Announcing the Shave Your 5K Challenge

I’ve stated previously that my goal is to get faster this year, and I’ve read countless other blogs where many of you have stated the same thing. With that in mind, I’m announcing the Shave Your 5K Challenge. Here’s how it will work: You’ll enter a 5K race sometime before March 31st ‘08 and you’ll e-mail me your official time, this will be your “stubble time” (i.e. un-shaven time). I’ll keep track of everyone’s times and then we’ll all run 5K’s again at the end of the year which will give you your “smooth time” (i.e. freshly shaved time). Whoever shows the greatest difference between their stubble time and their smooth time is the winner. Before you go getting any brilliant ideas let me clarify that to state the greatest difference in a negative direction wins, loopholers.

Everyone who posts a better time at year-end will be subject to my superfluously lavish praise while anyone who posts a worse time at year-end will have to suffer my stinging wit and sarcasm. But best of all, everyone who supplies me with their blog address will get a link when I post the results, and I know you all want a little link love. It’s what we bloggers crave more than air itself.

Qualifying months for running your stubble time will be from December ‘07 through March ‘08, so you may have already run a race that qualifies you for the Shave Your 5K Challenge. Qualifying months for running your smooth time will be November ‘08 through December ‘08 which means that this challenge will last for the entire year, or longer than 70% of Pam Anderson’s marriages.

Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in two categories: Highest Percentage of Time Shaved, and Most Actual Seconds Shaved. If we have a lot of entrants prizes may also be awarded for 2nd and 3rd place. Real prizes like a “Shave Your 5K” technical running shirt or other highly coveted running booty.

All I ask in return is for some help publicizing the event, so if you plan on entering and you have a blog then please mention it - feel free to steal the graphic from this post.

The real beauty of this event is that it should be easier for newer (or slower) runners to shave minutes off their 5K time than for someone who’s running 18 minute 5Ks, while it will be easier for the 18 minute 5K’ers to shear off percentage points. At least I think that makes sense. Also, you were probably already planning on running 5Ks during the qualifying months so you can enter this event without having to run any additional miles. BRILLIANT!

Official Terms and Conditions
Let me know in the comments if you plan on participating so that I can have an idea of the number of participants that we’ll have. I’ll also start a group over at the Runner’s Lounge to clarify any issues and for general discussion (SY5K Runner's Lounge Group). To enter you must e-mail me your name (or online identity), your 5K time, the name and date of the race.

If you run multiple 5Ks between December ‘07 and March ‘08 then you MUST submit your best time for your stubble time. If you run multiple 5Ks between November ‘08 and December ‘08 you may use your best time as your smooth time. If you’ve already run a 5K this month or in December, you can e-mail me your entry today. Just be sure to update me if you run a faster one before the end of March.

Your 5Ks must be completed as part of an official race and you must use the official time that the race issues. If possible you should provide me with proof of your time.

NO CHEATING. You’re only cheating yourself everyone else who participates, so don’t do it. Cheaters will be persecuted, yes persecuted. I will be checking everyone’s race times, and will be comparing them to your posted training times and any other races you run, I reserve the right to disqualify anyone who submits a stubble time that I feel is significantly slower than it should be. I also reserve the right to disqualify anyone who runs their 5K wearing Nebraska red or Yankee pinstripes. You know who you are.

If you need me to make an exception to these rules and you feel that you have a valid reason, then please e-mail me, I’m a reasonable guy. Reasonably handsome that is.

Update: See the Shave Your 5K Ammendment.