Along the way somebody was gracious enough to take a chance on you because you had the right attitude even if you didn't have the skills to match. It's only right you extend the same grace to someone else.
What your “just trying a 5K” quietly turns into…
You start with one run. Nothing serious. Just want to see if you can do it.
Two kilometers in and you’re questioning everything, lungs on fire, already thinking this might not be for you.
Then somehow you finish a 5K and feel way too proud for something you swore you’d never do.
Next thing you know you’re buying proper running shoes. Downloading Strava “just to track it.” Then a watch… because now the data matters. You start checking your pace more than you’d like to admit.
It creeps in slowly. You care a bit more about what you eat. Coffee before a run becomes a ritual. You learn what Zone 2 is and suddenly that matters too.
And at some point, without really planning it…
you catch yourself thinking about a half marathon.
And if you’re honest…
you remember when you said you’d never be “one of those runners.”
#running
How fast is your 5K?
• 12–14 min = Olympic-level
• 14–18 min = Elite
• 18–22 min = Competitive
• 22–25 min = Average
• 25–30 min = Fit enough
• 30–40 min = Beginner
Over 40?
You’re out there trying. And honestly… that counts more than people admit.
Most people won’t even test themselves over 5K. They’ll stay comfortable and never find out.
You did. That already puts you in a different group.