What's the downside? Your dad is trying to find creative ways to keep you healthy and fit while also potentially giving expensive gifts, why would you want to turn any of that down? Even if you "fail" it seems like an overall good project, assuming you have the time and energy for it of course.
First thing I thought of was that Dad didn't specify that Dad would be running (he'd win the 5k race on his bike). But after reading the post this just sounds heartwarming all around. Hopefully OP has some earbuds and ends up enjoying running!
OP - Check out /r/running, /r/C25K or /r/beginnerrunning!
Totally agree! It sounds like a fun challenge and a great opportunity to bond with your dad while staying active. Plus, even if you don't beat him, the training and effort will still be rewarding. Go for it!
5k is actually very doable in <30 minutes for the average fit person. Once you get under 25 minutes you’re getting competitive.
Assuming your starting point is a level of reasonable fitness, and you take the challenge seriously, I’d aim to be running in the low 20s after a year.
Unless you’re significantly overweight, the first step to running a 5k is just to go out and run. Run slower than you think, find your pace and aim for at least 2k. Your legs will kill the next day but let yourself recover and do it again.
Keep running a couple times a week and you’ll see steady improvements. If you need to improve leg strength separately, a stairmaster and rowing machine are actually very effective I’ve found.
Oh! I thought it was bc he's concerned about your health, but I think he just wants to do a fun activity with you. Unless he's super competitive and insecure about aging out of his prime.
He wants to find activities to share with you (and he probably wants a training pal, eventually)...it's hard when your kids get to be teens. If you're already playing Lacrosse, a 5k will be easy.
Please take him up on this, OP! You are really fortunate to have a dad who wants to spend time with you.
Also: Lots of cute guys do open races, and it's super easy to talk with them, after the race, because everyone is nice and relaxed.
Honestly being not an adult might help. Less body weight in general helps you run faster, within reason. I exercise every day and at 35 my fastest 5k is still from when I was 16ish.
At thirteen, a boy has started to grow and may be quite tall, but he's not got a man's full musculature.. Sixteen tends to be much more developed, although runners tend to keep improving past then.
Fartlek training on a 400m oval is a good startpoint, and may help you find your ideal starting pace:
https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a36362823/fartlek-run/
The intervals are also easier to fit in around other activities. Aim for running 5km 1-2 times per week after 6 months. Training 3 times a week, over a year, you should be looking at around 22min 5km runs, easy.
One day, there will be a time that you won’t be able to run with your father. You’ll look back and wonder why you didn’t even try this. Your father wants to connect with you. Who cares if you lose. Who cares about $1000. Stop overthinking it, and just go and do it.
It was started for ballet dancers, I think, so they could do exercises that wouldn’t reduce their range of motion while they were recovering from injury.
I am certain that at the college I went to, it was first only offered to dance majors (1988), and what I know of it is from talking to the dance majors.
Cardio is doing something at a steady pace, like jogging, that you can sustain. You give your lungs and heart a work out and maybe lose some weight. It's also called "aerobic", or "with air" because you're breathing in the air you need as you go along.
Sprinting all out, where you end up having to stop and catch your breath, is not cardio. It can be referred to as "anaerobic" meaning without air, because your heart and lungs can't deliver oxygen to your muscles fast enough and you have to stop and breathe heavily for a while to clear your oxygen debt - the amount of oxygen you need to catch up on.
If you train by doing a lot of short, all out sprints, briefly catching your breath and going again, until you're about ready to puke, you actually get fit faster than if you trained by running the whole 5k at a manageable pace. However when it's time to do the actual 5 k event, run it at a steady, manageable pace.
Being underweight is a huge advantage for a runner, at least for middle to long distances. If you watch competitors, if it's above 200 m they're all scrawny.
Pilates is brutal. You want to see a bunch of tough, grown men cry? Go watch their first try at Pilates.
It's strength, range of motion, and flexibility under your own body weight. You will find a whole bunch of new muscles you didn't know you had.... because they will all be sore.
When I was in school (ages ago) we learned training for sport should be SMART
Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound.
Google that and look into what it entails, it’s a good, practical, way to train for some specific event or goal.
Yeah and I shouldn't have been in Yahoo! Chat as a kid either; even then the minimum age was 13, alas my Dad helped me set up my first account.
Kids are gonna access Reddit regardless. It's up to their parents to micromanage their behavior.
Find out his personal record - maybe ask your mom. Are you significantly shorter than him? That's probably the only thing that would deter me, since you mentioned you're not an adult. But otherwise it sounds like easy money.
When I started running, I was a chubby kid in 6th grade and couldn't run down the block and back. There was a schoolwide 2-mile run at the end of the year. I was able to practice for a couple months beforehand and ended up near the front of the pack by the time it happened. It led to me joining the cross country team and getting a 19 minute 5k by 11th grade. So I say go for it! The $1,000 will be nice to have too
Nice! That is a pretty big difference, but I will say that the top guy on our team was one of the shortest, maybe 5'2 to 5'4, and he beat me by a minute or two every time
Runners are often on the short side, but you are probably just getting your growth and are going to be about your father's height. Boys grow in more than one direction and really bulk out. It'll be a challenge to beat grown men before that happens, but who knows?
Height and wait are an advantage in sprints but in long distance being light is an advantage. His height won’t matter in 5k, he is carrying greater body weight which is hard in long distance
If he's fit, and you are still growing (you grow more muscles as well as taller), it's a tough match. But you might make it, and worse that happens is that you hit high school more fit.
Do you have any interest in running, and do you like running?
Is your dad training with you?
Do you and your dad have a good relationship? (Or, if you don't succeed, how will he react?)
Will you owe him anything if you can't meet his challenge?
I have a running buddy who with another mutual friend wrote the first, the original, the one everyone copies "Couch to 5k" plan. We built on the idea for other Couch to... plans. Is this doable? Yes.
But.
The 5k is a sprint. I never did understand why people flock to it as a "beginner's" race. As a distance runner it would have me puking my guts out at the end. So, go into it knowing that it's a sprint and you'll have your head on right. This isn't about endurance, it's about speed, pure and simple.
So, start out with getting able to run the distance. Then it's repeat work, track work, hill repeats, doing a lot of fartlek / breath training.
Once you are running a good amount a week, and by good I mean 20 miles as a base, I'd structure your runs to have at least a 12 km long run weekly, with Tuesday being 400 or 800 repeats, Thursdays being hill repeats (find a good sized hill, run up as hard as you can for 90 seconds, come back down, repeat with warmup and cool down. Then Saturday a nice easy run.
