First ever run - 16:30 - do I actually have potential

iliketorun22 wrote:

Hello,

My friend recommended this site for training advice.

I'm a 21 year old soccer player. One of my buddies is on the xcountry team at UW and challenged me to enter a 5k race. He bet me the race entry fee I couldn't go under 20 minutes. I took the bet as we occasionally do long distance runs for soccer training and at a pace per mile faster than that (like 6 minutes or so)

Anyway I ran 16:30 something and my friend was astonished. He said I should quit soccer (I'm a backup) and join track and I could go on all their trips for free etc. Not sure if he is bullshitting though as I looked up the NCAA results and they are around 13/14 minutes. WAAAAAY faster than I ran.

So just looking for feedback I guess.

Nice attempt to troll, but better luck next time. Also, if you are legit post you and your friends 5k results, and we'll judge.

You're a soccer player whose never run competitively before... but your username is iliketorun22?

My friend didn't run the race. He just bet me I couldn't go under 20.

Just picked name randomly but yes I don't mind running.

iliketorun22 wrote:

My friend didn't run the race. He just bet me I couldn't go under 20.

Just picked name randomly but yes I don't mind running.

Go see what you can do for an all-out 200m.

I have no idea what I would run for 200m. Not really into sprinting anyway. Just figuring out if I should tryout for the track team.

The only recent 5k's in Madison were Pi Run and Shamrock Shuffle, neither of which had anyone run in the 16s this year. Yes, you got me to look that up.

huh? I go to school in Seattle dude.

To actually answer your question, 16:30 is good if you are female. Nothing to write home about if you are male. I wouldn't "quit your day job," so to speak.

Thanks. I figured it wasn't amazing as about 20 people in the race beat me and a couple were probably in their 40s. I figure I could run a minute or 2 faster next time out but I don't know how much faster than that. I doubt I could hit 13 anytime soon

It's very solid but not astonishing. I'd do some more running on your own to see where you will be at further down the line but continue to play soccer for now.

For sure. This exact scenario was drummed up last summer.

jjjjjj wrote:

The only recent 5k's in Madison were Pi Run and Shamrock Shuffle, neither of which had anyone run in the 16s this year. Yes, you got me to look that up.

Hee!

iliketorun22 wrote:

I have no idea what I would run for 200m. Not really into sprinting anyway. Just figuring out if I should tryout for the track team.

Having an idea of your basic speed would be information of some interest to the track coaches.

Yeah I have no intention of quitting soccer. I talked to the coach and he has no issue with me running for cross country or track as the seasons won't interfer. Will basically be cross training.

And yeah I know the run wasn't astonishing. I got my ass handed to me by a couple 40 year olds. My friend said he thought it was astonishing.

And again. Im from Seattle and go to UW. I dont know where madison is and havent heard of those races.

Yeah you should not be in college if you don't know where Madison is. Pathetic.

Honestly, I would say 16:30 is pretty astonishing considering you haven't done any training. There are a lot of people on these message boards who spit on times like that, but a time like that is already in the top 10% of the country. With a little bit of training, you'd be no slouch. I say go for it!

iliketorun22 wrote:

Thanks. I figured it wasn't amazing as about 20 people in the race beat me and a couple were probably in their 40s. I figure I could run a minute or 2 faster next time out but I don't know how much faster than that. I doubt I could hit 13 anytime soon

Were you in a Large race?.16:30 would win most local 5k race.

yeah it was a huge st. paddies day race. probably ~ 5000 people.

iliketorun22 wrote:

yeah it was a huge st. paddies day race. probably ~ 5000 people.

There's 2 st.paddies day race in your area. Which city was the race in?