What was the worst race of your life?

Training Advice/Discussion General

2 years ago 09/16/2021 10:27pm EDT

I have a couple:

1. A regional meet during my junior year of XC. Was super muddy and I fell once. I was trying to keep up with my teammate down the final stretch but I just had NOTHING left and my teammate always has this humongous kick and there I was just jogging it in... this guy from this other team is coming down fast down the final shoot but I just don't care and let him pass me which just looked ridicuolous. then I proceeded to collapse and vomit. It was a time where I kinda was still in the stages of my eating disorder so I ate absolutely nothing before than 10am race... I still subbed 17 but it was a terrible experience.

2. dropping the baton in the 4x4. 3rd leg and it completely slipped off my hand. Enough said.

3. I was doing a half marathon with my dad. He's honestly in better shape than I am (he's only 44) and I had to walk around mile 11.5 because I hit the wall around mile 8 and just couldn't keep going.... I just let him go on and finish the race.

2 years ago 09/17/2021 3:09pm EDT

re: sttrunner20

3.5 mile road race. A guy who losing to was embarrassing was in front of me. He was having the race of his life. It was a very windy day. At about 2.5 we made a u-turn, going from monster head wind to a tail wind. Just as I was about to make my move & go past this guy my brain shut down & I quit! I told myself he would come back to me & there was no reason to make an effort. Worst mistake in the book, I underestimated an opponent. I finished one place behind him. The only thing about that race I am proud of is the fact that I made sure that I was the first person to shake his hand & tell him how well he ran.

2 years ago 09/17/2021 3:21pm EDT

re: sttrunner20

I got super out of shape and gained weight in my late 20s. In my early 30s, I decided to pick up running again and run another marathon, thinking I could do it from couch to marathon in 6 months, 40 lbs heavier, several years older and on bare minimum mileage. I found out I was wrong the hard way. I hit the Wall hard at mile 18 and hobbled like the walking wounded the next 8 miles, for a 5:30 finishing time. Lol

Since that painful lesson, I've learned to run consistently, train right and eat better. I ran a 3:13 this year at 47 and I'm hoping to lower that soon.

2 years ago 09/17/2021 4:14pm EDT

re: GettingFasterDude

The last race of my college career. 1984 NAIA Nationals at Wisconsin Parkside. Very muddy. Fell twice.

2 years ago 09/17/2021 5:31pm EDT

re: sttrunner20

I had a training partner who insisted we could run 5:40 miles as he wanted to break 2:30. I kept telling him that was impossible at my current fitness, that I should run 5:50's and could maybe drop down to 5:45 at the half if things were going ok, otherwise after 18 miles or so the wheels would fall off. "What's 5 seconds" he says. He was relentless and making me feel like I would be a bad guy if I didn't help him pace - so we start the marathon off at 5:40's which obviously feels doable and good at first, but, the wheels fell off all right. The last few miles of that race I was having an out of body experience with the cramping and pain, so much pain. I would find myself suddenly walking when I had made no decision to stop running and I had no idea how long I'd been walking for - I would just suddenly "come to" and notice I was walking and then have to force myself to start running again. Total nightmare.

The only good news is his time was worse than mine, but, I will never go out fast in a marathon again, it's marathon suicide.

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