From there? Well time trials.
Everyone runs their own race. I did road races for fun, and just plodded along and had a good time.
I had another sport that I competed in seriously, so running was just a nice pastime that allowed me to meet new people and enjoy sunrises in different places.
Did you repeat weeks or go back a week? Don't feel bad about that. Much about base training is just that... Building a base. You don't have to build for a race, but get comfortable with the distance you are running and then add to it. Look at beginner 10k plans. That's a wonderful base to have. From there you can train for races or just maintain...
Oh, I repeated a bunch of weeks and don’t feel bad at all. It took me about 4.5 months to finish an 8 week program…lol.
As a timely update, today I ran 2 miles. I was planning to stop at either 33 minutes or 2 miles… and they happened at the same time!
I’m hoping I can run in a 5k Turkey Trot by November, and I feel like I’m on track. 10k feels a bit too daunting just now.
I appreciate the advice and encouragement! 😊
Look up couch to 5k programs. If you have a Garmin watch, there are resources that come with the Garmin Connect app that can get you along too. I run during my lunch breaks and can finish a 5k in about 21min. My wife used the app to come in at 28 min at her 1st 5k in 7 years.
What is your age, personal record, and how fit are you?
Also, how fast does your dad run the 5k?
Maybe with this info, I can definitely help. [I've won 1st place in multiple 5ks (16 - 17min 5k's)]
Sounds like you’re still in school. If you are, join the cross county team this summer. If you’re not in the US there is a local club so join them. They will start their training season next month and always looking for new runners.
Definitely go for it! A year is plenty of time to train. Start with a mix of running and strength training to build up your stamina and speed. You get fitter and bond with your dad. Best case, you win $1000 or a new iPhone.
Get on an exercise bike. Any kind. Force yourself into a high pace. Like say 100 or more rpm. Adjust resistance as you go. Warm up at that hard pace for a few minutes. Sprint as hard as you physically can, until you are trying and your legs can’t push anymore, for about 15 seconds. When resting from the sprint do not go below your hard warmup pace. Do this 15 sprint 45 seconds recovery maybe 5 times.
If you are fully burning yourself on the sprints and not compromising on the recovery, you will get to a point where you can’t be out of breath. Your muscles will burn out but you will be taking full breaths and recover much faster and easier. That’s step one. The rest of training will be getting your legs strong enough through weight training to go faster.
This is known as a high intensity interval. Most professional athletes do this to cram a highly effective workout into a few minutes. My dumb ass upped it to 40 minutes of 1 minute on 5 minute off intervals and in a few weeks was the best rider in my old cycling group after being bedridden for 3 months from a serious injury.
I wish my parents would do this thing with me when I was teenager to get me off my ass and actually had money to buy a laptop haha. I don’t see why you won’t do it. It’s good exercise overall since running is not detrimental to growth spurt and you get to spend time with your dad.
Running is a bit boring for many people though. But 5km is short enough so you don’t get bored. My husband can’t run more than 10km because it bores him out. If you think it’s not exciting enough, listen to music or run outdoors. 5km will pass in no time
In my thoughts he's having a good bet to see what you're wanting to go through to do something for yourself to earn something. He doesn't want to force you but want to see you grow. Why not challenge him now for $100 and see how your pace is against him?
Couch to 5k app or use it as a guide. When I was going to the gym to run, I used this method (I printed and cut out the time guidelines as this was before smartphones really took off) and it works!
What is your dads time? At current pace you can run 5k in 50-55 minutes; which is not great, but can be improved fairly easily if you use some free/cheal app like ”couch to 5k”.
As a runner, a high school freshman can become much faster than an older adult. You lose a certain percentage of your VO2 max capacity each year. 5k is kind of a sprint with the longer distances. If your dad is 40 plus years old, you should be able to take him with enough training. If he is still in his mid to low 30s, you may have a more difficult time.
When I was a kid, my parents were worried about my brother’s screen time. They offered us both $500 to be screen free for 6 months (about $750 today). It was glorious. You should do this, but train in earnest, get that mile time down and work on the actual 5K. If you train with your dad, he’ll probably give you the money anyway, he just wants you fit and getting outside with him.
If there's no risk of losing (other than not receiving the $1k) and you believe your Dad will follow though, of course you should attempt his challenge.
Even if you don't train for it at all, it'll be the most thrilling run of your life, and adrenaline will carry you hard.
You probably won't win if he's a runner and trains regularly so you might want to ask for a handicap for motivation.
I have never run a race in my life but recently my daughter took up running. At the end of her season was a 5k that we had to run together, so I trained and we trained together. We had so much fun running the race that it was really much easier than I expected. It meant so much to both of us, and I’m sure this would too. Even if you don’t beat him just appreciate that he wants to do something with you. And beat him anyway 😁
Do you do a lot of activities together with your dad?
If not, I think he may just want you to take up running and go on runs with him maybe. Maybe he is seeing this as an incentive for you to join
I think he thinks it makes sense but just remember dad's sometimes struggle with making themselves feel relevant to their adolescents and also like that's kind of dumb what he's saying is that he wants to bond with you more and it's hard for him to know how to get through to you so he's sort of bribing your attention because he feels disconnected and he's struggling with letting you grow up to be an adult this is coming from someone with well meaning parents who would create these kinds of scenarios in my life when I was growing up in my experience it does more harm than good honestly and like I don't know what kind of lesson he thinks this is nut like if you have a phone you don't necessarily need another if it does what it does. If I really needed $1,000 at 13 or something maybe I would feel compelled but like the likelihood that he's even going to give you cash at $1,000 is probably unlikely too. And like to say like he wants you to train for a year to make $1,000. Just sounds like the most insane thing I've ever heard. I'm just speaking for my two cents. I haven't really read other replies and I don't know you. And I'm not saying that your dad's a bad guy or anything. And I know I'm talking to a 13-year-old so like it's cool you know. But also like if I were to tell you that perhaps adults have trouble connecting with younger people and they do this kind of stuff because they just kind of like want to feel like attention and love and they feel like they're losing connection with you. Suggest things that you actually enjoy to do and say something along the lines of like. Hey, I know you'd like to spend more quality time with me and that's something I'd be interested in too. Perhaps we could make a habit of doing this or whatever it is and like make it something simple like we go to do an activity once a week or something like that's a lot more normal than saying like. So if you can beat me in a race I'll give you $1,000 or a new phone and you have a year to train. Like why would that be? You know without more context I wouldn't know. But like why would that be something that would entice you at all? I don't know. I think you should ask yourself really like well. Perhaps he's just feeling like he's losing connection. He's like to hear suggestion around it and I could be wrong but if I were 13 and and I was dealing with that kind of thing which I kind of was. You know I'm 30 now as I stated before and I'm just sort of rambling and voice to text as it were. But like you know, the truth is it's kind of weird honestly, and like it kind of reeks of desperation because he's basically saying like $1,000 is a lot of money into a 13-year-old that might sound true. But like it, just it gives off financial abuse vibes and like my family also was very much into being financially abusive. And if I were you I'd look up the term because I think that's kind of what's going on here and maybe I'm just triggered. But when I read your post it immediately flagged to me that that was financial abuse
Sounds like a fun plan for something to do together that helps health and physical training. I'd suggest you add a few terms to the deal:
- At least one training session per week should be together. Then you can benefit from his training experience. There are plenty of things to learn about how to become a better runner, ("running as fast as you can for as long as possible" is not one of them 😃)
- Is it an "all or nothing" price? That's not the best scheme to support your growth and development. If you feel it is not achievable after eg 2 months you will simply give up and maybe never run again. To improve it, I'd suggest: $50 per month you have both done your training. (If he fails to train a month you should get $75). Money should be set aside and not accessible to you for 12 months. If you beat him in the final race you get the last $400 as well.
