Starting off, if you haven't run consistently for 5 years and someone comes to you and asks if you want to do a 5k in a week, the answer should probably not be yes.
1. If you do decide to do it, though, there are several things that can make it easier. For one, get the right music. This is not the time to be showing off your amazing music sense. Nobody cares. This is the time to play the crap songs you pretend you don't listen to. Because, seriously, the club CANNOT even handle you right now.
2. Don't eat right before you go running. If you eat a granola bar, you will feel like throwing up. I speak form experience.
3. It's ok to yell at people in your head. Just not out loud. If you feel like you need to tell the 75 year-old power walker to BACK OFF. Go ahead. Just don't voice it.
4. You should have a goal. It doesn't have to be a big one. A good goal is to finish. That's a lofty goal. An attainable goal.
5. Lastly, you should have a cheerleader. Mine was a straw giraffe I named Stanley.
Every time I ran past him, he would shake his little straw neck and say "good job, Carrie!" and I would say "thghanksh Schtaghnlay huh huh huh." (I was running. Don't judge me).
