Goldilocks would approve.

When the Boulder Road Runners put on a race, it's almost always a 5K, club president Rich Castro said. The 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) run is not too long and not too short.

It's just right.

"It's a nice workable distance," Castro said. "It is realistic. That's why it is such a big draw. It doesn't scare people."

Ten years ago, the 5K overtook the 10K as America's favorite distance. In 2002, 5K races across the country saw more than three million finishers; three times as many as in the 10K distance.

The beauty of the 5K is that it appeals to runners - and walkers - of all levels. It opens the door to beginners while also serving as a training checkpoint for serious runners.

It's an activity the whole family can do together.

"The 5K distance is one that virtually anyone can do, even if they aren't particularly fit," said Ryan Llampa of the USA Track and Field Road Running Information Center.

"You can race it, run it, walk it. It's not going to take your entire day like a marathon can. It has an appeal that is universal."

It was a natural pick for Lori Wendler, 57, when she returned to running last year after a 20- year hiatus. The races give her a goal and motivate her to stick with her training regimen. As a result, she said she has lost weight and feels more confident.

Her race times help her measure progress, but she is not out there trying to win.

"The most important thing to me is to finish," she said. "It makes me feel good to have done it, emotionally and physically."

Gavin Slater, 47, stepped up to the starting line of his first 5K race 24 years ago and has been running them ever since. He subsequently added 10Ks, half marathons and marathons to his racing résumé, but the 5K distance remains his favorite.

"It's short and fast, but yet not so short that you just burn everything out," he said.

A few 5Ks early in the season give him feedback on the productivity of his winter training.

Sometimes, Slater places in his age group, but he considers his main competitor to be the clock.

"It's about beating the time standard that I set for myself for my goal for that particular race," he said.

Though he structures his training primarily around racing longer distances, he does some interval work on the track in preparation for 5Ks.

"You have to be fairly intelligent about your pace," he said. "To run a good 5K race, you have to know what you can hold for 3.1 miles. That knowledge comes from training on a track. Through the years, you build up that experience."

That pace is what makes the 5K race Lois Calhoun's favorite. It has served her well: Two years ago, at age 67, Calhoun was the national champion in the 5K distance for her age group.

"I like the energy and focus that a 5K asks of you," Calhoun said. "You can't run a 5K and carry on a conversation with the person next to you."

Castro said there is a certain equilibrium that runners reach in the 5K. Running 3.1 miles feels like an accomplishment without being intimidating.

"You are tired at the end, but you aren't so exhausted that you can't enjoy the day," Castro said.

He said race organizers know that the shorter the distance, the greater number of participants, but that peaks at the 5K. Make it any shorter, and the magic is gone. Castro said attendance is lower at Boulder Road Runners' two-mile events compared with its 5Ks.

The 5K distance also makes details easier for race organizers. There typically is need for only one aid station, and the shorter course requires less logistics in terms of permits, insurance, volunteers, barricades, police assistance and the like.

Likewise, there is less preparation required for the runner before and on race day. Training takes a smaller chunk of the week, and nutrition and hydration don't play as critical a role as in a longer distance.

Sheri Wright, 40, said she started running 5Ks in 1978 with an Avon-sponsored all-women's series, and she continues to enjoy the distance.

"I work full time as a software engineer and have two young kids," Wright said. "It's hard for me to do a lot of training, such as for a marathon, where you really have to focus on mileage."

All of these reasons probably factor into why the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation chose the 5K as its distance for the Race for the Cure, raising awareness and money for research. There are more than 100 Races for the Cure across the country, with the Komen foundation expecting more than 1.5 million finishers each year. Llampa credits the Race for the Cure for the tremendous growth in 5Ks and running in general.

"The overall growth in the past decade can be traced to the 5K," he said. "It's an introductory distance. Definitely, the Race for the Cure has been the biggest catalyst. Race for the Cure picked the right distance, the distance that would appeal to all levels of runners, and it introduced the sport to hundreds of thousands of women."

Women who have continued to run and move up in distances.

5K time

If you want to run a 5K this summer - or one every weekend - you have plenty from which to choose. Here's a list of some upcoming 5Ks in Colorado. For information, visit www.active.com.

• Run for the Future; Sunday; Eagle; 970-328-2327

• Lyons River Run; Sunday; Lyons; www.lyonscolorado.com

• Spirit Sprint 5K; Sunday; Denver; www.spiritsprint.org

• Stadium Stampede 5K; Sunday; Denver; www.stadiumstampede.org

• Firecracker 5K/10K Trail Run; July 3; Colorado Springs; www.csgrandprix.com

• Coal Creek Canyon 5K Fun Run; July 3; Golden; 303-642-3674

• Gore Creek Gallup 5K; July 3; Vail; 303-694-2030

• Firecracker 5K; July 4; Fort Collins; www.footoftherockies.com

• Fourth of July 5K; July 4; Boulder; www.boulderroadrunners.org

• Freedom Run 5K; July 4; Evergreen; www.bkbltd.com

• Block Buster 5K/10K; July 10; Lakewood; 303-275-9341

• Loveland Classic 5K/10K; July 10; Loveland;www.lovelandroadrunners.com

• Run for Hope 5K/3K; July 17; Colorado Springs;www.pprrun.org

• Alex Hoag Run for Sunshine; July 17; Colorado Springs; www.alexhoagrun.org

• Donor Dash 5K/1K/Diaper Dash; July 18; Denver;www.donoralliance.org

• Emily's Run/Walk for Spinal Cord Research; July 25; Denver; 303-694-2030

• Kid's Cure for Cancer Run/Walk; July 31; Englewood;www.kidscure.org

• Granby Gut Buster 5K; July 31; Granby 970-887-3961

• Miramont Sport Center Human Race; Aug. 7; Fort Collins; www.humanracefortcollins.com

• Brian's Run 5K; Aug. 7; Granby; www.briansrun.net

• Fisher DeBerry 5K Run & Walk; Aug. 14; Colorado Springs; 505-880-1414

• Buffalo Run; Aug. 21; Parker; 303-805-1909

• D'Evelyn Dash 5K Run/Walk; Aug. 28; Denver; www.develyndash.com

• Jacey's Race; Aug. 29; Boulder; 303-544-1200

Back to Top