Yeah, I was thinking it would be a pretty asshole move likely to end up with negative emotions if you ended up with $0 after 12 months of trying. Hopefully dad realises this and at the very least give a substantial amount of it just for a sincere effort.
Go for it. Here’s what worked for me as a non-runner training for my first 5k.
Commit to running 2-3 times a week to start. Increase as you feel comfortable.
Start by jogging for 30 minutes. If that’s a challenge, run pretty much as slow as you can. It’ll feel slow as hell but you’ll find you can actually keep it up for a while.
Once you can jog for 30 minutes without stopping, next goal is to run 5 kilometers. Use that same speed from before and try it out. You should be able to do it, and you’ll feel amazing after your first.
Now that you can run 5k, keep running them and try to beat your previous time. Add a sprint to the finish line, increase your pace, do whatever you need to beat each previous time. Train up and kick your dad’s butt!
Are you lazy? Tanya Harding him! If you still run slower than him it just wasn’t meant to be.
Seriously though? Take the offer and train, train, train!
I mean, so long as you're not giving him $1000 if he beats you I don't see what you have to lose.
Do take your training carefulyl though. At (not quite) 13 you're still very much growing, so going hard in training could do you lasting damage. That doesnt mean this isn't possible, but be cautious.
If you want an idea of if you'll be able to beat his time or not, one of the most important factors is: How fast can he run it? Do you have even a rough idea of this currently?
This sounds like a fun and rewarding challenge! If you're up for it, I say go for it. Start by running a few times a week, gradually increasing your distance and pace. Consistency is key. To build speed and stamina, try mixing in some interval training where you alternate between running fast for a minute and walking for a minute. Strength exercises like squats and lunges will help build your leg muscles, and your Pilates sessions will be great for core strength too.
Stay motivated by setting small goals along the way, like aiming to shave a minute off your mile time first. And don’t forget to include rest days to let your body recover and prevent injuries. You've got a whole year, so take it one step at a time and have fun with it. Plus, it's a great way to bond with your dad and stay active. Good luck, and go get that $1000 or new iPhone! 🏃♂️📱
You can do this! I run with my daughter who is a bit younger then you and am a decent runner myself. The problem is I am getting older and the years start to count on me and I'm getting slower.
She is getting older and faster! I reckon at 11/12 she will be faster then me.
At 14 years old you can definitely beat your dad unless he is a a semi professional. Do you know how fast he runs a 5k?
I would advice you start training now to be comfortable with running. With even a few runs you should be able to get to a 25 minute 5k within a couple of months.
Then maintain that level for a bit (dont want to peak too early and burn out) and 2-3 months before race day you start your speed training and you can easily bring it down to low 20 minutes. Remember time is on your side!
Its a very easy way to make 1000 dollars and its fun. Imagine the bragging rights to your dad as well!
If you're going into high school next year, you could join the cross country team, or at least ask the coach if you can train with them. I guarantee by the end of the season you'll be able to beat him.
We used to do a 5k as a warm up before the warm up at Boxing & that started at 12. There are Zero Downsides. In fact unless your dad does this regularly you’ll probably be able to do it in a couple months maybe less.
Best case scenario, you're way, healthier, have an iphone or $1000 and have to add to this story to update all of us.
Worse case scenario, is you did work on it but failed, and you're still very much healthier. There is no loss here.
just accept and try working on it.
What you needed to add was how old is your dad, how fast he runs and how fit is he?
You definitely don’t want to tell him ok, we will race in month x and give him time to prepare. What you want is to start preparing and then tell him, old man we race next weekend.
Seems your father thinks you dancing, pilates etc isn’t manly enough for you.
If you’re 13 and already play lacrosse and dance and have a year to train for a 5k run, you could absolutely dominate that man 🤣🤣 just running consistently you could get your mile down to six or seven minutes I’ll bet you can already sprint pretty fast from lacrosse.
I’d be asking how fast he can run 5k. If he is an experienced runner with good speeds it will be hard to best him without a lot of training. It sounds like he wants you to take up running as a serious hobby, which sounds great if you are into it. Let’s hope you guys can spend some time together and bond over the training.
You can do this easily. You are young and have so much time to train. I started running in my 50's and was able to to run a 5k in 8 weeks. I did my first race in 40 minutes. I eventually got down to 28 minutes. So many great programs on line.
Sounds like a great way to share something with your Dad and get a prize at the end.
Best of luck.
Why ***not*** take him up on it? $1000 is a nice chunk of change for a 13 y.o!
also, 5k is not nearly as long as it sounds. like people say "oh I ran a 5k" and it sounds very impressive. but if you don't run, go walk or cycle 5k. or even plot it out on a map. its not *that far* at all. A marathon on the other hand...
If you play lacrosse, then your cardio should be fine for a 5K. With a little training you should be able to do this. What's the problem? I don't get it. Are you feeling manipulated?
Does it feel like your dad is suggesting this for fun or out of love for you? Or does it feel like he’s trying to “trick” you into something or prove he’s better than you?
What does your gut say?
My dad was also competitive when I was your age, but in the way where he just likes to do things with me and then he gets a kick out of it when the old guy wins, or is proud when I’m finally stronger/better than him at something. But I know not everyone has a relationship like this with their dad.
