I used to be shocked at how difficult the LA Large 5K course is. If you’re in search of a flat, quick 5K course, this isn’t it. If you’re in search of a difficult 5K with 8,000 folks, it’s an superior possibility. I opted to run the LA Large 5K as a simple shakeout run earlier than the Los Angeles Marathon the subsequent day. I didn’t race it.
I believed, possibly I’ll race the LA Large 5K in a 12 months after I don’t race the Los Angeles Marathon, however the course is difficult, so I do surprise the way you’ll run in comparison with a flat and quick 5K.
Earlier than the LA Large 5K:
I stayed the night time in Glendale and received to the LA Large 5K round 6:30 AM. Even for the 8 AM begin, there was numerous visitors, so I like to recommend getting there earlier. Plus, between the visitors and selecting up your bib, it could take a while. So, no matter time you suppose you have to get to the LA Large 5K, get there earlier. I walked round however didn’t do any warm-up as a result of actually I simply wished to run the three.1 miles for the day.
LA Large 5K Race:
The LA Large 5K began at 8, and off we went. I began across the 8-minute tempo, and I rapidly realized there have been lots of people that began manner too far up. So subsequent time, I’ll begin a lot additional up. As we left the stadium, I believed, wow, that is hilly. It hadn’t actually occurred to me how hilly Dodger Stadium is. About half a mile into the LA Large 5K, you go down a steep downhill. All I may suppose was, wow, that is quick, however we must come again up. And we do, nearly right away. I hit the primary mile in 8:15. I wasn’t too anxious about tempo.
Mile 2 of the LA Large 5K has each climbing and downhill. As we headed up the subsequent hill, we leveled out for a second, however the pavement felt uneven and arduous. Honestly, working on the whole felt arduous. I used to be anxious in regards to the marathon the subsequent day, however I attempted to not fear. I hit the second mile in 7:49.
Through the third mile, I believed we might lastly simply head again into the stadium, however we went again up the best way we got here, and the final hill felt arduous. We turned and had been parallel to the stadium earlier than heading again to the end line. You suppose, “that is the top of the hills,” but it surely’s not, and you’ve got yet another large hill. I ran a 7:44 third mile. The final .1, I made a decision to dash and open up my gait. I completed in 5:44 and completed the LA Large 5K in 24:37.
LA Large 5K Ideas:
I actually loved the LA Large 5K, and I wish to do it once more, however boy, is it a tough race. With 260 ft of elevation achieve, it’s positively one of many hardest 5Ks I’ve ever run. I can’t actually keep in mind one other highway 5K with that a lot achieve. I positively ran sooner than I might have on a daily shakeout run, but it surely was numerous enjoyable.
But it surely’s numerous enjoyable as a shakeout for Los Angeles and a superb vibe 5K. I’ll seemingly do it yearly that my schedule permits it.
You may see Strava right here and all race recaps right here.
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Questions for you:
Have you ever run the LA Large 5k?
What’s your favourite 5k?