Better to DNF a marathon due to injury or finish with a terrible time?

I should have had my BQ two years ago. But I also got in the 4 hour range because of injury.

I will not go back to weighing 108 pounds. I am now 155. I hate feeling lean at 155, and I can’t imagine what made me go to 108 pounds I was a freak!

Don’t do it if you’re going to injure yourself more. But know that you already can do it.

Brokedik wrote:

I have a marathon coming up, and I can barely run 5 miles without excruciating pain in my knee. I have had it checked out, and I won't do it any further damage if I do try to run 26.2. But, in the very likely event that the pain persists, is it better to drop out due to injury or finish with a 430-500 hour time (for a 3hr marathoner)?

Why would you even start? Sounds like a colossal waste of time, effort and money (if you have to travel.)

Brokedik wrote:

I have a marathon coming up, and I can barely run 5 miles without excruciating pain in my knee. I have had it checked out, and I won't do it any further damage if I do try to run 26.2. But, in the very likely event that the pain persists, is it better to drop out due to injury or finish with a 430-500 hour time (for a 3hr marathoner)?

Neither. It would be smarter to DNS.

'nother vote for DNS

I also doubt highly that the run will not actively damage you further, or at least further damage

Or least delay recovery/healing. Running a marathon is a huge toll on the body even when you are 100% healthy.

If It's not a pain that goes away after half a mile, just DNF or DNS. Just take a few days off and see how it feels.

Brokedik wrote:

I have a marathon coming up, and I can barely run 5 miles without excruciating pain in my knee. I have had it checked out, and I won't do it any further damage if I do try to run 26.2. But, in the very likely event that the pain persists, is it better to drop out due to injury or finish with a 430-500 hour time (for a 3hr marathoner)?

Even if it doesn’t cause further damage, which I can’t imagine is true running 26.2 in excruciating pain, but you will most likely start compensating and changing your gait leading to other potential injuries. Not worth it in my opinion.

As a 2:45 marathoner, I just ran Boston. Had some IT-band quad issues flare up in the past 3 weeks. Felt great over this past weekend. Decided to start Boston and made it through the half way at 1:20. Then at 15 miles, the IT-band just blew up. Let's just say I limped home in just under 4:00. Of course, I had the world asking me "What happened?" Then had to explain 100x what happened.

I am paying the price for it today; so much pain. Not proud in any way. Had it been any other marathon, I would have DNS or stopped half way (DNF).

Do it like this guy:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/15/us/micah-herndon-boston-marathon-crawl-finish-trnd/index.html

Run as far as you can and crawl the rest. Write a book, get a TV show and retire as a millionaire.

Or just do what every reasonable runner would do: Not start and let the body heal.

Seriously? Don't even bother, take the DNS route call your losses and focus on therapy and recovery. If your knee goes OTS (Out of Service) you will live to regret it.