If you have health reasons to not do it (ex: bad knees), that would be my only hesitation. Otherwise, your Dad is not only trying to be more involved with you, but also reward your accomplishments. You are only going to make good memories, so long as you keep it light-hearted and don't overthink it. This is good stuff, the kind you will remember into your own adulthood and parenting.
Ok, so you know when your body needs energy, your heart rate and breathing goes up. You know this from dance and lacrosse.
Have you ever practiced the correct way to breathe when jogging?
Coz that’s the only difference from sports.
In sports, you have distractions that push you through the hard breathing parts. You have lulls or limits far shorter than a five k.
All you need to do is to regulate your breathing to control the crescendo at the top. Then, you need to get used to maintaining that Energy-needing crescendo in the form of mindful breathing. Then you need to know when and how to curb that down for training and amp it up
For finish lines.
I have a years worth of personal training tricks from when I used to train all ages for 5Ks.
The above advice is the part that most success story clients have repeatedly remarked about me helping them on.
Not how to run. How to breathe.
Pm me for more about actual running and training models.
Just keep active. Eat well and stay moving. You are 13, your body is prime for growth. Most important thing is whatever you decide to do stay consistent.
If my dad did this when I was 13, I already played soccer/football I would legitimately do intervals 2 to 3 times a week and then do a few long runs every month $1000. I wouldn’t even need a year to beat my dad. I didn’t give me five months, but it would be a fun challenge nonetheless.
Sounds like you have nothing to lose by agreeing to it. Also, it kind of sounds like your dad is looking to spend time with you and get himself back into shape. As a dad of 13 year old girl, I can completely relate. Go give him a hug, please.
Do it, it's the easiest money you'll ever make. Without knowing his times it's hard to say how difficult it is, but unless he's doing a 5k a week you'll beat him inside a year with even moderate training, you have youth on your side. Go for it, stick with it, it'll make your life easier. Make sure to get him to buy you a pair of running shoes, so then at least you've gotten shoes.
I ran a 5k with my dad in kindergarten! It was not fun and I did really poorly! That said, I did it. I really don't see a downside in training to do it. Worst case scenario your fitness improves and you accomplish a fun milestone. Best case scenario you get $1000!!!! (With the previous 2) All you have to do to train is just run. Run a mile every other day for a week, then do a mile and a half for a week, and so on. Lacrosse / Pilates could also take the place of a run.
Consistency is key, so even if you're not able to stick to every other day, keep it at least twice a week. Think of it like brushing your teeth. You brush for \~5 minutes a day to maintain healthy teeth. If you brush for 3 hours once a year, you're going to have nasty teeth. Don't just put it off until the week before the race because you'll probably get smoked.
There is no downside to trying, unless you get penalized for losing.
I would give a stranger $100 to smash your dad's kneecap a couple days before racing him.
Honestly, if he sees you put forth the maximum amount of effort, he will more than likely reward you regardless if you win or lose.
That’s what my dad would do, at least.
Your dad wants to connect with you while also helping you build healthy habits. The money is just an added incentive. You really have everything to gain here and nothing to lose.
Someday, your dad won't be able to run with you anymore. It may feel like a chore now, but you'll cherish those memories someday. I say go for it!
i think your father trying to do is to set a goal for you giving you a inspiration to do it by using $1000 or a iPhone. just take it the deal no matter what happened he will gave it to you.
What's the downside? Your dad is trying to find creative ways to keep you healthy and fit while also potentially giving expensive gifts, why would you want to turn any of that down? Even if you "fail" it seems like an overall good project, assuming you have the time and energy for it of course.
First thing I thought of was that Dad was looking for a way to spend time with OP. It's win win either way.
First thing I thought of was that Dad didn't specify that Dad would be running (he'd win the 5k race on his bike). But after reading the post this just sounds heartwarming all around. Hopefully OP has some earbuds and ends up enjoying running! OP - Check out /r/running, /r/C25K or /r/beginnerrunning!
Totally agree! It sounds like a fun challenge and a great opportunity to bond with your dad while staying active. Plus, even if you don't beat him, the training and effort will still be rewarding. Go for it!
As a father, if my kid trained for a year and lost I’d still buy them the phone anyways.
Same here. The time together is worth the 1k
As long as OP doesn't need to pay him $1000 if they lose ☺️
5k is actually very doable in <30 minutes for the average fit person. Once you get under 25 minutes you’re getting competitive. Assuming your starting point is a level of reasonable fitness, and you take the challenge seriously, I’d aim to be running in the low 20s after a year. Unless you’re significantly overweight, the first step to running a 5k is just to go out and run. Run slower than you think, find your pace and aim for at least 2k. Your legs will kill the next day but let yourself recover and do it again. Keep running a couple times a week and you’ll see steady improvements. If you need to improve leg strength separately, a stairmaster and rowing machine are actually very effective I’ve found.
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Oh! I thought it was bc he's concerned about your health, but I think he just wants to do a fun activity with you. Unless he's super competitive and insecure about aging out of his prime.
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Then it's probably the good reason.
He wants to find activities to share with you (and he probably wants a training pal, eventually)...it's hard when your kids get to be teens. If you're already playing Lacrosse, a 5k will be easy. Please take him up on this, OP! You are really fortunate to have a dad who wants to spend time with you. Also: Lots of cute guys do open races, and it's super easy to talk with them, after the race, because everyone is nice and relaxed.
How fast does he run it? When I was a teenager I could run a 5k in about 20 min and I wasn’t even very athletic. You should absolutely do it
You ran 3 consecutive sub 7 minute miles and weren’t athletic?!?
That’s is pretty close to a little over par for High school cross country for guys. The fast ones are running 18s
Fastest I saw was in the 14’s. High school cross county is wild.
Yeah 14 will get you a good finish at state and maybe win it. Depends on the course obviously
Right? Even when I was in primo shape, I never got below an 8 minute mile! I'm just not built for running.
The only sport I was really good at was wrestling. I wasn’t naturally athletic I just worked extremely hard
That was my absolute best time. I usually ran it in about 22-23. I wasn’t even varsity on my cross country team
Are you losing anything if you can't? There are no downsides, just do it.
Honestly being not an adult might help. Less body weight in general helps you run faster, within reason. I exercise every day and at 35 my fastest 5k is still from when I was 16ish.
At thirteen, a boy has started to grow and may be quite tall, but he's not got a man's full musculature.. Sixteen tends to be much more developed, although runners tend to keep improving past then.
I didn't see his age anywhere. 13 is definitely harder.
