Who has the worst marathon blowup story?

In my three marathons I have had the following splits.

1:37/2:13 = 3:50

1:36/2:03 = 3:39

1:43/1:56 = 3:39

The first one was exceptionally brutal. I was coming off a 1:27 half marathon just prior to running. I actually started falling off pace at 10 miles progressively getting slower and slower. I remember at one point about 5k from the finish there was a fat woman wearing tights out for a jog running on the sidewalk beside the race course and she blew past me like I was standing still.

The second race I went out much easier and hit the wall at about 17 miles.

The third one I went out much easier yet in an attempt to avoid the wall and did quite well until about 21 miles. I remember being pleased that I ran the last 10k in under an hour.

my one and only marathon. London 1997 - 1.15 / 1.43.32. The first half was probably my most enjoyable running experience ever while the second half was easily my least enjoyable. I ran a 71min half during my build up but ultimately I don't think I'd done enough mileage.

2004 Boston (86 degrees)

First half split: 1:21 (slower than goal pace)

Second half split: 1:46

Finish: 3:07

I lost 11 pounds from start to finish, and that was with drinking water every chance I could get.

My race at the 2000 LA Marathon has to be the worst blowup ever from a runner who still officially finished:

Splits 1:21 / 4:04 = 5:25

I came through 15 miles still holding a 6:17 average pace but already fading. My next 3 miles averaged 8:50. My last 8.2 miles were at an amazing 24:57 per mile pace. I had one mile with a long stop at a medical station that took 80 minutes. Obviously I was trying to drop out, but there was no transportation back, so I had to walk to the finish once I had recovered to the point I could even do that.

10 years ago I ran a 1:28 half en route to a 4:02. I spent about 40 minutes in the med tent at 27k and then jogged it in from there.

boston

1:12/ 1:35

Baltimore Marathon just 3 weeks ago, I went out sub 36 for the first 6 miles. I was still on pace for sub 3 by mile 18 but the hills started and I exploded. My last 10k, I didn't have a mile under 10 minutes. Most painful 10k ever.

Watching Susan Chepkemei barf her gatorade yesterday at NYC brought back painful memories of Houston January 2004. It was single digits throughout most of New England most of that week. I flew into Houston where it was 75 degrees with 80% humidity. Needless to say, I wasn't ready for that. I was running well through the half (1:26), well on pace for my sub 3:00 goal. I knew I needed to be super-hydrated before the race to deal with the heat/humidity. So I was hitting every fluid station in sight. Around 16 miles, I stopped for some gatorade, I wanted to get going so I chugged it. Bad idea. Sent my stomach into a tailspin. Started running. 2 minutes later stopped. Green gatorade all over the sidewalk. Started running again. 1 minute later. Green gatorade all over the road. This was pretty much the story for the next 2 miles. Felt very dehydrated around 22 miles (I guess leaving the previous 20 miles+ of hydration on someone's lawn would do that) and finished in a very uncomfortable 3:21, my slowest finish to date. What a run.

First marathon ever: Cincinatti, 1:15:00/1:34:00

Walk/jogged the last 10k in 50 odd minutes..:) Calves cramped up and I could barely scoot across the ground.

Alan

2001 NYC - 1:10/1:25

soooooo dehydrated by 22 that i saw cartoon

characters in the trees of central park

I ran Boston, (as a Bandit!) in 1980. My longest training run was 15 miles. On a hot, sunny day, I ran easily, reaching 20 in 3 hours. The last 6.2 took 1:50. I tried to quit a couple of times, but the crowds wouldn't let me. I vomited on the bridge over the Mass Pike near Fenway Park, and then some guy told me,"you got that out of you, now keep going." All I knew was, I had to meet my friend at the finish. So I kept going. By the time I met her there, I could hardly stand. We went into the T, to catch a ride out to Newton, and I couldn't even sit up on the bench. I layed down on the floor of the subway station and thought I was going to die.

Later, I decided that someday I would qualify and run Boston, the right way. It 12 years before I tried another marathon, and five more marathons before I made a qualifer. I ran Boston in 1997, finally reaching my big lifetime running goal.

Good for you guys for sticking with it. My marathons, just under 2:58 to just over 3:18, all had decent enought splits with some slow down but nothing huge. The only marathon I was just cratering on -- I quit. Still regret it. I shouild have soldiered on like you others.

1:58 at 20 miles, 3:23 at finish. I went from 35th to 275th the last 10K.

My biggest blow up wasn't actually a marathon, instead, I hit the "hugest full blown in your face make you crawl and scream for your mommy" wall of all-time at the 32 mile mark of the 72 mile race around lake tahoe about 1988 or so...was going after the course record and in doing so, ran outta gas somewhere near South Shore...now, as a 2:25 marathoner way 'back in the day', know that I'd experienced a whole lotta wall hitting over the years but back then, I could usually tough it out for another 3, 4, 5 even 6 miles...they might be 7:30s, 8:05s, whatever, but you could manage to negotiate them one light pole at a time...SOooooo, here I am, hitting the wall at 32 and I've sill got 40 freakin miles to go!...let me tell you that THAT made for one long ass day at the office...hardest thing that I've ever ever done! Lends new perspective on just exactly how long you can continue to fight that big old bear on your back...eeeeesh!

MF

PS managed a 10:42 2nd place finish, and STILL might not be fully recovered from that bad boy!

mike fanelli wrote:

SOooooo, here I am, hitting the wall at 32 and I've sill got 40 freakin miles to go!

not the worst marathon blow up story, but surely worthy of some prize.

that is pretty f***ing ridiculous dude. nice job

Didn't Mike Aish run a 51min last 10k in NYC last year. He finished in 2:30ish after a 65min half split. Gotta hurt!

bump

Went out in 1:13, finished in 3:08. Walked most of last 10k. Hadn't gone longer than 15 miles.