Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Run 5K continuously in training
4–8 weeks for a beginner (3 runs/week via C25K program)
Complete a 5-kilometer run without walking breaks in a training context. No race required at this stage. The goal is demonstrating you have the aerobic base to run the distance before committing to race entry. Complete the run at least 3 times before considering yourself M1-complete.
Proof required
Upload the GPS activity log from a training run showing ≥5K distance with no walk breaks. Confirm this by the pace graph — any significant pace drop below 10 min/km followed by a resumption indicates a walk break. Include average pace and heart rate if available. A training run (not a race) is the correct proof at this stage.
What gets checked
- Distance ≥5K confirmed by GPS — not estimated or self-reported
- Pace graph shows continuous running — no significant stops, walk-break gaps, or dramatic pace spikes consistent with walking
- The run is a training session, not a race — race result comes in M3; this proves training readiness only
Common mistakes
- Counting a walk-run 5K as a continuous run — if you walked any portion, continue C25K; the milestone is unbroken running
- Running one 5K and immediately entering a race — you need to have completed 5K easily at least 3 times before race day; one success is not race-ready
- Using a treadmill with no GPS or foot pod — indoor treadmill submissions must include the treadmill console screenshot showing 5K
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Check the GPS pace graph — a true continuous 5K has a consistent pace line; walk breaks appear as pace spikes toward very slow (2–3 km/h) then resume
- Treadmill submissions: accept if the submitter provides a treadmill console screenshot showing 5K; note that GPS pace graph will be absent
- This is the training milestone — do NOT require a race result; GPS training log is the correct and complete proof
Run a 5K race-pace simulation on a measured course
1–2 weeks after M1 baseline is established
Run a solo 5K at the pace you intend to race — not easy training pace, not an all-out sprint. The goal is learning how race effort feels in your body before committing to it on race day in front of others. Use a flat, measured route or a 400m track. Practice pacing discipline: start the first kilometer slightly slower than target, not faster.
Proof required
GPS activity showing 5K completed at a pace at least 30 sec/km faster than your M1 training pace. Provide the route (Strava or Garmin map link) and a 2–3 sentence note on how race effort felt at kilometer 1 versus kilometer 5. Pace must be consistent — first and last kilometer within 30 sec/km of each other.
What gets checked
- Pace is at least 30 sec/km faster than your M1 training pace — confirms this is a race-pace effort, not another easy run
- Pace is consistent from first to last kilometer — within 30 sec/km between splits
- The route is measured and reproducible — a track or a known measured course, not a 'felt like 5K' estimate
Common mistakes
- Running the first kilometer too fast then dying in the final kilometer — the most common 5K racing mistake; M2 is designed to train you out of it before race day
- Doing M2 on a hilly course — hills distort pace data and make consistent pacing impossible; use a flat or track route
- Not practicing race-day nutrition and hydration — M2 is dress rehearsal; eat and drink exactly what you plan to do on race morning
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Compare M1 pace versus M2 pace — if they are within 10 sec/km, M2 was not a race-pace effort; flag this
- Check pacing consistency: first kilometer versus last kilometer split should be within 30 sec/km
- Route must be measurable — reject unmeasured routes; accept 12.5 laps of a 400m track as equivalent to 5K
Race day — collect your official chip time
Race day: 30–45 minutes for the race, plus travel and registration logistics
Enter an organized 5K race with chip timing, run on race day, and collect your official result. This is the Sport completion milestone. The chip time is the proof — not your Garmin watch, not your phone app, and not a training run. The chip time from an organized race with official results is the only accepted proof format.
Proof required
Official race result showing: your name, bib number, chip time, event name, and date. Provide the race results URL or a screenshot from the official timing service (RaceRoster, RunSignUp, Athlinks, or equivalent). No minimum time required — any chip time from any official 5K race counts.
What gets checked
- Chip time from an organized event with official timing — not gun time, not Garmin time, and not a virtual race
- Bib number visible in the result — confirms you registered, collected your bib, and ran on race day
- Official results URL provided — the result must be independently verifiable by the reviewer
Common mistakes
- Choosing a race that does not have chip timing — some fun runs use gun time only; check the race website for 'chip timing' before registering
- Not collecting your bib in advance — most races require bib pickup the day before; missing pickup means you cannot start
- Race-day anxiety preventing the start — if you completed M1 and M2, you have the fitness; the chip time is the only thing that matters after the finish line
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- This is the Sport completion milestone — a chip time from an organized race is required; training run times, virtual races, and self-timed results are NOT accepted
- Verify the results URL is accessible — open it at review time; results pages do not expire
- No time standard is applied — any chip time from any official 5K race counts; do not reject on pace grounds
- Bib number must be visible in the result — this is the only verifiable proof the submitter was physically present at the race