Most embarrassing race stories?

I took a wrong turn at a 5k. It was a decent sized race (@1000 participants), but not particularly competitive. I was on pace for @17:30-40. It was mostly an out and back course. On the way back, I knew the last turn was a right turn about a half mile from the finish. I was pretty much by myself with no one in sight in front of me when I saw a bunch of cones set up to make a right turn onto the street. There were no volunteers on the course to direct runners and no cops watching the intersection, despite the race being in a very big city. I took the turn and ran to the finish. My time was 16:40. I knew that something went wrong and then the guy who was behind me finished and told me that I turned early. The embarrassing thing was that the competition was so weak that 16:40 would have won the race. I went right over to the timing tent to let them know that they needed to take my time off the results. When I got there, the timing guy/race director had already figured that out and thought I was going to argue that I won the race. Before I could open my mouth, he starts yelling at me about how I cut the course and was DQ-ed. But a few minutes later, a steady stream of runners start taking the same wrong turn. The timing guy/RD got chewed out by the organizers and a few dozen other runners for not putting anyone on the intersection to direct runners.

My most embarrassing racing moment wasn't necessarily my fault. This was last year in a collegiate 4x400 race. My team consisted of me (15/5k guy), a fat and out-of-shape 400 hurdler, a 3:58 1500 guy, and the slowest guy on the team (9:40 3k guy). We were our schools "D" team and we were in the second heat with other schools' B and C teams.

First off, we had a pretty decent team to start, but due to some "injuries" from my school's A and B team, some people were moved up to the faster squads. The slowest guy did the 1500 really early that day and had been asking alllll daaayyyy to be on a 4x400. The kid would not get out of my face. Well we got kinda desperate so we finally decided to let him on. Terrible choice.

The 3:58 guy knew what type of shirt-storm our relay team was, so he opted to go first and right off the bat we were in contention with the rest of the teams. The out-of-shape hurdler (used to be top of the conference, but due to alcoholism couldn't even break 75s in the 400m hurdles when he was a sub57 guy.) dropped us to the back of the pack. Maybe 50 meters behind everyone else. First guy was 52.low he was ~60.high.

Here is where my mistake came in. I figured the slow guy would, well, run slow. Maybe a 60, so I would be the anchor and try to get us back into contention.

The kid runs a 76 for his split. A seventy-freaking-six. I was literally 180 meters behind everyone else. Before I got the baton I was able to watch my teammates on the B and C team run right up to the 200. So I get the baton and by the time I role around the homestretch there are people walking all over the track thinking the last event had concluded. But no, there I was charging through looking like an idiot. I've never really received pity claps before until that day. As I finished I just wanted to yell "this wasn't my fault!".

Next relay that 76er was in, they made him last so everyone else could enjoy competing.

I contemplated just dropping the baton on the exchange and just be like "Oh well!" But my coach wanted me to get a split.

I've never had an embarrassing race. Because I'm awesome.

ProfessorJumboJ wrote:

Mine would probably be when I was in high school I was anchoring in the 4x4, and when I received the baton my team was in first place, and I kept the lead all the way until the last 50 meters when the kid in second place passed me. After I finished I was pissed so I spiked the baton on the ground and it ended up taking a weird bounce and bouncing onto the track. Our team got DQed because of that and I was known as "DQ" for the rest of high school.

Teddy? Is that you???

Caucasians are the most embarrassing race. I apologize for being one.

Running an Army APFT 2-miler, my buddy and I (both on our Company Run Team), to be jerks, held hands crossing the line (remember: this was the Army). All heck broke loose.

We got DQ'ed for "assistance."

Not really embarrassing; kinda funny, actually. In fact, to be superjerks, we then smoked a coupla cigarettes and ran it again, even faster. Nothing to write home about, just a little sub-10 but, again, this was the Army, where something like 15 minutes is sufficient.

High school Jr in 1971. My 1st ever indoor race was an 880 on an 11lap to the mile track. Went out so hard that I went through the 1st qtr in what was then a 440 pr even for outdoors. Was hurting so bad that during the next half lap I ran out the exit, without slowing down, until I got outside. I had made an on the spot decision that I'd rather face the wrath of my coach than to die mercilessly in front of 5000 spectators. I learned a valuable and humiliating pacing lesson in that day!

jewbacca wrote:

I've never had an embarrassing race. Because I'm awesome.

All of my races are embarrassing because I am not awesome.

These are some of the best stories I have ever seen.

I don't feel so bad at all now... in comparison to some of you people.

Oh my.

Dude, did you mistype his 3k PR? If his 3k pr was 9:40 then he literally split his relay 400 one second faster than his 3k pace. Did he fall on his ass during the relay or something?

I'm in a 5k race there there is this kid, hard to tell his age, but maybe 10 or 11. I'm in my 40's and the kid and I are battling each other in the race. He passes me with some momentum with a 100 meters to go. The crowd is cheering this kid like crazy.

Well the kid for some reason slows up right a step before the finish line. He wasn't that tired I think he just thought the race was over. I was closing in on the kid from behind and he didn't know it and I jumped in front of him right at the end and beat him.

I would like to say I taught him a lesson to run through to the finish but the truth was that everyone in that crowd thought I was a jerk. And they were right.

jewbacca wrote:

I've never had an embarrassing race. Because I'm awesome.

Did you ever have an embarrassing post? I'm guessing yes.

I think Dog the Bounty Hunter had one of the most embarrassing race stories.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8gkX4ODYNM

I ran a 5k last summer and it took me more than 15 minutes. I was so humiliated that I didn't stay around for the award ceremony (even with that slow time, I may have placed in my age group). I won't even race in that town anymore because everyone would laugh at the slow hobbyjogger who can't even break 15:00.

not my proudest wrote:

I'm in a 5k race there there is this kid, hard to tell his age, but maybe 10 or 11.

Ha! You reminded me of another race: Bisbee AZ (elevation 5500'): THe Bisbee 1000: "The 5k that feels like at 10K."

Bisbee is built on the sides of a canyon; the race is up and down the town's many staircases (hence the 1000.... steps).

Winning time (previous year) was around 33 min. 33 min? Yeah baby: I'mma ROCK this race! Or.... not.

I honestly don't remember my time (it sucked), but I *do* remember the ~12-year-old girl that kept bounding past me on the upwards. I'd slam the downs and pass her, only to have her bounce by me on the next staircase:

*boing* *boing* *boing*

Eventually I was pulling myself up by the railing.

I think I caught her at the end, but I may be mis(wish)remembering.

Back in the late 90s, I got to pace Paula Radcliffe in a domestic 1500m here in the UK.

Anyway, I was obviously going too slow and got spiked and tripped out at about 500m.

The weirdest thing was I ended up needing stretchered off as my whole calf was pretty badly injured.

What you get for trying to help out.

it happens! wrote:

Back in the late 90s, I got to pace Paula Radcliffe in a domestic 1500m here in the UK.

Anyway, I was obviously going too slow and got spiked and tripped out at about 500m.

The weirdest thing was I ended up needing stretchered off as my whole calf was pretty badly injured.

What you get for trying to help out.

That seems to happen a lot when people are just trying to help out Paula Radcliffe. Just a

Do you think so? You sure are mis(wish)remembering.

I was the ~12 year old girl who destroyed you. You are a pathetic and slow old man. You are also also a big liar.

And by the way...I was 8 1/2 at that race.

Haha. This thread is great.