RunPackGuides · 5 min read
Training for your first 5K with friends
Running your first 5K with friends: picking a race, building up with run/walk, training together at different paces, and a fun race day.
A first 5K is a brilliant goal for a group of friends: far enough to feel like an achievement, short enough that everyone can get there. Doing it together also makes it far more likely you’ll all make it to the start line.
Pick a race and a date
Choose a local, friendly 5K a couple of months away, or a free weekly timed 5K in a park. Put the date in everyone’s calendar. A fixed date turns “we should” into a plan.
Build up gradually
Many beginner plans start with run/walk: short bits of running with walking in between, running a little more each week until you can run the whole way. There are plenty of free beginner 5K plans; pick one and follow it as a group so you’re all on the same week.
Train together, at your own pace
- One group run a week, at the slowest person’s pace.
- The other runs on your own, whenever suits you.
- Share each run so everyone can see the group is keeping up.
If paces differ a lot, see running with someone faster or slower.
Give each week a small target
“Three runs this week” or “one run of 3 km” is easier to stick to than thinking about race day. Set each person’s target from their own running so nobody is left behind. Here’s how to make weekly targets fair.
Race day
- Agree whether you’re running together or each at your own pace.
- Start slower than you want to. It’s easy to get carried away at the start.
- Wait at the finish and cheer everyone in.
- Plan breakfast afterwards.
How RunPack helps
RunPack records runs with your iPhone’s GPS (no watch needed), and every run lands in a private crew feed so you can see each other’s progress. The morning check-in suggests when to keep it easy. Free for crews of up to 4. See how a crew works.
If you have a health condition or haven’t exercised in a long time, check with a doctor before you start.