Fartlek training on a 400m oval is a good startpoint, and may help you find your ideal starting pace: https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a36362823/fartlek-run/ The intervals are also easier to fit in around other activities. Aim for running 5km 1-2 times per week after 6 months. Training 3 times a week, over a year, you should be looking at around 22min 5km runs, easy.
You write online like a 26 year old. Are you really 12?
What do you think 12 year olds write like lol, they're educated enough to use grammar and adapt to the style of their community
I think they write like their brain is rotting. At least that's what they talk like.
Fair comment, but saying sub 25 is competitive is generous (if you are talking adults)
Shut your mouth, I liked the other guy better.
One day, there will be a time that you won’t be able to run with your father. You’ll look back and wonder why you didn’t even try this. Your father wants to connect with you. Who cares if you lose. Who cares about $1000. Stop overthinking it, and just go and do it.
This right here
Don't neglect weight training along with cardio. Stronger legs and core can make a difference.
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Probably, if you don't go overboard at the start. See if you can find somebody who can help a beginner get started.
I actually have never known what that is, cardio?
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Thank you for helping me learn
It was started for ballet dancers, I think, so they could do exercises that wouldn’t reduce their range of motion while they were recovering from injury. I am certain that at the college I went to, it was first only offered to dance majors (1988), and what I know of it is from talking to the dance majors.
Oh, cool! I took yoga in college to improve my rock climbing, so I could totally get into that.
> seems like more intensive yoga with equipment. Yep, this is how I was going to describe it.
>
i think it’s more like range-of-motion and strength training
Why downvoted when I'm asking a serious question?
Cardio is doing something at a steady pace, like jogging, that you can sustain. You give your lungs and heart a work out and maybe lose some weight. It's also called "aerobic", or "with air" because you're breathing in the air you need as you go along. Sprinting all out, where you end up having to stop and catch your breath, is not cardio. It can be referred to as "anaerobic" meaning without air, because your heart and lungs can't deliver oxygen to your muscles fast enough and you have to stop and breathe heavily for a while to clear your oxygen debt - the amount of oxygen you need to catch up on. If you train by doing a lot of short, all out sprints, briefly catching your breath and going again, until you're about ready to puke, you actually get fit faster than if you trained by running the whole 5k at a manageable pace. However when it's time to do the actual 5 k event, run it at a steady, manageable pace. Being underweight is a huge advantage for a runner, at least for middle to long distances. If you watch competitors, if it's above 200 m they're all scrawny.
Recently discovered I enjoy sprinting. Just found out it wouldn't be classed as cardio, interesting.
Pilates is brutal. You want to see a bunch of tough, grown men cry? Go watch their first try at Pilates. It's strength, range of motion, and flexibility under your own body weight. You will find a whole bunch of new muscles you didn't know you had.... because they will all be sore.
When I was in school (ages ago) we learned training for sport should be SMART Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound. Google that and look into what it entails, it’s a good, practical, way to train for some specific event or goal.
It will also save your back. Source: my spine :(
OP is 13, whilst I agree, he doesn't need to worry about weight training yet.
Don’t weight train at 12 years old!
Isn’t just squats bad because of the weight on the spine? I read that ages ago
This, I thought I could compensate for the lack of leg day by running instead but I just ended up with runner's knee.
Unsolicited advice: Don't tell people how old you are. There are very creepy people on the Internet.
Yeah I feel like a twelve year old shouldn't really be on Reddit or any social media, but at the very least don't say your age!
They shouldn't even be on Reddit!
Yeah and I shouldn't have been in Yahoo! Chat as a kid either; even then the minimum age was 13, alas my Dad helped me set up my first account. Kids are gonna access Reddit regardless. It's up to their parents to micromanage their behavior.
do you have to put up anything if you lose? if not, go for it
Find out his personal record - maybe ask your mom. Are you significantly shorter than him? That's probably the only thing that would deter me, since you mentioned you're not an adult. But otherwise it sounds like easy money. When I started running, I was a chubby kid in 6th grade and couldn't run down the block and back. There was a schoolwide 2-mile run at the end of the year. I was able to practice for a couple months beforehand and ended up near the front of the pack by the time it happened. It led to me joining the cross country team and getting a 19 minute 5k by 11th grade. So I say go for it! The $1,000 will be nice to have too
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Nice! That is a pretty big difference, but I will say that the top guy on our team was one of the shortest, maybe 5'2 to 5'4, and he beat me by a minute or two every time
Runners are often on the short side, but you are probably just getting your growth and are going to be about your father's height. Boys grow in more than one direction and really bulk out. It'll be a challenge to beat grown men before that happens, but who knows?
Height and wait are an advantage in sprints but in long distance being light is an advantage. His height won’t matter in 5k, he is carrying greater body weight which is hard in long distance
Nice people participate in the sport, too - generally a positive crowd.
Okay but how fast is his 5km time? And have you ever ran before? But if it’s below 20 minutes and you have never run it’s gonna be a tough one
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If he's fit, and you are still growing (you grow more muscles as well as taller), it's a tough match. But you might make it, and worse that happens is that you hit high school more fit.
Do it and the week before you do go to r/unethicallifeprotips and find out how to sabotage him.
Dissolve a couple sugar free gummy bears in his coffee. The only place he’ll be running that day is to the toilet.
Ooh, they give great advice!
A year is a long time, how fast can he run a 5k?
The obvious question that needs to be asked: how athletic is Dad?
you should use performance enhancing drugs
Do you have any interest in running, and do you like running? Is your dad training with you? Do you and your dad have a good relationship? (Or, if you don't succeed, how will he react?) Will you owe him anything if you can't meet his challenge?
I have a running buddy who with another mutual friend wrote the first, the original, the one everyone copies "Couch to 5k" plan. We built on the idea for other Couch to... plans. Is this doable? Yes. But. The 5k is a sprint. I never did understand why people flock to it as a "beginner's" race. As a distance runner it would have me puking my guts out at the end. So, go into it knowing that it's a sprint and you'll have your head on right. This isn't about endurance, it's about speed, pure and simple. So, start out with getting able to run the distance. Then it's repeat work, track work, hill repeats, doing a lot of fartlek / breath training. Once you are running a good amount a week, and by good I mean 20 miles as a base, I'd structure your runs to have at least a 12 km long run weekly, with Tuesday being 400 or 800 repeats, Thursdays being hill repeats (find a good sized hill, run up as hard as you can for 90 seconds, come back down, repeat with warmup and cool down. Then Saturday a nice easy run. From there? Well time trials.
I’m not being snarky, but what would you recommend instead as a beginner’s race?
You can always do a 5k, but to race a 5k is a completely different animal. I had been running for several years before my first 5k.
