Is it good to run a half mile or so a few hours before a 5k?

Question

I've gotta race tomorrow (my first one) so any tips will be much appreciated.

Answer 1

To warm up you should run 8 to 10 minutes easy, then stretch and do some strides.
Finish your warm up at least 10 minutes before the race.
Drink a little water, go to the restroom and pee, and try to relax.

Answer 2

Depends on your level of fitness and how much mileage you run each week or month. If you're a relative beginner at running and/or run few miles a week, then you should follow the advice of your first 2 repliers.

If, however, you're a long-time runner doing 20-30 miles a week, then the recommendation changes. In this case, you should probably warm up for a good half hour - 45 minutes before the race.

A rule of thumb is that (for a seasoned runner) the longer the race the shorter the warmup. Conversely, the shorter the race, the longer the warmup. The idea being that in a short race like the 5K you will be running faster right from the start. Again, it's all relative to your level of training...

P.S. No half-mile runs a few hours before the race.

Good Luck

Answer 3

yes to warm up. just do it at a slower pace.
and maybe even just 45-30 min before would better to do that. depends on how long u would take to run it b/c u should warm up about 30min b4 u run a race type thing.
its good for u muscles and stuff.

Answer 4

In my experience, a good 30 minute stretch and a 15 minute walk/jog usually helps warm up my muscles. Good luck on your race!