I’m doing IMAZ as my first IM and its coming up very soon. The recent post about a DNF made me want to ask others who DNF’d or almost DNF’d what happened and how they handled it after.
DNF’ing at IMAZ is definitely a fear of mine, and I have never DNF’d any race.
If anyone has any tips or stories that maybe I could learn from, that would be awesome. I know the usual train and make sure your nutrition is spot on, but I understand sometimes race day brings you circumstances you just can’t overcome.
Also, if you DNF’d was it because you weren’t going to be happy with your time, or because no matter what, you could not physically go on?
First off, don’t worry about this unless it actually does happen.
I’ve never done an IM so this is a better question for someody else, but IMO a DNF is no disgrace. Sometimes it happens. Better to quit if you have to and regroup for another day.
Funny post. This is probably the first step to DNF in your first IM. You are already preparing yourself with excuses to use on raceday when the tough gets going.
Sorry, but this is probably the best answer for this post you could get, might change your mindset.
17 hours is a really long time. If you’ve done any sort of reasonable training, having the fitness to finish is not that difficult. Swim 90 minutes. bike 7:30 (15mph) and walk the marathon in 7 and you can stop and have a taco along the way.
Unless you have a terminal bike malfunction or some sort of major physical problem, no sweat. If anything will stop you, it will be your mind before your body. My advice there is just keep going until they tell you it’s ok to stop (they’ll be hanging a medal around your neck)
Yeah I DNFd my first IM. I got cooked at the GFT last year. Not everything is under your control. The heat waas just too much. My rational when I stopped was I can stop now and be OK tomorrow or go for another half hour and get out of the hospital next week. As far as handling failure, it’s only a race, and my wife is happy to have me around the house again.
I would stop worrying about it…you will know on race day whether or not it’s smart to continue. My best advice is that hydration and nutrition are a very large part of the battle…forget to drink and/or bring in enough calories, and you will be a hurtin’ unit. If you nail those two things, and remember to stay in the “now” and not think about what’s ahead, you will do fine. If you start to hurt a little, and start thinking about how much farther you have to go, then you break down mentally and start thinking about stopping.
Take a look at the book Becoming an Ironman. It’s a series of stories of first time IMs, split into groups including DNFs. It also includes first timers who had stellar performances, average joes, etc. It’s a good, inspirational read that just happens to include some folks who DNF’d at their first for multiple reasons.
But you are going to do great! It will likely be easier than you think.
Don’t try anything new on race day that you haven’t used in training. Ruined my second IMC in 87 by putting on the new Scott DH bars the week of the race and by 100 miles I was cramping so bad I couldn’t pedal. (also partially caused by #2 below).
Nutrition/hydration. Nothing ruins your day quicker than not eating and drinking and being able to digest it. Was having my best IM race ever in IMC 88 through 5 miles of the run before realizing I was really hot and no matter what I did (drinking, ice, sponges, sitting in the shade at 5mile aid station), I couldn’t cool off. Never got delirious, but decided it might be a good idea to stop at that point. I never quite got the nutrition thing back then and NEVER drank enough (but did get a nice 6 liter IV and chicken soup dinner courtesy of the med tent). I will definitely be drinking more now that I’m back in triathlons and will probably experiment with a salt-stick setup (or similar) to get electrolytes back in. Those would have helped me immensely back then.
Pacing. Take it easy the first half of the bike. If you blow all your energy in that first 50 miles because you feel great, you can’t get it back. If you still feel great, pick it up on the second half and pac-man lots of cyclists while you’re doing it.
Good luck, but if you are sensible and have done your training, you won’t need it. You’ll be fine.
Thanks for all the responses. Honestly, I have every intention of finishing the race and don’t plan to quit when the going gets rough. I was just looking more for any mistake or lesson to be learned from the others, maybe something unforseen or something a first timer could make as an obvious mistake.
I’m not looking for excuses if I don’t finish and am not sure how well I would handle it. I’m 99.9% confident I will not have to worry about DNF’ing, just that .1% can seem kind of large at times! I have also done the 17 hour math in my head almost daily! I’m not fast, but as long as I keep some sort of forward motion the whole time, I should be in under 17 hours. 16:59 actually looks pretty cool with the champagne and all!!
No matter how bad things get don’t DNF until you’ve sat in the shade for an hour or so. A lot of nutritional problems that seem insurmountable will resolve themselves if you stand down for a bit.
There’s no rush to make it official so wait it out and see if it something you can get through.
I liked the way you phrased your question. You are doing this race as your first IM. I take this to mean that you plan to do more. Perfect attitude. If things don’t go perfectly for you (and they rarely do at an IM) you will most likely still finish and if you don’t it will still be a great adventure and will make a great story to tell.
My advice is go slow and steady the whole way. As long as you’re not worried about making the 17 hours, pace yourself and you will be amazed how many people you will pass in the marathon even if you are doing a slow jog. If you DNF remember it is not the worst thing in the world. You are lucky to have been given the chance to do all your training and to get to the start of an IM. There will always be another one.
A lot of good advice above… particularly the part about having a LONG time to finish.
The only thing I’d add is to simply recognize that you probably will want to quit at some point. You’ll wonder why the hell you’re doing this stupid event. You’ll think that you’d be better off stopping and maybe trying again the next year. You’ll rationalize that a 2.4m swim and a 112m bike are plenty to be proud of and maybe you should just stop there.
You’ve got to decide before hitting the water that you WILL finish. That, no matter what, you are not going to stop until you cross the line. Then, when those periods of doubt arise you can simply just keep putting one foot in front of the other, making small goals for yourself (aid station to aid station, e.g.), and find others to run with and share the experience.
Good luck… enjoy it - there is no feeling like the first time you hear your name called as you cross the line.
If you have 1) done the proper training and 2) you “know yourself” (this happens with proper training) then DNF WILL NOT happen. Take out either 1 or 2 then IMHO you shouldn’t be doing the race. Quite frankly, barring something quite rare ie wreck, flu, etc, I don’t thinking quiting is an option. That is part of the IM lesson. You learn proper self management, to face your fears and deal with them, respect for the time and work you have put in, and above all perserverance. Don’t worry, you will have plenty of tough times to contemplate quiting, but you’ll never do it if you have 1 & 2.
Have fun and go get 'em! I have fond memories since IMNZ was my 1st IM (15 ago) in 1990.
Whilst not an IM, I DNF’s my first half. Hadn’t necessarily done the correct long course training at the time and also had a nutrition stuff up (couldn’t find my gels - for the bike - at the bottom of my back pack pre race). Got major leg cramps on the run. THing is, I ony quit cause I had my mind set on doing sub 5 hours.
Looking back now I kick myself for not having just finished the race to use as a yardstick for future races (I’ve since done another half and IM).
I DNF’d the same half two years later cause I went stupid on the carbo loading the day/night before and woke up feeling dizzy and nauseous. So don’t eat a whole heap more than usual because it’s not required. I regret THAT one because I had the best build up for any of my races and would have smashed my PB. ONly managed o finish the swim and one lap (of 4) of the bike before pulling up.
Unless you’re really physically sick or have a major bike malfunction just slug it out and walk to the finish line (ANY able bodied person can do this) so you can at least say you’ve finished.
You’ll see you’re worrying over nothing. Stop fretting, get on with your training and you’ll be fine.
Don’t allow not finishing to be an option. I went into my first IM at FL thinking “if” I make it out of the swim, I’ll be fine. I missed the swim cut-off by 7 minutes. Making it through the lows is the hardest part of the day, if you’ve done the proper training. You can do it!