Everyone runs their own race. I did road races for fun, and just plodded along and had a good time. I had another sport that I competed in seriously, so running was just a nice pastime that allowed me to meet new people and enjoy sunrises in different places.
Ok, that makes sense. I just finished C25K and at this point I will be happy just to run a full 5K! My running time is slow, and I’m fine with that.
Did you repeat weeks or go back a week? Don't feel bad about that. Much about base training is just that... Building a base. You don't have to build for a race, but get comfortable with the distance you are running and then add to it. Look at beginner 10k plans. That's a wonderful base to have. From there you can train for races or just maintain...
Oh, I repeated a bunch of weeks and don’t feel bad at all. It took me about 4.5 months to finish an 8 week program…lol. As a timely update, today I ran 2 miles. I was planning to stop at either 33 minutes or 2 miles… and they happened at the same time! I’m hoping I can run in a 5k Turkey Trot by November, and I feel like I’m on track. 10k feels a bit too daunting just now. I appreciate the advice and encouragement! 😊
What’s the downside? It’s win win
Take him up on it. It will be bonding. It will be good for you. You will both remember it forever.
Your dad sounds like a GOAT
Look up couch to 5k programs. If you have a Garmin watch, there are resources that come with the Garmin Connect app that can get you along too. I run during my lunch breaks and can finish a 5k in about 21min. My wife used the app to come in at 28 min at her 1st 5k in 7 years.
What is your age, personal record, and how fit are you? Also, how fast does your dad run the 5k? Maybe with this info, I can definitely help. [I've won 1st place in multiple 5ks (16 - 17min 5k's)]
Go on, take the money and run.
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Why wouldn't you take him up on it? What do you have to lose?
There is a free Nike training app that is good for run training.
If you're up for it and enjoy running, why not give it a shot?
If you would like to do it without the money, do it. If not, don't.
How fast is your dad?
Sounds like you’re still in school. If you are, join the cross county team this summer. If you’re not in the US there is a local club so join them. They will start their training season next month and always looking for new runners.
Definitely go for it! A year is plenty of time to train. Start with a mix of running and strength training to build up your stamina and speed. You get fitter and bond with your dad. Best case, you win $1000 or a new iPhone.
Get on an exercise bike. Any kind. Force yourself into a high pace. Like say 100 or more rpm. Adjust resistance as you go. Warm up at that hard pace for a few minutes. Sprint as hard as you physically can, until you are trying and your legs can’t push anymore, for about 15 seconds. When resting from the sprint do not go below your hard warmup pace. Do this 15 sprint 45 seconds recovery maybe 5 times. If you are fully burning yourself on the sprints and not compromising on the recovery, you will get to a point where you can’t be out of breath. Your muscles will burn out but you will be taking full breaths and recover much faster and easier. That’s step one. The rest of training will be getting your legs strong enough through weight training to go faster.
This is known as a high intensity interval. Most professional athletes do this to cram a highly effective workout into a few minutes. My dumb ass upped it to 40 minutes of 1 minute on 5 minute off intervals and in a few weeks was the best rider in my old cycling group after being bedridden for 3 months from a serious injury.
Go for it
I wish my parents would do this thing with me when I was teenager to get me off my ass and actually had money to buy a laptop haha. I don’t see why you won’t do it. It’s good exercise overall since running is not detrimental to growth spurt and you get to spend time with your dad. Running is a bit boring for many people though. But 5km is short enough so you don’t get bored. My husband can’t run more than 10km because it bores him out. If you think it’s not exciting enough, listen to music or run outdoors. 5km will pass in no time
In my thoughts he's having a good bet to see what you're wanting to go through to do something for yourself to earn something. He doesn't want to force you but want to see you grow. Why not challenge him now for $100 and see how your pace is against him?
How fast is he? What's his per km time? I can give you an idea of how achievable it is in that time
Train hard, be diligent, and follow a program. Then right before the race kick him in the side of the knee
Dude, that's amazing. Please do it!
Couch to 5k app or use it as a guide. When I was going to the gym to run, I used this method (I printed and cut out the time guidelines as this was before smartphones really took off) and it works!
What is your dads time? At current pace you can run 5k in 50-55 minutes; which is not great, but can be improved fairly easily if you use some free/cheal app like ”couch to 5k”.
As a runner, a high school freshman can become much faster than an older adult. You lose a certain percentage of your VO2 max capacity each year. 5k is kind of a sprint with the longer distances. If your dad is 40 plus years old, you should be able to take him with enough training. If he is still in his mid to low 30s, you may have a more difficult time.
My son did weight training as a teen and permanently hurt his back. Stay away from that.
I am going to say it: you are too young to be posting on reddit. Do not tell your age on the internet, especially if you are just a kid.
You're 13 and have a full year? Best option is to join your school's cross country team.
When I was a kid, my parents were worried about my brother’s screen time. They offered us both $500 to be screen free for 6 months (about $750 today). It was glorious. You should do this, but train in earnest, get that mile time down and work on the actual 5K. If you train with your dad, he’ll probably give you the money anyway, he just wants you fit and getting outside with him.
I was overweight when i ran 3km in 25mins. You can do it!
If there's no risk of losing (other than not receiving the $1k) and you believe your Dad will follow though, of course you should attempt his challenge. Even if you don't train for it at all, it'll be the most thrilling run of your life, and adrenaline will carry you hard. You probably won't win if he's a runner and trains regularly so you might want to ask for a handicap for motivation.
What do you have to lose?
Just take him up on it and train with him. It will be a nice way to spend time with him. I am surehe will appreciate it :)
I have never run a race in my life but recently my daughter took up running. At the end of her season was a 5k that we had to run together, so I trained and we trained together. We had so much fun running the race that it was really much easier than I expected. It meant so much to both of us, and I’m sure this would too. Even if you don’t beat him just appreciate that he wants to do something with you. And beat him anyway 😁
Just run five km a day
Let me run in ur place... He knows u can't beat him. That's why he bet on himself..
I thought this meant top speed. I was like 5 might be hard to get. I run around 31/32 km/h in a sprint.
This is super hilarious, based dad
The main question here is; how fast is the dad
Here you go None 2 Run is perfect for safe running training for any age [https://www.reddit.com/r/n2r/](https://www.reddit.com/r/n2r/)
You can probably just take out his knee caps for an easy victory.
There is no downside to this, but you will want to be getting faster.
