5k’s seem to bring out the competitive juices and people feel like they’re going too slow or feel threatened if people are passing them. So they run at a pace that isn’t normal for them. 95% of 5k participant aren’t trying to win. They’re doing it for fun. But they don’t stick to their normal speeds so they look miserable trying to keep a pace that isn’t in their wheelhouse.

I fall into that trap too. When I round a corner with a lot of on-lookers, I speed up from the adrenaline and because of some stupid need to make them feel like I’m a legit runner when I’m not.