So I DNFed at Surf City half marathon. It’s my first DNF. I don’t do too many events and I’m not FOP, but damn it’s disappointing. Prior to this event I have been a slow runner. Since last Oceanside I have focused on running and my training runs were down in the 8:30’s which is fast for me. I had a training run under 2 hours (albeit with a water fountain stop) and had set my goal between 1:50 and 1:55. My previous best I think was 2:18.
Last week my ankle started hurting, after all this training. I iced it and took NSAIDs and was semi-optimistic.
I ran with two other guys and we were sub-8 min/mi pace. My legs felt great and I knew I coould turn in damn fine PR. My ankle started hurting a mile 5. If the pain didn’t increase I’d be fine but it grew. I thought “I’m a triathlete I’ll fight through this” but by mile 8 I could barely limp to the medical tent.
My two compatriots finished at 1:43 and 1:45 respectively. I would have been right there. Almost 30 minutes off my previous “best.”
I know injury is part of our sport, whether we’re at the front or the back. I know how I think though. I won’t care if the course or weather or incline is different. I know if I look at my Garmin next 1/2 marathon and I’m on pace for 8:28 and not 7:58’s, I’ll feel like I’m failing. I know when I can run again in a few weeks and two miles at 9:30’s or 10:00 min/miles hurts I’ll be pissed off.
I’d appreciate any words on how some of you have dealth with the emotional side of DNF. I worked so hard to and knowing what I accomplished on training runs just doesn’t feel like any consolation.
Overall I had a hard time dealing with it for a few weeks but I know had I kept going I could have done lasting damage. In the big picture, it was the right thing to do.
Bummer… I DNF’d my first IM at April IMAZ, medical issues on the swim. To say it was a HUGE disappointment would be an understatement to say the least. Took me a long time to get over the mental issues surrounding my issues on the swim (one off vertigo), but I just kept at it. Went back in November and kicked its ass (theoretically speaking, of course)
Two kinds of racers. Those that have DNF’d and those that will DNF. It happens. heal up. You have the potential to hit your goal, just have to not feel sorry for yourself and work your way back up.
Like you said, injuries are a part of the sport. Treat them as seriously as you treat your training and you should come out fine on the other side. But yeah, they suck.
I went into a HIM about 3 weeks after my first IM and was on pace to smash my old PR, I didn’t feel great from the time I stepped out of the water though and after about 5k into the run my foot was starting to hurt in a way it had never really hurt before so I pulled the plug about 10k into the run, no biggie I’ll be faster this year anyways and I have no regrets. You’re better off pulling up lame and being able to get right back to training than “gutting” it out and losing months to an injury.
Bottom line, unless its your A race don’t sweat it, just use it as motivation to get faster
just HTFU and heal so you can get back to training
It’ll force me back into the pool. I lost 10 lbs. I fit back into my 70.3 jeans. I don’t want to put the weight back on.
I hate swim workouts. They’re hard to do in front of the television.
I don’t have any A races this year. Surf City was one. Will see if I can fit a Bonneli on my calendar. Between my wife’s EMBA and the kids track & field time is precious.
Our sports culture seems to revile “quitters” but that ignores the reality of endurance events. This is for fun. Hobbling 5 to 10 miles on pavement with an injury is not fun and compounds your injury. What is to be gained by fighting through injury so you can finish with a less than desirable time and more recovery time? I wish I could remember the proverb or whatever about it being ‘better to live to fight another day.’
I’ll tell you how I dealt with a DNF. You HTFU, put it in perspective and realize that there are worse things in life! This is my honest advice and I don’t mean to be disrespectful.
I had my first DNF last year. It was a trail ultra, and I’d never done a trail ultra before. I was unprepared, not to go into too many details, but a rookie mistake like going out to hard was part of the picture. At least in your case it was injury, not foolishness, which stymied you - though I was able to race again a couple of weeks later (an Oly tri, which was great fun), which you would be wise not to do until you have fixed your ankle.
I felt DEFEATED. It was a very keen feeling, which could only be answered by preparing to do it right next time. The knowledge of that defeat gives me a focus I haven’t had before, and a determination to train very specifically on an appropriate scale. I’ve grown to revel in my defeat, which has taught me things that yet another success couldn’t have, and given me a new kind of hunger.
Maybe a wee bit OT:
I’ve done a whole mess of things that I didn’t know were possible for me until I actually completed them - from symphonies to Ironman - this was a further leap into finding where the limits are for me, and I smooshed right up against a limit. Recently I wondered what could follow an Ironman (IMC '06) - and after a bit of agonizing, it turned out to be another Ironman! By then someone mentioned a particular trail ultra. I like running; I like trails; I like mountains; I’m an Ironman, therefore I can accomplish anything: no brainer, right? Specificity of preparation is key, especially if something is expected to be twice as big as your last big thing - which, in my case, was twice as big as my previous big thing (IM - 1/2IM). So, no big surprise, in retrospect. j
I wish I was at the beach. I trained on our paseos in Valencia which are a mix of concrete and asphalt. Tuesday night were a nice all weather track at the high school. Wearing Nike Zoom Vomero’s. Guess I’m more mad thananything. I do not have an 09 tri season. Maybe a race here, a race there, due to our family schedule, so this was actually a big deal on my calendar. 13 is long for me so it was more than just a training run.