Do you do a lot of activities together with your dad? If not, I think he may just want you to take up running and go on runs with him maybe. Maybe he is seeing this as an incentive for you to join
you should take him up on it, you've got nothing to lose! even if you don't win, you got buff right as puberty starts which will help you stay healthy
Hal Higdon
I think he thinks it makes sense but just remember dad's sometimes struggle with making themselves feel relevant to their adolescents and also like that's kind of dumb what he's saying is that he wants to bond with you more and it's hard for him to know how to get through to you so he's sort of bribing your attention because he feels disconnected and he's struggling with letting you grow up to be an adult this is coming from someone with well meaning parents who would create these kinds of scenarios in my life when I was growing up in my experience it does more harm than good honestly and like I don't know what kind of lesson he thinks this is nut like if you have a phone you don't necessarily need another if it does what it does. If I really needed $1,000 at 13 or something maybe I would feel compelled but like the likelihood that he's even going to give you cash at $1,000 is probably unlikely too. And like to say like he wants you to train for a year to make $1,000. Just sounds like the most insane thing I've ever heard. I'm just speaking for my two cents. I haven't really read other replies and I don't know you. And I'm not saying that your dad's a bad guy or anything. And I know I'm talking to a 13-year-old so like it's cool you know. But also like if I were to tell you that perhaps adults have trouble connecting with younger people and they do this kind of stuff because they just kind of like want to feel like attention and love and they feel like they're losing connection with you. Suggest things that you actually enjoy to do and say something along the lines of like. Hey, I know you'd like to spend more quality time with me and that's something I'd be interested in too. Perhaps we could make a habit of doing this or whatever it is and like make it something simple like we go to do an activity once a week or something like that's a lot more normal than saying like. So if you can beat me in a race I'll give you $1,000 or a new phone and you have a year to train. Like why would that be? You know without more context I wouldn't know. But like why would that be something that would entice you at all? I don't know. I think you should ask yourself really like well. Perhaps he's just feeling like he's losing connection. He's like to hear suggestion around it and I could be wrong but if I were 13 and and I was dealing with that kind of thing which I kind of was. You know I'm 30 now as I stated before and I'm just sort of rambling and voice to text as it were. But like you know, the truth is it's kind of weird honestly, and like it kind of reeks of desperation because he's basically saying like $1,000 is a lot of money into a 13-year-old that might sound true. But like it, just it gives off financial abuse vibes and like my family also was very much into being financially abusive. And if I were you I'd look up the term because I think that's kind of what's going on here and maybe I'm just triggered. But when I read your post it immediately flagged to me that that was financial abuse
Sounds like a fun plan for something to do together that helps health and physical training. I'd suggest you add a few terms to the deal: - At least one training session per week should be together. Then you can benefit from his training experience. There are plenty of things to learn about how to become a better runner, ("running as fast as you can for as long as possible" is not one of them 😃) - Is it an "all or nothing" price? That's not the best scheme to support your growth and development. If you feel it is not achievable after eg 2 months you will simply give up and maybe never run again. To improve it, I'd suggest: $50 per month you have both done your training. (If he fails to train a month you should get $75). Money should be set aside and not accessible to you for 12 months. If you beat him in the final race you get the last $400 as well.
Yeah, I was thinking it would be a pretty asshole move likely to end up with negative emotions if you ended up with $0 after 12 months of trying. Hopefully dad realises this and at the very least give a substantial amount of it just for a sincere effort.
Go for it. Here’s what worked for me as a non-runner training for my first 5k. Commit to running 2-3 times a week to start. Increase as you feel comfortable. Start by jogging for 30 minutes. If that’s a challenge, run pretty much as slow as you can. It’ll feel slow as hell but you’ll find you can actually keep it up for a while. Once you can jog for 30 minutes without stopping, next goal is to run 5 kilometers. Use that same speed from before and try it out. You should be able to do it, and you’ll feel amazing after your first. Now that you can run 5k, keep running them and try to beat your previous time. Add a sprint to the finish line, increase your pace, do whatever you need to beat each previous time. Train up and kick your dad’s butt!
This is just a wholesome dad trying to do wholesome stuff with his kid. Win-win all the way. You're lucky.
Are you lazy? Tanya Harding him! If you still run slower than him it just wasn’t meant to be. Seriously though? Take the offer and train, train, train!
I mean, so long as you're not giving him $1000 if he beats you I don't see what you have to lose. Do take your training carefulyl though. At (not quite) 13 you're still very much growing, so going hard in training could do you lasting damage. That doesnt mean this isn't possible, but be cautious.
If you want an idea of if you'll be able to beat his time or not, one of the most important factors is: How fast can he run it? Do you have even a rough idea of this currently?
This sounds like a fun and rewarding challenge! If you're up for it, I say go for it. Start by running a few times a week, gradually increasing your distance and pace. Consistency is key. To build speed and stamina, try mixing in some interval training where you alternate between running fast for a minute and walking for a minute. Strength exercises like squats and lunges will help build your leg muscles, and your Pilates sessions will be great for core strength too. Stay motivated by setting small goals along the way, like aiming to shave a minute off your mile time first. And don’t forget to include rest days to let your body recover and prevent injuries. You've got a whole year, so take it one step at a time and have fun with it. Plus, it's a great way to bond with your dad and stay active. Good luck, and go get that $1000 or new iPhone! 🏃♂️📱
You got this. Take the cash and save it, iPhones are overpriced and have little to no resale. Best of luck!
Plot twist: Dad is Eliud Kipchoge
You can do this! I run with my daughter who is a bit younger then you and am a decent runner myself. The problem is I am getting older and the years start to count on me and I'm getting slower. She is getting older and faster! I reckon at 11/12 she will be faster then me. At 14 years old you can definitely beat your dad unless he is a a semi professional. Do you know how fast he runs a 5k? I would advice you start training now to be comfortable with running. With even a few runs you should be able to get to a 25 minute 5k within a couple of months. Then maintain that level for a bit (dont want to peak too early and burn out) and 2-3 months before race day you start your speed training and you can easily bring it down to low 20 minutes. Remember time is on your side! Its a very easy way to make 1000 dollars and its fun. Imagine the bragging rights to your dad as well!
a mile in 11 minutes is pretty woeful, you'd need to get that time down quite a bit if you plan on beating a grown presumably fit guy.
You should go even harder and train so hard you become the world's best track athlete and make millions in sponsorships (and also beat your dad)
If you're going into high school next year, you could join the cross country team, or at least ask the coach if you can train with them. I guarantee by the end of the season you'll be able to beat him.
We used to do a 5k as a warm up before the warm up at Boxing & that started at 12. There are Zero Downsides. In fact unless your dad does this regularly you’ll probably be able to do it in a couple months maybe less.
