where to look for 5k races?

[rmnsuk]

I'm half way though c25k on a treadmill and loving it. When I graduate I'll have to learn to run outdoors and then do a parkrun to properly graduate. Is there a website I can search to do a more formal 5k run near Birmingham? Also is there somewhere to buy shoes/get gait analysis done in Birmingham?

[runswithdogs Graduate]

Races are very, very addictive. I hope you find some good ones

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

I cannot understand why you, as a relative beginner, would want to look for a more "formal" 5K race - you can "race/run" as hard as you like at any parkrun! There are more "formal" events - quite often associated with charities , etc - but at the end of the day, for people like us, they are still only "fun runs ", just like Parkrun is.

[Rob_and_his_westie Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Bazza, I think that's a fairly narrow view. Nothing wrong with a good Parkrun and I've given our friend a link to the UK registration site in my reply below, but it's not true to say that most formal events are charity affairs. I've completed six now and only one was a charity event. There's something incredibly exciting about pinning on a number and running at a big event with your Garmin urging you on. I'm not sure it's a "fun run"!

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Rob_and_his_westie]

Well - I guess that it is really the distance that I am questioning. 5K's are plentiful and free through Parkrun. But 10K and other distances are less plentiful and cost However if somebody wants to participate in a 10K "race", then it does really have to be via a more formally organised race.

[rmnsuk Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Bit negative. I can do, or not do, a parkrun any Saturday, whereas an event like a "race for life" gives me a time limit. There is a 'fun run' in brum, but it's in September, which is a bit far off. I was hoping for something a bit sooner.

Mo Farah can breathe easy. I'm not quite ready to take his place on the Olympic team just yet.

[Hidden]

therunningbug.co.uk has good listings of runs by distance and area.

[hilbean Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for posting that link. Looks interesting

[Rob_and_his_westie Graduate]

Hi

im nowhere near the West Midlands, but there's bound to be a Runners Need shop somewhere there.. Google them. They did my analysis when I was a complete novice and treated me with respect.

Formal running? Well, our Bazza is a big Parkrun fan as are many thousands of others and Parkrun.org.uk will help you find something local. As far as I know, these events are free to enter and after registering on the web site, you just can turn up and run at any of them. Runners with all sorts of abilities enter these events.

If by formal you mean medals, paid entry, medical facilities, a number on your shirt, closed roads and maybe even steel bands on the course, then runbritain.com is the place to go. Make sure you check who the race is aimed at. Mixed ability means there will be elite runners bordering on national class at the front as well as us more casual types towards the rear.

Nothing wrong with either approach, many here have done both. The best advice I can offer is to stick with Laura in the first instance and finish C25K. Learning to run on the road is a matter of discipline by which I mean safety. Wear high vis clothing, face the oncoming traffic and never believe you can outrun a vehicle when crossing a road.

There's nothing wrong with aiming high. Good luck, you're going to love it.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

Steady on.... graduation is completing the programme, not doing Parkrun! Parkrun is a fine post-grad goal and C25K will help you reach it, but the two things are separate and plenty of us never do communal running at all. We're still graduates.

[Toonlou24 Graduate]

Depends what you mean by formal!!??? Its a formal run and will be fun! Do the colour run in Birmingham on 15th August! I shall be there. Registration just opened.

[Rob_and_his_westie Graduate]

I guess it depends how you look at it. I provided rmnsuk with some suggestions in my other response.

[Rob_and_his_westie Graduate in reply to Rob_and_his_westie]

This was supposed to be a reply to Bazzas reply to me! Aargh disaster!

[GeorgeSmiley]

fetcheveryone.com/ has a good searchable list of events and is friendly site or runnersworld.co.uk/events/ is another. And Parkruns which are excellent but I think it's nice to do other events and I find it motivating having something booked ahead.

Good luck and have fun

[baronblaze]

I run a parkrun most weeks near birmingham where they do occassionally promote other running events in the area either by announcing the event prior to the run or someone distributing leaflets once you've finished. You also get to know what events are happening by chatting to the other parkrunners. The nearest sweatshop for gait analysis to Birmingham is Brierley Hill. In the city centre there is also up and running in Temple Row, although i found the staff not particularly well trained and disinterested. The Birmingham Runner on stratford rd in shirley were far more helpful and had a better range of shoes at slightly more competitive prices.

[misswobble Graduate]

I like local races and have found a couple close to me, one I can walk to, both of which are for the local scouts. Can't wait! My Parkrun is only a walk away too. You might look for your local jog group as well as that would be a good idea for running post graduating from C25k

You need to graduate, you need to run outdoors. Don't get ahead of yourself. I know it's good to have a plan though; a route for your progression when you do Graduate

It's good that you want to do all these things and that you are enjoying your running.

Well done!

[Sue_Reading]

I could never run on a treadmill, I tried it, but just couldn't enjoy it. The idea of not feeling the sun on my face, the wind in my ears and the constantly changing of scenery is too much to be bear to hide away on a treadmill. Its a nice way to see others too, fast runners, those walking dogs etc.

I've done a few 'formal' 5k events, and I'm not a C25K graduate. In fact it was these events that encouraged me to do the C25K plan to improve my plodding. All the events have all been organised for charity (Pretty Muddy 5k for Breast Cancer, Santa Run for the local Rotary Club, Great South 5k, Royal Berks Mini Marathon which was a 3km, etc), they all came with a medal - but I didn't raise money for any of them! Some events will require you to be sponsored, but many don't.

Running magazines will advertise a whole host of shorter distance events as well as Half Marathons, Marathons, and Ultra-running events and you've been given some websites too. Just go out and have a go, no need to graduate to do them. Good luck, and enjoy!