The bad day support thread :-)

Slogger Jogger

When you run well you feel on top of the world and there is no feeling like it. You feel great, like a million dollars.

When things don't go to plan the opposite feeling is fairly crappy. What have been people's bad day experiences and how did they get back going again?

On a good day in a marathon you zip along almost effortlessly and the miles tick by and you can often feel like you could do more miles after. (thats why some people move into ultras ) Last year in the DCM I ran every step and had a big smile crossing the line. It felt like an achievement even if the time wasn't a PB. The adrenaline is flowing and you want to talk about it. Its a buzz.

On a bad day, like for me yesterday when the wheels came off, each kilometer can feel like a marathon and you just wish you were some place else. A DNF beckons like a welcome relief (a wicked Devil sits on your shoulder telling you 'go on, you know you want to') but that seems like cheating so you joylessly grind out a finish and you feel crappier :rolleyes: You don't want to talk to anyone. You want to be anywhere but here.

Crossing the line yesterday didn't feel like an achievement for me at the time. It felt like an extension of a failed race. After the marathon yesterday I felt like death. Took an age to get into dry clothes. They didn't stay dry for long as the rain bet down and the short walk to Mespil road and the car took a short lifetime and I shivered with cold. When I got home I was still cold and slept for an hour. At which stage my normal body heat had returned and I felt somewhat alive again. I had an appetite for the first time after the race too. This was about 5 hrs after I crossed the line I reckon. And a glass of wine tasted good.

A marathon is a 20 week plus commitment and when it doesn't work out it feels crap. Its well to say you'll do better the next time but when you feel crap you don't want to risk feeling that feeling again.

wideball

Hard luck SJ. Everything you said sounds exactly how I felt yesterday. I too was aiming for sub 3 but from the moment I started running I felt like I'd no energy. HR in the 170s from the first mile and never dropped till after half way but I was cooked then.

Training went very well and all the lead up races pointed in the right direction (a staggered 2:13 in Athlone). It's weird, training and races were enjoyable and 90% of days felt great when I was running but on the big day (wasn't nervous) just didn't happen.

Such is life, I made my peace long before the finish line. I guess all we can do is look to the future and learn from the past but not dwell on it. So starting to look forward to the next race (Boston) to see what can be done better but its going to be long winter!

Oryx

I cant say Ive had a bad day like that ^. But in Antwerp this year I was in so much pain and feeling so horrible on the bike leg that its a good job no-one tried to talk to me during the worst bits, because I would possibly have beaten them to death with my seat post. I had moments of wtf am I doing here, I want to go home! I got through the last 5k by mentally reciting strings of swear words. I normally get told to htfu but on that bike, on that day, you coulda stuck your htfu up your ar5e. I totally hated it and never wanted to see, let alone ride, the bike again.

But like childbirth, the memory fades. I think thats what happens to make you go out and train again. You forget, you look towards the next race. The only way to exorcise the ghost of a bad race, is to do a better one. That worked for me this year. My second HIM attempt was very different, I enjoyed it.

Im not a strong competitor (yet) so I end up at the back of the pack, lots. I get the patronising 'well done' and the pitying looks as I come into the finish as everyone else is walking back to their cars. It sucks. That itself is hard to keep going on from. My only solution to it is to get angry. I go out training telling myself Im never, ever going to be one of the last ones home again. Lots of grrrrrrr works for me.

Rantan

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

When you run well you feel on top of the world and there is no feeling like it. You feel great, like a million dollars.

When things don't go to plan the opposite feeling is fairly crappy. What have been people's bad day experiences and how did they get back going again?

On a good day in a marathon you zip along almost effortlessly and the miles tick by and you can often feel like you could do more miles after. (thats why some people move into ultras ) Last year in the DCM I ran every step and had a big smile crossing the line. It felt like an achievement even if the time wasn't a PB. The adrenaline is flowing and you want to talk about it. Its a buzz.
On a bad day, like for me yesterday when the wheels came off, each kilometer can feel like a marathon and you just wish you were some place else. A DNF beckons like a welcome relief (a wicked Devil sits on your shoulder telling you 'go on, you know you want to') but that seems like cheating so you joylessly grind out a finish and you feel crappier :rolleyes: You don't want to talk to anyone. You want to be anywhere but here.