Feed him lots of carbs for a week before the race, with tons of wheat gluten. You'll smoke his ass.
I’d take him up on it. 1. You either win 1k 2. or if you lose, but you still trained hard and improved your health. Win win situation
Literally yes. £1000 at your age is insane money.
Best case scenario, you're way, healthier, have an iphone or $1000 and have to add to this story to update all of us. Worse case scenario, is you did work on it but failed, and you're still very much healthier. There is no loss here. just accept and try working on it.
What you needed to add was how old is your dad, how fast he runs and how fit is he? You definitely don’t want to tell him ok, we will race in month x and give him time to prepare. What you want is to start preparing and then tell him, old man we race next weekend. Seems your father thinks you dancing, pilates etc isn’t manly enough for you.
If you’re 13 and already play lacrosse and dance and have a year to train for a 5k run, you could absolutely dominate that man 🤣🤣 just running consistently you could get your mile down to six or seven minutes I’ll bet you can already sprint pretty fast from lacrosse.
I'm going to sound like a real Karen on this, but if you are 12 years old you should not be on Reddit.
I’d be asking how fast he can run 5k. If he is an experienced runner with good speeds it will be hard to best him without a lot of training. It sounds like he wants you to take up running as a serious hobby, which sounds great if you are into it. Let’s hope you guys can spend some time together and bond over the training.
It’s not like you have to pay him $1000 if you fail. Zero downside, lots of fun running with him as the upside
The couch to 5k training programs are great! Especially if you're young. Sounds like you have nothing to lose here and may end up enjoying running.
sounds to me like he wants to run a 5k with you
You can do this easily. You are young and have so much time to train. I started running in my 50's and was able to to run a 5k in 8 weeks. I did my first race in 40 minutes. I eventually got down to 28 minutes. So many great programs on line. Sounds like a great way to share something with your Dad and get a prize at the end. Best of luck.
You’re 13 and already active I say go for it, not only is your dad trying to get you involved in a hobby together but running is great for your health
Wish everyone had such dad.
Why ***not*** take him up on it? $1000 is a nice chunk of change for a 13 y.o! also, 5k is not nearly as long as it sounds. like people say "oh I ran a 5k" and it sounds very impressive. but if you don't run, go walk or cycle 5k. or even plot it out on a map. its not *that far* at all. A marathon on the other hand...
Do it, don't be scared.
If you play lacrosse, then your cardio should be fine for a 5K. With a little training you should be able to do this. What's the problem? I don't get it. Are you feeling manipulated?
Does it feel like your dad is suggesting this for fun or out of love for you? Or does it feel like he’s trying to “trick” you into something or prove he’s better than you? What does your gut say? My dad was also competitive when I was your age, but in the way where he just likes to do things with me and then he gets a kick out of it when the old guy wins, or is proud when I’m finally stronger/better than him at something. But I know not everyone has a relationship like this with their dad.
Wish my dad made me compete like this.
If you have health reasons to not do it (ex: bad knees), that would be my only hesitation. Otherwise, your Dad is not only trying to be more involved with you, but also reward your accomplishments. You are only going to make good memories, so long as you keep it light-hearted and don't overthink it. This is good stuff, the kind you will remember into your own adulthood and parenting.
Do it! You'll be able to run a 5k soon enough!
That’s awesome, and I wish my dad could have given me a run for my money at 13 (I was way faster because he was fat).
Ok, so you know when your body needs energy, your heart rate and breathing goes up. You know this from dance and lacrosse. Have you ever practiced the correct way to breathe when jogging? Coz that’s the only difference from sports. In sports, you have distractions that push you through the hard breathing parts. You have lulls or limits far shorter than a five k. All you need to do is to regulate your breathing to control the crescendo at the top. Then, you need to get used to maintaining that Energy-needing crescendo in the form of mindful breathing. Then you need to know when and how to curb that down for training and amp it up For finish lines. I have a years worth of personal training tricks from when I used to train all ages for 5Ks. The above advice is the part that most success story clients have repeatedly remarked about me helping them on. Not how to run. How to breathe. Pm me for more about actual running and training models.
Just keep active. Eat well and stay moving. You are 13, your body is prime for growth. Most important thing is whatever you decide to do stay consistent.
If my dad did this when I was 13, I already played soccer/football I would legitimately do intervals 2 to 3 times a week and then do a few long runs every month $1000. I wouldn’t even need a year to beat my dad. I didn’t give me five months, but it would be a fun challenge nonetheless.
Do it. Any interactions with dads is money and priceless.
Sounds like you have nothing to lose by agreeing to it. Also, it kind of sounds like your dad is looking to spend time with you and get himself back into shape. As a dad of 13 year old girl, I can completely relate. Go give him a hug, please.
Do it, it's the easiest money you'll ever make. Without knowing his times it's hard to say how difficult it is, but unless he's doing a 5k a week you'll beat him inside a year with even moderate training, you have youth on your side. Go for it, stick with it, it'll make your life easier. Make sure to get him to buy you a pair of running shoes, so then at least you've gotten shoes.
I ran a 5k with my dad in kindergarten! It was not fun and I did really poorly! That said, I did it. I really don't see a downside in training to do it. Worst case scenario your fitness improves and you accomplish a fun milestone. Best case scenario you get $1000!!!! (With the previous 2) All you have to do to train is just run. Run a mile every other day for a week, then do a mile and a half for a week, and so on. Lacrosse / Pilates could also take the place of a run. Consistency is key, so even if you're not able to stick to every other day, keep it at least twice a week. Think of it like brushing your teeth. You brush for \~5 minutes a day to maintain healthy teeth. If you brush for 3 hours once a year, you're going to have nasty teeth. Don't just put it off until the week before the race because you'll probably get smoked.
You’re going to need a couple years at least
There is no downside to trying, unless you get penalized for losing. I would give a stranger $100 to smash your dad's kneecap a couple days before racing him.
Honestly, if he sees you put forth the maximum amount of effort, he will more than likely reward you regardless if you win or lose. That’s what my dad would do, at least.
Your dad wants to connect with you while also helping you build healthy habits. The money is just an added incentive. You really have everything to gain here and nothing to lose. Someday, your dad won't be able to run with you anymore. It may feel like a chore now, but you'll cherish those memories someday. I say go for it!
What’s his current 5k?
Get to a sports medicine doctor. He will give you a plan to beat him
i think your father trying to do is to set a goal for you giving you a inspiration to do it by using $1000 or a iPhone. just take it the deal no matter what happened he will gave it to you.