By The Numbers: A 5K Marathon
- Kelsey Flynn
- Feb 25
- 4 min read
Part 2 of the “By The Numbers” series…. A 5K Marathon.
…I can hear it now! The cringes and the oofs and the oh, no, she didn’t, did she?? Runner friends: I know it’s not a 5K Marathon. Non-runner friends? It is NOT a 5K Marathon. A 5K and a Marathon are two very, very different distances with two very, very different skill sets required!
I don’t say this to discount anyone’s experience as I love to celebrate moving your body in whatever way is physically possible and comfortable for you (ahem, see A in ABC, Run With Me: Flying Pig Marathon), but I do want to clarify some things!
5K = 3.1 miles
A 5K is a great starting point for those looking to get into running, walking, or interval training. A 5K is a pretty standard distance for many charity runs, and is a manageable distance for people of all ages and abilities. Many of the local running stores offer Couch-To-5K training groups that are very welcoming and beginner friendly. While there are people who run to compete in 5Ks, you will also see people walking, kids participating, and even strollers. Many also have fun themes, like the Color Run or MudNinja!
10K = 6.2 miles
A 10K is another popular distance that falls between the 5K and the Half Marathon. It’s a nice challenge and an obvious “next step” for those just getting into running, and the training is still pretty manageable if you want to be competitive. Most 10K training plans average about 6-8 weeks from start to race day.
Half Marathon = 13.1 miles
The Half Marathon. It’s for people who are only half crazy (which used to be me, until 2016). The Half Marathon again ups the ante for race day endurance, as the average finish time for a half marathon is just over 2 hours. Preparing for this requires a bit more training than a 5K or a 10K. Most training plans are about 10-12 weeks with a mix of longer runs and shorter runs, as well as strength training and/or speedwork. Many of the local running stores have phenomenal training groups that start in mid-January for the Pig. They provide safe mileage increases, planned routes, water stops, and of course, some amazing camaraderie! They offer running, walking, and run/walk options. Shout out to my Tri State Running - Edgewood crew who carried me through my comeback Queen Bee!
Marathon = 26.2 miles
The Marathon. The Big Guy. The one that less than 1% of the population has completed. The one you definitely have to have a screw loose to have on your to-do list. The average finish time for a marathon is between 4-5 hours, but the Pig marathon course is open for about 7 hours, providing ample time for its competitors to finish. Running a marathon does require about 16-20 weeks of training, with Pig training groups beginning at the end of December. It is a definite time commitment, as about half of those weekends will be spent running 10+ miles, making a 5 mile weekday run seem easy (see photo). Properly fueling your body is important, and training groups will help you learn when to fuel and with what nutrition to make it through those long runs, and eventually the full 26.2 miles. Shout out to Joe & my Queen City peeps who got me started on this wild adventure and carried me through my first (only??) Full Marathon!
Of course, there are other distances too. And on Pig Weekend here in Cincinnati, there are quite a few options beside these 4. On Friday, there is the 50 West Mile, which is part of PigWorks’ Beer Series and has a medal that doubles as a bottle opener! Then on Saturday, in addition to the 5K and the 10K, you can also find the Flying Fur 1 mile run for pups, 26th Mile 1 mile youth run, PigAbilities 1 mile untimed event, and the cutest races of the entire weekend, the Flying Piglet, which range from 25 yards to 100 yards. Sunday also offers the opportunity for 4 people to split the marathon distance as a Relay. With so many options available, there's truly something for everyone, including accommodations for wheelchairs, strollers, and participants of all ages and abilities.
If you want to get super technical, Pig Weekend also offers two unique challenges for those just crazy enough to try them - The 3-Way and the 4-Way, both offered with “Extra Cheese.” Not free Skyline (though, that would be awesome. PigWorks, take note!). But the 3-Way for Pig participants includes running the 5K and 10K on Saturday and the Half Marathon on Sunday. The 4-Way is the 5K, 10K, and Full Marathon. The optional “Extra Cheese” is to add on the 50 West Mile on Friday. If you’re keeping track, that’s either 22.4, 23.4, 35.5, or 36.5 miles over the course of two or three days. Yeah, it’s a lot. But! You do earn a medal for EACH RACE you complete AND an additional 3-Way or 4-Way Finisher medal and t-shirt. #WorthIt #IRunForTheBling #WillRunForTshirts
For those super crazy people, there are Ultra Marathons, which are either 50K/31.07 miles, 50 miles, or a whopping 100 miles! The World Marathon Challenge also exists, where people can willingly run 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days! Shout out to my brother, Matthew, who is crazy enough to have participated in 9 Ultras; he’s also part of the Squadron, completing 10 or more Flying Pig Marathons!
But, I digress.
My point for this post is: a 5K Marathon simply does not exist. It’s a 5K, full stop. It’s a Marathon, full stop. No matter what distance and pace you achieve, YOU ARE AMAZING!!! Shout out to YOU for getting out there and doing the thing!
Keep running with me,
❤Kelsey
Photo credits: Megan DeLaney, Etsy, Kelsey Flynn
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