Who has the worst marathon blowup story?

no one wrote:

Isle of Palms marathon. 15 miles: 1:30:15. 26.2 miles: 2:57. Stopping once or twice to drink from lawn sprinklers during final miles.

I assume you're talking Isle Of Palms, SC? I lived there for one of my co-ops... couldn't imagine they'd hold a marathon there. The island is pretty small. Unless it was before Kiawah (sp) existed?

85 NYC, skylon? Me too... oh yeah...

heard lots of terrible stories, like jtupper - I went to watch a friend run Columbus Marathon, she passed the 6 mile marker in 2:50 and ended up running a 2:58....she was making this running motion, but it wasn't really forward, sort of side to side bounding or something...

I once ran my first marathon at sub 2:30 pace up till 20 miles and then Blew up like you would not beleave. I took 1 hr and 9 minutes to run the last 10k. However I finished. Why am I suprized as I had never run more then 14 miles in my life. Thats what happens when a track miler trys to run the marathon without proper prep.work. I learned my lesson big time.

2003 NYC 1:27/1:52. Quads were EXTREMELY painful by 11 miles. That's what happens when you do 23 miles hard 3 weeks before the race.

I have never run a marathon nor do I plan to any time soon, but when I was ten years or 12 years old can't quite remember I hit the wall big time on a training run. One day I was going for my usual 3 mile run, which i only did every other day, and decided to try and go a little bit further. Well I made it about 7.5 miles and could have just ran home the 1.5 miles that was left to reach my house and been fine, but I decided to go another way instead. After approx. 2.5 miles of more running I completely hit the wall. I had no idea what was going on and what was worse was I was about 4 miles away from my house. so i just sat down for a little why and tried to think of how in the hell i was gonna get home. I think it took me 2 or 3 hours to walk home, having to stop and sit constantly because i could barely walk. When i finally got home my mom was on the phone with the police because she thought i had been kidnapped. about three hours later and after some cereal and a capri sun i went to soccer practice and played for 2 hours ahhh to be young again.

After not running for a year or so I want to qualify for the 100th Boston. Being the former collegiate cross country and track runner I think, how hard can it be. I pick Vermont City, train for 10 weeks going from zero to a high of 60 with an average of 42.

Most weeks, longish run 16-22 and a long workout; tempo or repeat miles. Did a 38:00 10K 3 weeks before marathon. I think...3:10, no problem.

I'm on 2:50ish pace through 10, then up a steep hill to 16. Hmmm...That doesn't feel so good. Starts to warm up, I start to slow down.

By 20, all thoughts of sub 3 are long gone. I'm shuffling down the path. I still think I can run 3:10 with 2 miles to go.

Still slowing, sharp turns near finish, sharp pain in hamstring. Can't put pressure on right leg. Takes me 3 minutes to "run" the last 200 yards and 3 months to recover: 3:18.

I'll never try another one without 6 months of 60-80 mile weeks in the bank.

Well all 3 marathons I've attempted have sucked.

Apr 02 1:51/2:46

Sep 02 1:46/2:04

Apr 03 1:45/1:57

Never in 28 years ran a good one...Even throwing in 100 mile weeks from time to time......I remember thinking in the middle of a few "Man, I wish I were running the half today..I'd run great"...only to trudge in the full marathon.

1994 Toronto marathon, I was 1:28 at halfway and finished in 4:02.

I have never run a marathon with a time of 2:53. i beleive the race you ar talking about was Boston marathon 1990. I pull out after i rapture my achillies tendon, it tolk me the all year to recover

spring 20005

1:24/1:41

27 minutes for last 3.2km

I believe that was Boston in 1990? I don't remember who it was, but it was a first time marathoner who went out at WR pace and didn't take any fluids for the first 10 miles or so.

Lion is a Fox wrote:

I saw the splits of one of the Reebok kenyans at the time (I think I. Hussein won) but anyway, this guys splits were 1:02 through halfway (He ran with J.Ikangaa) and finished with a, get this, 2:53

no one wrote:

this 'no one' is not me . . . of other posts on 'letsrun' I don't know what 'Isle of Palms' is and I don't have any marathon blow-up stories. thanks

Thanks for pointing that out no one, I was starting to get worried.

In 2001, my friends dared me to go out with the leaders for as long as I could and hang on. I was in decent shape at the time, so running 5min pace for a few miles was not a problem -- but I sure wasn't in shape to run that pace for MORE than a few miles.

Anyway, by 5mi, I was about 10meters from the lead pack and the pace caught up with me. I kept running and my legs felt like jello, slowing to about 7:30 miles. Then just after the 10k mark, I messed my pants. I think it was due to the torrid pace I set at the beginning of a marathon, never having run that fast for 5mi much less at the beginning of a 26mi run.

So, I'm running for another 8mi with s*** coming down my leg. It was actually somewhat interesting since it gave me some entertainment while the other runners commented. I was in such pain that I needed SOMETHING to take my mind off the cramping. Problem is, I started chafing around the s*** and then my dick started bleeding like Uta in '96.

Needless to say, Newton was HORRIBLE. By then, my nipples were as red as a SWEET VW Jetta, boyz and my quads were non-existent. I walked from 18mi into the finish and came across the line in Copley Square JUSt before they closed the course officially.

Funny thing is that I now drop a doogin in my trousers at the gun every time I toe the line for a marathon. It makes for some interesting conversation along the run.

old guy II wrote:

In my only marathon attempt in 1985 I trained abut 60-70mpw with no run longer than 12-13mi before the race. On a very hilly course I went through 20mi in 2:10 and then ran 1:15 for the last 6.2mi. It was, as they say, a learning experience.

gosh that almost sounds like you did the hansons program ;)

10k 0:42

Half 1:36

Full 4:23.37

Doubt I'd have finished if I'd had a clue where I was or what I was doing. Completely blacked out.

Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! This is the lesson learned.

One year later:

10k 0:41

Half 1:24

Full 2:49.80

He was winning the race by a large margin with a few miles left. Everyone was in the stadium watching Bannister and Landy and so the water stations weren't manned like they should have been and no one told him he could have taken it easy and won.

There's a great picture of him on the track in "Lore of Running" with Chris Brasher screaming at him while he's about to fall over.

Mr. Hussien, it is an honor to have you visit the message board. What have you been doing these last few years?