Crossing the line yesterday didn't feel like an achievement for me at the time. It felt like an extension of a failed race. After the marathon yesterday I felt like death. Took an age to get into dry clothes. They didn't stay dry for long as the rain bet down and the short walk to Mespil road and the car took a short lifetime and I shivered with cold. When I got home I was still cold and slept for an hour. At which stage my normal body heat had returned and I felt somewhat alive again. I had an appetite for the first time after the race too. This was about 5 hrs after I crossed the line I reckon. And a glass of wine tasted good.

A marathon is a 20 week plus commitment and when it doesn't work out it feels crap. Its well to say you'll do better the next time but when you feel crap you don't want to risk feeling that feeling again.

Very well put SJ - you have expressed my feeling better than I could - I was aiming for 3.30/35 and ended up at 3.41, it wasn't the missed target that hurt but how close to stopping I came, coming down the ramp onto the stillorgan rd I was hit by the worst cramps in both hams that I ever felt - thought I had torn them and then cramp in both quads half mile later! I was already really really struggling so when the cramps hit I died....managed to run home but came close to a jelly legged wobble and collapse over the line! I think I;ll put off that ultra I was thinking about for a while yet and focus on training properly for my next marathon

Micilin Muc

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Crossing the line yesterday didn't feel like an achievement for me at the time. It felt like an extension of a failed race.

This is exactly how I felt yesterday.

I have done two marathons now, my first was a miserable 6:30 hours, and yesterday's was 4:42, 42 minutes too slow. 4:42 is not consistent with the training I have done.

What have I gained in DCM 2011? I have broken the nightmare of 2006 when I hit the wall and walked the last 6/7 miles. Moving on from DCM 2011 should be straightforward enough for me once I recognise my mistakes.

There will be more marathons and I intend to make every one enjoyable.

ger664

I would put it down to not adjusting your goal on the day given the abnormal conditions that we had on the morning. It was quite warm and humid, especially in the first half of the marathon.

theboyblunder

at least I had the consolation of knowing that I broke the boards.ie record for a non-injury related kaboom in the DCM.

14.3 miles for anyone who is interested. Just give me the trophy now, its a record thats unlikely to be equalled or even attract competition.

Brianderunner

theboyblunder wrote: »

at least I had the consolation of knowing that I broke the boards.ie record for a non-injury related kaboom in the DCM.

14.3 miles for anyone who is interested. Just give me the trophy now, its a record thats unlikely to be equalled or even attract competition.

14.5mls for me in DCM '07. You win in a photo finish I'll give you a run for your money in my next sub 3 attempt

Pisco Sour

Not marathon related, but not having particularly good days myself. After running the best race of my life to date, running 60.90 seconds for 400m, I wake up the next day with a groin strain. Fast forward 10 days, and the strain is still there, taking an age to disappear, I have done no training, bar a 15 minute light jog today, and it could be awhile yet before I'm back competing at that level, all the time losing the speed endurance fitness I had built up over the previous 7 weeks.

I was getting so close to that sub 60 goal, and felt like the next race (saturday week) could have been a realistic shot at it, but now it's back to square one.

Such a frustrating sport at times.

pconn062

ger664 wrote: »

I would put it down to not adjusting your goal on the day given the abnormal conditions that we had on the morning. It was quite warm and humid, especially in the first half of the marathon.

I totally agree with this, once I felt the humidity in the first few miles I adjusted my target goal by about 5 minutes so I would not disappointed when I crossed the line. It worked because I was about 5 minutes later than I wanted but I was still very happy with the race.

HardyEustace

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Crossing the line yesterday didn't feel like an achievement for me at the time. It felt like an extension of a failed race. After the marathon yesterday I felt like death.

I felt/feel exactly the same. I didn't even bother to lift my air or look vaguely happy crossing the finish. I could happily have just walked off the course even at mile 25. The marathon from hell.

Stomach problems which manifested around mile 13 (was having a fabulous day before that) meant a horrible, horrible day for me.

Even when I crossed the line I just though "I'm finished. Do I need to throw up again. I am never doing that again". Absolutely zero elation.

Even now two days later, I am still sick as a small hospital and feel revolting. Stomach still not right and feel utterly defeated - though I know that logically, I have nothing to feel defeated about - it's only one race, I have my health, friends and family well, etc.. People have far more things to worry about and do it with far more digity and strength than I'm feeling right now.

Ah well... as I said in another post

This too shall pass

specialk1977

Thank you for this thread.I thought it was just me..I never in all of my 3 yrs running experienced leg cramp but when it hit on mile 18 on my right quad I though Id done serious damage..Really killed me but managed to finish..I too didnt have that elated feeling when u finish..I just wanted to get into de car and get home as soon as possible and hide. I was going for 4.30 and came in at a miserable 4.49..Next year I have a score to settle..I hope they bring back de starting time to de usual 9am..

