I want you to know that your perspective of “oh no what are my peers going to think” is all wrong. You don’t have time to live a life caring about something so minor. Put on a smile and be a nice person, have a laugh about it, and be content knowing that you are capable of more. It’s just a happy little accident
If your split for the first mile was way too fast, that is what sank your race. Going out too fast in a 5k will sink you every time. Otherwise, it sounds like something is wrong. It is one thing to struggle the last mile of a 5k and lose 20-30 seconds when you are shooting for @21 min, but to completely tank and end up jogging it in is a sign that something isn't right. If you are a high stress person and put a lot of pressure on yourself when you train and race, you may have had an anxiety attack. If you are as free as a bird when you run, you might want to check in with your Dr. to make sure everything is ok. Get an EKG (cheap and easy) and some basic blood work.
I don't believe I've heard someone in high school use the word "mortified". This post is highly suspicious.
carrot wrote:
Literally wrote:
He is a runner not a cowboy.
He is a girl
Either a girl, or a male troll.
No way any male is "crying like a baby" all night over a 5K.
Even in today's America.
Good news for you is that to the general public distance running is the most boring sport full of skinny losers who can’t play any other sports. So everyone probably already has a negative impression about you. But of course if you only have friends who are also distance runner losers then yes, you probably should end yourself because they are going to think even less of you, sorry.
One thing you don't want to do is have your entire identity or self perception tied into your running performances. While running may seem important to you now in high school or college, most people move on to a job or a family and their priorities change. Running may be everything at one point then nothing a year later. Things can change quickly. As for your bad race, use it as motivation to improve and do better the next time. Maybe prove some doubters wrong. But again, I must emphasize not to associate your running performances as a "be all, end all" situation. There's more to life than running.
It is a bad race. But don't get down on yourself that does more damage to your run than anything. My suggestion is to focus on running a solid run without stopping. Quit worrying about the time the time will come. Just be determined to have a solid race without walking or stopping. Then build from there.
ejs10 wrote:
... During the warm ups my quad tensed up...
My alarm bells are on. What did you train the last 4 days before the race? Decribe in detail.
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
It happens. Put it out of your head and move to the next one.
Burrito T Macklin wrote:
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
- Theodore Roosevelt
You must give credit. It's not yours to steal.
Don’t you have other fulfilling things in life beside running for feelings of accomplishment? Serious question. If not, you need to work on that.
You must know you are a hobby jogger and it’s just for fun, so why be moved to tears about a bad day that can happen to the best? Why do you care so much what your friends think? You won’t in ten years. Start already, to not care, that is.
Look up "mamba mentality" or "alphatude"
carrot wrote:
hemorrhoid wrote:
For anyone who’s saying this is too dramatic, you just don’t understand. OP is not being too dramatic at all.
OP—if your training has been going well, don’t change anything. But think back to the last workout you did before this race. If it was a barn-burner, all out effort, chances are you just did yourself in. Especially if the race was in hot conditions, hilly, etc. All that stuff aggregates. For the next race, take it EASY on your runs leading up to it. Maybe even take one workout off between now and then.
Sometimes your best days come right after your worst performances. I know when I ran a 5k TT and it went horribly wrong, the next day I was able to cruise to 14 miles at sub-6 pace like it was nothing. If that’s a similar case to you, then this race was definitely just a rust-buster, a shock to the system.
If instead you’re feeling very fatigued the day after, then you probably hit it too hard leading into the race, so just chill out in workouts and easy runs and you’ll be fine! The fitness doesn’t go away with one race.
Nope, OP is way too dramatic. So are you. It’s just a bad race. As they say in NZ…harden the F up.
Orr norrr did I upset yewrrr