Orange County half is early May with a similar course style so I’ll see if I can get in shape for it. Pasadena is probably too early.
One could argue that if you haven’t DNF’d, you haven’t pushed yourself. As another poster said…suck it up. Life goes on, keep your chin up. Enjoy the process of learning about yourself…
I’m questioning whether your ankle was the reason for the DNF or your ego. NOT trying to be disrespectful and pull a Swimfan…but WTF were you thinking???
my training runs were down in the 8:30’s which is fast for me My previous best I think was 2:18
Then:
my ankle started hurting
Then:
I ran with two other guys sub-8 min/mi pace I knew I coould turn in damn fine PR
Then:
My two compatriots finished at 1:43 and 1:45 respectively I would have been right there. Almost 30 minutes off my previous “best.”
You put it behind you, don’t worry about it and hope to do better next time. It’s not a big deal. Did you lose your wife or house over this?
I’ve had one DNF in a tri when I broke a pedal at the start of the bike. Suppose I could have been more macho and used the bike section as an excuse to do one legged drills, but instead I packed up my gear and offered to volunteer.
My last real half marathon was in 2007.2:18. Santa Clarita. I did about the same in Oceanside, my last event for which I had trained. Since then I have done run specific training, focused on form, done track work and really trained well. So this was not a matter of me trying to “keep up.” Many of my training runs since November have been in the 8’s. My 10k Sunday run the previous week was 8:10’s with wind and hills. So I don’t think I was overdoing it. In fact, when the ankle started hurting the rest of me felt GREAT. Lungs and legs were with the program. Obviously without finishing I don’t know if I could have sustained the pace but I am confident I could have been in that window.
Definitely my ankle. Were it not for my ego I’d have probably stopped at mile 5 with less damage to the ligaments. It was another mile to the medical station and it was difficult to make it that far.
Guess I am more pissed than anything. Additionally, with such a limited calendar I can’t get “revenge.” So there’s no near-term gratification. I’ll start swimming this week. Been about 8 months since I have been in a pool. I don’t want to put 10 lbs back on but I did have cinnabon yesterday.
Never heard of someone being bummed of their PERFORMANCE due to a medical DNF. I have (2) of them with another DNF because I was sucking and threw myself a pitty party. “Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda” can’t be used for any reason. If you didn’t finish, you didn’t finish. It’s very black and white.
You’re head is in the sand regarding your performance. You run 8:10s in a 10K and think you can run with 2 other guys in a sub 8 pace? Huh? Do you think you’re magically more fit on race day? (even with a bum ankle?)
Sucks about your ankle, but if I were your coach…I’d slap you around for both your attitude and pacing.
Look. I can understand why you think I was not capable of sustaining that pace. I don’t knwo if I could have.
What I do know is the 1:43 was my training partner for many runs. We did mapmyfitness and our average pace was within 2 seconds of each other with me a little faster. Both our goal was 8:30’s. So I’m glad his head was in the sand too. Clearly he pushed himself as hard as he could on race day. IF all things were equal, I thin I would have been under 1:50.
I also have learned I needed to HTFU and a 2:18 was clearly not my best. Hence proper training, better nutrition, better overall perparation, and a will to ‘suffer.’
Does a 48 minute 10k indicate I can go faster? No. But I didn’t have a watch on. I ran by feel to do ‘normal’ run not to overdo it. So I ran much less than race pace. A normal run. And it turns out my ‘normal’ is getting faster.
Isn’t the point to peak on race day as my two compatriots did?
Did the pace aggravate and injury I was only slightly aware I had? Absolutely. Am I confident I could have maintained that pace were I not injured? Absolutely. I don’t think that’s a bad attitude. I think it’s a competitive attitude. Did I feel sorry for myself for two days. Yes. Hope that makes you happy.
I’ve looked at the race calendar and picked some potential half marathons depending on my recovery. I plan to lose 4 more lbs. I’ve set the bar to a certain extent. I’m still pissed a little but plan to channel that energy.
I’ll probably never be on the podium but I think all indicators point to a big PR when I return.
Sorry if your experience leads you to believe age groupers are not capable of huge leaps and bounds on race day. I saw it happen last Sunday.
Don’t sweat it. If things always went according to plan then we wouldn’t have to pay $80 to sign up to do Surf City. All you’d have to do is train and say you’re good for a 1:45.
My wife missed her goal time in the half by 11 seconds on Sunday. On the one hand she is bummed out because she was so close, on the other hand, she ran a PR by 1 min 40 sec. Look on the bright side of things. You would’ve shattered your old PR had you been able to just walk the second half. Let your injury heal, train, and come back and run that PR next time.
Now if you are bummed out because it’s going to take a couple extra months to get that stylish California Dreamin’ Series jacket, then I fully understand your heartache. I would be devastated also…