Garmin Run Indonesia 5K

Before the Race

My first standalone 5K race. Target: sub-22 minutes, set back in December 2024. By race day my training suggested sub-21 was realistic, so I adjusted the goal downward.

Race Day

Went out at 4:00/km pace and held it through the first 2 km. The third kilometer was the hardest — the course had a slight incline and the pace started to drift. I pulled it back by shortening my stride and increasing cadence instead of pushing harder with each step.

Final kilometer: full commitment. Crossed at 20:32, a 4:06/km average. Sub-21 on a virgin 5K race distance.

What I Took Away

The 5K is deceptively painful. Long enough that you cannot sprint, short enough that every second of pacing error shows up in the finish time. The race confirmed that my speed work — intervals and tempo runs — was translating to race performance.