5k Race Strategy? New, very hilly route

[PrairieGem]

I have a personal dilemma, and I hope you guys will weigh in! I'm trying to decide how to mentally approach an unfamiliar and potentially challenging race course this weekend.

DH and I are running a new 5k on Saturday (this is the race I was supposed to run last year, on my 40th birthday, until I sprained my ankle the week before. Grrr.). The course is much hillier than our typical routes, or other courses--and the hilliest part is roughly the whole second mile (aka, the hardest part of the race already). And, oh--DH is actually running the 10k!!

For the last several months, I've been concentrating on enjoying my runs; I don't time them or wear a pedometer, so I haven't exactly been training for this (we've only just decided to do it today). I'd still like to make a decent showing, though.

I'm trying to decide whether it's better to run the whole thing--including the hills--a little more slowly than I normally would on a flatter course... or if I should allow myself to walk a bit in the hilliest parts. I think, time-wise, it will probably amount to the same. My normal running route has two VERY steep hills (one is actually a flight of steps), and I walk those. But I haven't walked or taken a break during an actual race in more than a year.

...So I'm torn. Obviously, it's hard to predict what it's going to be like during the actual race, but I like to go in with a plan, a commitment to myself, either "I will absolutely run this whole thing, no matter how slow my time..." or "It's OK if I have to walk a couple hills, as long as I get right back to running at the top."

VF runners, which would *you* choose?

Thanks!!

[Emily B]

I would probably walk the hills if I had to. I'm not a very fast runner, so I can sometimes walk up a hill faster than I can run. But I'm not super competitive and don't really mind if I can't run the entire way. I will take very short walk breaks and still finish in a decent time. Anyway, that's what I would do! Good luck!

[yogapam]

I ran for many years and really got to like doing run/walk intervals all the time. I liked a 10:1 run to walk, used an interval timer on my watch. But you can keep it simpler by just walking the hills if that is what feels good. The big thing is to pace yourself because it's so easy to be drawn in by faster runners and then you run out of gas.

[Jeanne Marie]

I live in a very hilly area and run hills daily. Also, any of the 5K and 10K races I run locally have hills.

What works for me is to make sure I'm not running "all out" at the beginning. I need my reserves for the hills. I don't walk any part of it, just run it all at a pretty consistent pace.

I've not tried it the other way around, but I can tell you this... my son, who is 30 years my junior, takes off fast in every race. He uses up all his reserves and ends up walking the hills. Nine times out of ten I run by him and finish before he does.

I call us the tortoise and the hare.

[cmarsh4]

This is a great question. I am new to doing 5K's this year and I don't have it figured out yet either. I am doing one next Saturday and I am not sure if there are any hills in it or not. When I go for my regular 3 mile run there is one medium hill and several small ones and I can do them just fine by running and then slowing my breath down on the flats but if it is a very big hill I would probably have to walk it. I am always afraid that once I start walking though that it is easier to keep taking walk breaks so I don't really like to.

[yogapam]

Originally Posted by cmarsh4

I am always afraid that once I start walking though that it is easier to keep taking walk breaks so I don't really like to.

I never found that to be a problem, especially in a race where people are running all around you.

[andtckrtoo]

I had to deal with this on a 12k. My first really hill run was the Bay to Breakers - with the infamous Hayes Street hill (think the steep hills you see in the movies about SF - this is one of them). I worried about it, but in the end I just ran it. I ran it slowly, and I kept my head down, putting one foot in front of the other until I was up (if I look up too much, I psych myself out thinking I can't do it). Focus on breathing out - if you breath out, you will breath in. And see what you can do. If you have to walk part, you have to walk part - it's not a big deal. But it's a fairly short race, so see what you can do, and have fun.

[Jeanne Marie]

Originally Posted by andtckrtoo

I kept my head down, putting one foot in front of the other until I was up (if I look up too much, I psych myself out thinking I can't do it).

I do this too.... look down. I'm not sure why it helps, but it could be the psychological aspect of not knowing just how much of that hill is still in front of you.

[PrairieGem]

I really want to thank everyone for weighing in! I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to check back yesterday (super busy doing birthday stuff). I took everyone's advice, plus similar suggestions from various articles around the web, and ran the whole thing, taking it easier the first mile. That part couldn't be helped, actually--they started everyone at the same time and it took forever for the pack to break up enough to get an even pace. ANYWAY, it was a very enjoyable run, the hills looked A LOT SCARIER from the car than they did on foot (the hills on my normal route are way, way harder; they're *shorter,* for one, so they're steeper.)

It was not a very fast run (I've done better in my last 3 races), but my *standings* were a PB--usually I'm pretty much smack in the middle, all across the board (totally OK with that!). But today I was slightly better than dead center for the whole race, and in the top 20% for my age/gender!!! I'm taking that to mean it's a slower course and I did really well.

...Also (pep talk), the fact that I got up at 5:30 to go running on a holiday says way more about me as a person than the fact that it took me a little over 10 minutes to run a mile today.

And DH got me this for my birthday:

[athompson10]

Yay you! Top 20% is a terrific result and you conquered the hills. Congratulations!!!!!