Gringo78

Missed my target by 17min but actually still enjoyed finishing - I managed to put my arms in the air (properly) and smile as I crossed the finish (and not get photographed stopping my watch). The photos of me on the finishing straight have Michael Jordan hangtime, both feet in the air. My race was over at 16 miles but I decided late on that I could potentially salvage a few good photos which luckily I did.

So Ironic - in my worst race performance in years, I look most like an actual runner!

I don't feel too disappointed - again ironically, this performance will make me a better runner in the future than hitting my target would have.

pgmcpq

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

. What have been people's bad day experiences and how did they get back going again?

I have a theory that everyone has at least one of these races waiting for them.

For what it is worth : My main feeling was one of anger when I finished after an meltdown at 18 miles. The biggest lesson was that the mind is one of the first things to go - even before the legs. Afterwards I asked myself why didn't I try anything to try to fix the problem. Another gel (I finished with several unopened gels), ...the mental routines I practice on long runs, shortening the stride .. whatever. The mind became so preoccupied with "wow - this sucks" that I forgot about looking for a solution to the specific problem. Remembering this in later races made me better able to handle things.

To this day I can recall how disappointed/angry I felt about the way that race ended. Recalling that anger in races that powered a fair few PBs !

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

.Its well to say you'll do better the next time but when you feel crap you don't want to risk feeling that feeling again.

There was one bad after effect from the race. For some time afterwards I raced poorly and did not improve at all. I finally realized that I was so afraid of blowing up again that even in short races I was way too cautious, always finishing with a mediocre time with lots in the tank. Once I realized I was doing this I was able to start progressing again. You have to risk "feeling that feeling again.". In a way it is not so bad. It happened once - you moved on - if it is the worst thing that's going to happen out on the course ... I can live with that.

I probably learned a lot more from my one (so far) disaster race than anything else. Of course I'm still trying to run a decent marathon .

Van.Bosch

Had a terrible day myself - did 414 in 2009 so was aiming for 3:50 this time but would have been happy with sub 4.

Mile 13.1 - was bang on track for a 3:50
Mile 15 - sub 4 was gone as the 4 hour pacers passed (they started about a min behind me too)
Mile 18 - 415 pacers passed me
Mile 21 - 430 pacers passed me
Mile 26.2 - finished in 4:45.

I actually dont know what happened to me. I did the training, followed the HH Intermediate 1 plan and didnt skip any long runs. I had done my LSR of 21 miles in 3:09. Im taking a few weeks off to assess it but the below are the possible reasons I have come up with so far:

• 3:50 was too ambitious a target so when I ran the first half at that pace it killed me.
• Training was too generic - not enough pace miles or miles at PMP, although apart from my 21 miler LSR all other long runs were not at a PMP + 45 seconds per mile pace. most were about PMP + 15 seconds.
• Training needs to incorrorate negative splits as I seem to be psychologically trying to bank miles early on which is not possible.
• Perhaps I was too tired from not doing the LSR's at a proper slow pace
• Not mentally strong enough to do it (2011 is similar to 2009 - blew up around 15 miles) - having done 20/21 in training I'm not sure
• Just a bad day

During the last miles I was just determined to get it done as I didnt want to quit, so now I have a choice. Give up my target of sub 4 or get back on the horse, I've decided to give it another go in 2012 (prob Limerick or Cork) but will need to do smart training this time and assess where I went wrong.

itsalltrue

Finished in 3.42 but was aiming for a 3.30. At the 20 mile mark i was on course for that after running even miles all the way. Just after the 20 mark i started to get bad cramps in my legs. I have never gotten these in a race or training before so it really put me out. They were so bad at one stage i didn't think i would get to finish.

this was my 2nd marathon and i was 15 mins quicker than last year but am still a bit dissappointed. I trained hard for the last 8 months in getting ready and felt good and fresh. Even at the end i felt like i had energy to keep going if my legs would let me.

maggiemissy

Didn't have the best of day myself, aimed for a sub 4.15 came in at 4.38, was right with the 4.15 pacers up to the 18 mile mark then an old ankle injury decided to raise its ugly head and it was a struggle to the finish, the last 2 miles were never ending for me and my pic crossing the line is one I don't want to see again, disappointed, especially as i had the fuel there in the tank, but the leg would not go anywhere for me. Will give it another shot next year.

