to about 70 percent of what you think is your maximum effort and try to keep that up in the second mile, then you can slow down in the third mile if you need to. Who knows? A 5K might become a favorite fall activity.