I Walked My First 5K (And It Was Perfect)

If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be standing at a 5K start line, bib pinned to my shirt, waiting for a race to begin — I probably would have laughed. Me? A race participant? But here’s the thing: this wasn’t that kind of race. There was no pressure to run, no time goal to chase, and no finish line drama. It was just me, my dad, and 5 kilometres of a neighbourhood I grew up in. And honestly? It was one of my favourite things I’ve done this year. Whether you’re researching your first 5K walk experience or just curious what it’s actually like, I’m sharing every detail — the nerves, the highlights, and why I’d do it all over again.

I’ve always believed that movement should feel good, that exercise doesn’t have to be intense, punishing, or competitive to count. This 5K walk was exactly that kind of movement. It was joyful, it was manageable, and it was meaningful. If you’ve ever thought about walking a 5K but talked yourself out of it, I hope this post is the thing that changes your mind.

Why I Decided to Walk a 5K

A few months ago I got the idea to sign up to walk a 5K. I started looking online to find some potential races and was lucky enough to find one in a neighbourhood close by. Run Bowness is actually in the neighbourhood where I went to junior high and high school! It was a family-focused event with a kids mile, 5K, and 10K, and the website was very clear that walkers were welcome to participate, so I figured it was the race for me.

I ended up asking my dad if he’d be interested in participating with me. He said yes, so I signed us up together for the 5K. It was my dad’s first race as well, and he was pretty excited to be a participant.

I’ve never been much of a runner, and with my history of an eating disorder, I didn’t think bringing back intense workouts was a good idea. I figured walking was something I would enjoy more than running, and something I could do with my dad and friends while preparing for the 5K. While I was definitely a bit nervous about walking it, I knew it was the right decision for me.

How I Prepared for My First 5K Walk

While I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do to prepare, I wanted to make an actual schedule so I could be sure I was ready enough. I didn’t want race day to be miserable because I hadn’t prepared and was struggling to finish. If you’re curious what my workouts actually look like week to week, I’ve been sharing them on the blog. You can check out a recent week of workouts for a peek into my routine!

For my training schedule, I decided on two rest days per week, two cross-training days, and three walking days. I used to get plantar fasciitis in my feet, so I knew the rest days were essential to keeping them feeling good. My cross-training days were almost always Fitness Marshall workouts on YouTube. I’ve been a subscriber for a few months now and I can’t say enough good things about his workouts. They’re so much fun and not at all diet culture-y. For my three walking days, I always made sure one of them was a longer walk.

While I did have a plan, I allowed myself to be flexible with it. Did I hit every single workout every single week? Nope. Did I let that make me feel bad? Absolutely not. If I slept in instead of going for a walk, it was okay. If I felt more like a Fitness Marshall workout instead of a walk, that was okay too. A 30 minute walk was better than nothing, and I didn’t let the calendar be written in stone. I had to go into my training plan knowing it would shift slightly, and I can guarantee you don’t need to follow a training plan 100% to be successful at walking your first 5K.

Race Day: What It Was Actually Like

Having never participated in a real in-person race before (I did a couple during the pandemic that were done virtually), I was definitely a bit nervous. I think it was mostly anxiety about the unknown, not being 100% sure how things would go.

I had absolutely nothing to worry about, though. A few days before the race, the organizers sent out an email with last minute details. They included bib pickup, starting line location, and what to expect on race day. My dad and I picked up our bibs Friday night and walked right in without waiting in line at all. They were incredibly organized.

We decided to Uber to the starting line since I figured parking would be tricky. I’m glad we did, because parking was definitely hard to come by. Not having to worry about finding a spot was well worth the cost.

I loved that it was a family-friendly event. The race had lots of parents with strollers participating, plenty of tents set up (massage, physio, community organizations, and more), food trucks, and music. There were people of all ages, which was really nice to see. My dad is in his 70s, and there were quite a few participants who looked to be around his age.

There were plenty of volunteers along the course cheering runners and walkers on, along with a couple of water stations. Their enthusiasm was contagious. I wasn’t expecting spectators, but there were actually a lot of them; the first part of the race wound through residential streets, and people had set up in their yards to cheer everyone on.

It was an out-and-back course, so once we hit the halfway point we turned around and headed back the way we came. There was a big uphill just after the turnaround (at least it felt big to me!) and I was definitely breathing hard by the time I reached the top. There were tons of people lined up on the sidewalks near the finish line, and it felt really good to hear everyone cheering as we came in.

Walking It With My Dad

When I first asked my dad if he’d want to do this 5K walk with me, he told me I didn’t have to stay with him, that I could walk ahead at my own pace. I told him the whole point of doing it together was to literally do it together, and that I would walk at his pace.

Which is exactly what we did. I let him set the pace and stuck with him for the whole race. He had been planning to stop at the water station for 10 or 15 minutes, but he ended up not needing to. I think he surprised himself that he was able to do the whole thing without sitting down.

And really, it was just so nice to share something like this with him. He was genuinely excited about getting a bib and loved that the race was chip-timed, which makes complete sense, since it was his first ever race. It was a really special way to spend time together.

What I Learned From Walking My First 5K

The biggest thing I learned was that it’s completely okay to walk a 5K. There were far more walkers than I expected, and I never once felt like I was “left behind.” While there were definitely more runners than walkers, it didn’t feel like walkers were somehow less than the runners.

Honestly, I did put some pressure on myself leading up to race day. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about what it would feel like to come in last place. But even if we had been the very last two people on the course, that would have been perfectly fine. We completed all 5K and we did it together, and everyone along the route cheered just as loudly for the walkers as they did for the runners.

This was my very first 5K experience, and I’m so happy with how it went. The start and finish line area had so much energy; music, excitement, and lots to check out. The course felt well-organized and logical. I’m really glad this particular race was my first one.

Would I Do Another 5K Walk? (Spoiler: Yes)

I would absolutely do another 5K walk. There’s something about having an event on the calendar that genuinely got me outside walking on days I would have otherwise skipped. My first 5K experience was so positive, and I can already see myself signing up for more in the future; as a walker, and proud of it.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m so happy I signed up to walk my first 5K, and even happier that I got to do it with my dad. There was something really special about sharing this kind of experience with him, especially knowing it was a first for both of us. Watching him cross the finish line, bib on and chip-timed and everything, is something I won’t forget.

If you’ve been on the fence about signing up for a 5K because you’re not a runner, I hope this post is the nudge you needed. You don’t have to run a single step to belong at the start line. Walking counts. Showing up counts. And crossing that finish line, whatever pace you do it at, absolutely counts.

I’d love to hear about your experiences walking or running your first race! Were you nervous beforehand? How did it go? Let me know in the comments below; I read every single one. 🩷