Slogger Jogger

04072511 wrote: »

Not marathon related, but not having particularly good days myself. After running the best race of my life to date, running 60.90 seconds for 400m, I wake up the next day with a groin strain. Fast forward 10 days, and the strain is still there, taking an age to disappear, I have done no training, bar a 15 minute light jog today, and it could be awhile yet before I'm back competing at that level, all the time losing the speed endurance fitness I had built up over the previous 7 weeks.

I was getting so close to that sub 60 goal, and felt like the next race (saturday week) could have been a realistic shot at it, but now it's back to square one.

Such a frustrating sport at times.

PM sent as I had similar experiences last year...

kayakmoss

Had a similiar experience on monday. Going for 3.45. Didnt feel great starting off but thought it was just nerves so i tried not to worry about it.
Was on course through halfway and still had a chance at 20 but the wheels came off in a big way after that and crawled to the line in 4.02
Feels like i wasted half a year in training and keep wondering how i can run a 1hr 32min half and then post such a bad marathon time!!
Anyway.......couple of weeks off and set the next goal!

Dundalk

I posted this in the Dublin Marathon thread n Tuesday but this thread sums up how I feel.


Had a shocker yesterday but learnt so much from it. I think I went into it a little to confident and yesterday gave me a good kick up the ar$e. I didn't have enough respect for the distance. Was aiming for under 3.28 and came in at 3.39. Started way to fast, didn't pace properly and blew up at 17. Never really recovered from that.

The positives to take from yesterday for me is that I will take next year much more serious. I was far to calm during the race and in training. I thought I was something I wasn't.

Thought I was able to this comfortably enough and boy did I learn my lessons yesterday. I'm going to give it my all next year and really knuckle down and take it seriously. At the end yesterday I was embarresed because I knew I could have done some much better if I hadn't pi$$ed about.

RESPECT THE MARATHON!!

Dundalk

Double post

Larry Brent

Lots of bad days out there. That's the beauty of it - it comes hard, so when it does come it's all the better. Having had one myself a few weeks ago I can sympathise. But also, I'd advise that now is not really the time to make any rash decisions. By all means wallow in the disappointment, but in a few days once things come back to perspective you'll all hopefully see the positives that came out of it and will have renewed enthusiasm to do better the next time. In my case had I hit my target I may have taken a few months off. Might have been hard to get back from that. Instead I am already rebuilding a base on the last training block expecting to run better than ever in a few months.

LaHaine

Know the feeling all too well. As far as im concerned my marathon was a failure. Aiming for sub 4 and ended up 4.38. Very hard to take.

Obviously finishing your first marathon is great but im just bitter about it at the minute! Very disappointing.

Chalk it down to bad experience is the plan. Another marathon in 2012.

Doesnt help that my legs are killing me!!

NeedsTraining

In a very weird way, this thread has actually lifted my spirits a bit.

I too was aiming for a sub 3 and all was going well until mile 8. Then things started going horribly wrong. All energy started to drain from my body and I slowly made my way further up the road to mile 11 where the world started to spin. After a few attempts of trying to regain focus/balance/vision, I felt myself falling to the ground and then surrounded by concerned people.
To cut a long story short, I was whisked off to James Hospital where I remained until last night undergoing all sorts of tests. Thankfully all clear.
Doctors reckon it was a bad sinusitus infection and stomach upset (which I didn't know I had) which reacted badly to the exertion of the marathon that caused the collapse. On the road to recovery now though, so happy with that.

I was feeling sorry for myself, but it appears others suffered out there too. Well done to all for crossing that line. It is the inner demons we have to banish.
The way I feel now, it may be a few years before I run a marathon again. A lot of weeks spent training gone went down the drain at 11 miles. :rolleyes:

SureWhyNot!

I still cannot explain what happened at mile 15 in Chicago, a couple of hours over analysis with Krusty on the grass with beer in hand only provided a long list of potential excuses... but a nice consistent run on Monday, be it at a more conservative pace has revived the desire, Chicago is parked and Berlin is booked.

You still finished in in the top 1200... that leaves 12,000 odd who would have preferred your time!

paulb79

glad to hear it wasnt only me marathon from hell was aiming for 3.30 , training went well good race series , but the wheels fell of big time 16 miles cramped up last 10 were hell crossed the line in 3.58 so wasnt happy

red face dave

LaHaine wrote: »

Know the feeling all too well. As far as im concerned my marathon was a failure. Aiming for sub 4 and ended up 4.38. Very hard to take.

