Trying to win a race with a sub-21 slow hobbyjogger 5k

This link has the winners:

22:02-2018

21:07-2017

18:35-2016 (A 10-year-old girl ran an 18:46?)

20:15-2015

I was in pretty good shape years ago running around 17 flat. I cherry picked a tiny race in Centerburg knowing all the good runners would probably be watching or coaching high school xc that day.

Winning time was 16:30. I got 2nd.

Any runners in Cbus? wrote:

Has anyone here won a 5k without much effort

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5k is more of a speed workout.

Duh. Everyone here has jogged a 15:1X to send hobby joggers home DEVESTATED.

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No it isn’t.

Columbus has a ton of races downtown on the Scioto, looping past COSI, especially during the summer where there's at least one race every weekend. A lot of these are 'won' in a very slow time but you never know when some rando HS kid will show up.

Last weekend in Westerville the Capes and Crowns 5k was won in 21:25. That would have been your chance!

Did more research:

MommyMile is 2 laps around Polaris, so it's fast and flat. However, the start/finish are in chutes and it's a tight squeeze. I'm hoping to get fast out of the chute and at least break into the open so I'm not trampled.

Have you run Emerald City half/quarter? That's a random 1/2 in the middle of August, in cornfields. People use it to tune up for Cbus full/half.

I've taken 2nd place in many local 5ks in 18:30ish. I always think I have a shot for the win, but there is always a 17 year old that shows up and jogs a 17:30 out in front.

I only want to win these races because my young son and daughter are there. They love to see their dad coming into the finish, it would be cool if I could win while they are watching.

You could definitely have a shot at this.

MommyMile was bought by M3S Sports, which does the Cap City Half, Emerald City Half, and other races. They have a close relationship with the Fleet Feet in Columbus, so some of the kids on their racing team get free entries into M3S races. If their faster members show up, then you won't have a chance (top 5 guys can break 18 without breaking a sweat).

But the racing team may be all at the Gary Smith race in Worthington that day as I'm pretty sure Fleet Feet owns that event.

With that said, it's a cramped race and usually caters to slow people. If the racing team from Fleet Feet doesn't show up, then you could have a pretty good shot at the podium with something around 20 mins.

Thanks for the honest response.

It seems like there is a 5k every week in Cbus.

1) The Worthington one sounds harder--more hills in that area, or am I wrong?

2) What are your thoughts on Emerald City as well? Looks boring but it's the only big 1/2 in Cbus that summer.

2018 results from the GS Classic:

27:43 to 28:38 for top males.

32:53 to 36:23 for top females.

That looks like a LetsRun-level race.

Traffic will be fun that day--the runners up at Polaris, plus the Worthington people to the west. LOL.

I lived in Paris for the last few years, where most races are crazy deep.

I ran 1:15 in a not-so-flat half marathon for 140th place.

DietBacon wrote:

I lived in Paris for the last few years, where most races are crazy deep.

I ran 1:15 in a not-so-flat half marathon for 140th place.

So just to answer more directly: no.

The slowest road race I’ve been to in Paris was a 10k won in 34 low, and it was a 4-lap race where we had to run around the slower runners (who for some reason we’re running 5-abreast) for the last 2 laps, so probably worth like 33-mid.

I might drive up there(a couple hour drive for me), just to beat you.

We have a local 5K that was just won in 19:xx.

A few years back I won the women's division of a half-marathon in 1:40:xx. I was in my mid-50s and believe me, it wasn't easy.

That's pretty impressive, and good job! (No sarcasm).

I may do this and then do Emerald City, and the Cbus full, but nothing else. You don't want to over-race and get burned out.

There are soooo many local 5ks out there now and the winning times in many are just pretty dismal (at least compared to the 1970s-1990s)

Since October of last year I have won a couple of 5ks with just under 21:00 finishes (one in mid October and one in February) and four top three finishes since last fall. All of those at age 61 and 62. My point is, yes you can 'win' a race with a 21:00 minute finish, it just won't be a big race.

Good luck with your quest....

I live in Columbus and could dust you. It's almost worth it to show up and then post in this thread, but it would be my luck Evan Schwartz would show up and make me look even worse.

If you want $10 off they just sent an email out to use coupon code MOTHERSDAY19.

Where I am youths tend to be in fairly poor condition. I won a local 5km a few weeks ago with a tempo effort 19:15. The 17 year olds were not happy to be beaten by a bearded 30 something.

I go to one of the highschools in the dublin/worthington area and i can run sub 16 so I might show up to beat you