True or false: For most, DNF (Did Not Finish) is preferable to DFL. Certainly that’s the case at the U.S. Olympic Trials

The coolest DFL award goes to Jaymee Marty - who cut off her cast prior to the start- and was DFL in 2012. Incredible. I mean that's WAY better than dropping out.

How about this quote: “To have some notoriety as DFL was a big deal, too,” Marty said in our conversation. “It’s like, OK, if you’re not going to be in the top three, being last is also noteworthy.”

I greatly enjoyed the article. I got injured after qualifying for the 1992 Trials marathon, but figured I might never have another chance so I'd go and hope for a miracle. The miracle didn't occur, and I had the distinction of being the very first dropout--I limped about a mile before giving up. For me, DFL would have been a very bad idea, and they probably would have closed the course long before I made it in. But I have to admire those folks who gutted it out with their injuries.

Even if i'd managed to qualify for an Olympic Trial it's very unlikely I'd have been making my living from running. Qualifying would have been the high point of my running career and I'd have finished come hell or high water. If it meant I'd be useless at races for a couple months, who cares? But if I'd been making my living pulling down some prize money every other week maybe I'd see it differently.

it's an interesting concept, and i would think most athletes would have their point where they take this risk injurywise. most of us may never be back to a trials or a world meet if we ever made one. if you get hurt training, being there is an honor, you may never repeat, and it would be lame to say you qualified but didn't try. so i think you have to "get in the blocks" and go as far as the legs hold. which may be 10 yards then fall over and grab the hammy, to be real. but part of the honor is being there. which you don't get if you're not.

in terms of an ordinary meet, this would be stupid, particularly if this costs you conference or nationals or trials or olympics.

in terms of a handful of top elite athletes, this would be stupid, because they will have another chance. if lyles tweaks a hammy he's not going to the olympics or trials just to give it a go. you have to protect the moneymaker and trust you have another chance. so it's kind of a marginal tactic.

along those lines, to the extent we're talking DFL as tactical risk as opposed to DFL as injury consequence, it would likewise be dumb for an elite athlete but more viable for a marginal one. how much should an elite athlete "gamble" on tactics with DFL risk? that's more of a "6th place finisher's game." that you go to the lead so you get on tv or as a calculated risk that something amazing happens. but i would think the mantra of most elite athletes would be not to do anything crazy. jakob and hassan sit at the back of the pack and let the DFL folks take the early crazy risks. they save their energy and put you away later.

Since completing a marathon is so physically debilitating, quitting because you're having a bad race is more acceptable and perhaps intelligent than in a 10k or shorter race where you can recover within a week or far less, easily. Quitting a 10k or shorter race not due to injury could mean you're just soft/weak minded. But generally putting in ample training for these events requires dedication and persistence, which are admirable and helpful qualities for any person.

If you can garner an appearance fee at an upcoming marathon, it is illogical to stay in the race.

If this is your one shot to compete at the trails, I’m walking to the finish line!

i did a couple world pro circuit level events in my new sport and briefly had a world ranking from it. the second one i was having a pinched nerve issue. i went ahead and competed on "may never be back" principles -- and i haven't been -- but my critique of DFL would be i fought like heck for every competitor i could get past. so while i took the injury risk i kept my tactics vanilla and tried to maximize finish. so i finished mid-standings. i get the argument here injurywise but as tactics, unless i had a previous Big Deal Event banked, i would actually want to compete as well as i could, even if it meant not taking "frontrunner" type risks, which i kind of view as show-pony or nihilistic.

cause to me if i am healthy and i go out too fast and then blow up and finish last, that's embarrassing, or a laughing anecdote how bad your strategy went. if i go to that event i don't want to be the eddie the eagle story. i want to win but failing that make some others look silly and finish last. sorry dude.

I agree with DFL is better than DNF, unless it’s an injury and you’re a professional runner. Then it’s not worth getting more seriously hurt just to finish.

An immortal DFL:

olympics.com

Marathon man Akhwari demonstrates superhuman spirit - Olympic News

@olympics

The basic facts don't tell the story. John Stephen Akhwari was a marathon runner who represented Tanzania in the marathon in 1968. He didn't win a medal. In fact, he came nowhere near. But, in defeat and in pain, he came to r...

Open link

It may say DFL, but your not REALLY last.

You finished ahead of all the quitters.

I finished a race years ago that Scott Jurek DNFed, I own that dude in head to head competition.

And you finished ahead of all the other DNS people

...and ahead of the 330+ million that couldn't qualify to finish dead last if you paid them.

This is how I look at it. If I'm watching the WC or Games with somebody and an 8-lane final comes on, I make it clear that these are possibly the best 8 in the world. Or at least 8 of the very best. It's misleading to say that one is last place in the world....they're 8th in the world. You know who's last? Some 400 pounder who can't run 100m at gunpoint.

It's straight-up wimpy to DNF unless you've sustained a major traumatic injury.

Sounds like a nice shirt design.

DFL

"But I beat all the quitters."

PS. Update: How does this look?

DFL in this particular race is much better than a DNF. You get in the trials you have to finish. You never know if you will get another shot. This was my one and only, glad I finished even if it was last.

I admire you.