Obviously finishing your first marathon is great but im just bitter about it at the minute! Very disappointing.

Chalk it down to bad experience is the plan. Another marathon in 2012.

Doesnt help that my legs are killing me!!

The exact same as you but only 5 mins slower had a shocker started of with a stitch after 5 miles, Was not feeling right the whole way around. I was delighted I finished but feel I only have done half the job. Looking forward to getting back at it now and I hope to run a good time in Waterford half. But I suppose everyone as bad days.

SharkTale

Excellent Thread,

Felt the anguish, pain & disappointment of above posts.

Target time was 3:42, and all the training for the last 18 weeks would have set this as a realistic target. But afraid it was not to be on the day. Looking back now, the early heat & humidity for the early stages of the race probably sapped my reserves and I was not wise enough to re-adjust or slow my pace in the initial stages to reflect the conditions. Plan was to stay with the 3:45 pacers till the half marathon mark, and then try and push on if feeling strong for the 2nd half. Alas it was not to be, got to the half way point on time with the pacers and faded for the next few miles which descended rapidly into a walk- jog-walk run for the last 10 miles.

Finished 50 minutes outside target time. Hard to put the regret into perspective but what summed it was being presented with the finishers medal that I just put the medal straight in to the goodie bag and walked to the car in the rain on Northumberland Road passing other finishers on their way into “Oil Cans Harry’s” to celebrate their own personal achievements, and feeling so envious .

There maybe other days, other goals and other disappointments!

“Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.”

Alicano

I was aiming for a new p.b of under 3:28. Finished in 3:33.
The face on me in the video's at the finish line gave me a laugh last night.
No excuses. Total failure. I just view it as a nice bit of exercise, waste of money and a disciplined last 3 months.
Had really put in the effort.All training times, and even splits up until around 17miles were pointing at a 3:20 finish.
Could have screamed when the 3:30 pacer passed with about 3 miles to go. Very lonely place to be when you can see it unravel in front of you.
Right hamstring just went to sleep. No injury, no agony. Just would not give me the horse power I wanted. From the waist up I looked great!
All I wanted to do was run it again if anyone can relate to that? And I scowerd the internet looking for a second chance to wash out that bitter taste.
But chin up gang. We'll be back chatting in the happier thread next time!

TakeaBowSon

Another sorry tale here!!

I never felt comfortable and I could feel myself overheating from the second mile. I thought it was in my head but a quick glance at a few lads around me and I could tell they were heating up aswell. My aim was around 3.20 (3.25 last year). This should have been achievable based on my long runs and a 1.30 half marathon in September. And I was on track at halfway and even at 18 but I knew I was struggling.

There was nothing there when I had to dig in around Milltown and I stumbled home in 3.32. The difference in the heat compared to last year must be the reason? My mileage was higher and all my key P&D sessions were improved on last year.

Anyway nobody died, couple of weeks refelction and we go again!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

I feel you learn more from the bad days than the good days although it does not feel that way at the time. I blew up badly in London this year and learnt a lot about myself that day as I roughed it out when I just wanted to crawl up into a ball and die.
I took that experience with me into my A race for the year in IMUK and paced/executed a perfect race and hit my target goal. Had I not had that bad experience two things may of happened, 1) complacency may have set in for the rest of my IM training and 2) I would not have established how much pain I can put my body through to complete which I used to my advantage in the closing stages of IMUK when I was well and truly living in my pain cave but still pushing on!!
If anything those bad race experiences will make you mentally tougher.

Rantan

funny what a couple of days can do...I had a couple of days hols booked to recover so got a cheap mid week break and chilled out..had a few long awaited beers, greasy chips etc...I think looking at the finishing vids had a dramatic effect on me, before I was embarrassed becasue I had a bad race and missed my time blah bah, now when I look at the stupid, whiney, moaney, complaining face on me crossing the finish line I'm even more embarrassed! Especially when I see the guy who went down in front of me 100m from the end being carried over the line by two strangers who stopped to help him, obviously more concerned with his than their own welfare, seing thoses kind of things kind of put the whole thing in perspective.,....another lesson there perhaps
I obviously didn;t train smart enough, I increased my mileage from my 3.42 in kildare in May but just repeated the same miles at the same pace, paying lip service to the areas I really need to focus my training. Roll on Conn 12 and hopefully a reallistic 3.30 or better!!