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Your worst ever race?

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    #32
    Swashbuckler
    Registered Users Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    Ray Donovan wrote:
    Ah the May Bank Holiday of 2018 shall live long in my memory bank.

    I remember that day well. I ran a pb that day! Haha 1.22.30 I think? Scorcher of a day.


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    #33
    Ray Donovan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭Ray Donovan


    Swashbuckler wrote: »
    I remember that day well. I ran a pb that day! Haha 1.22.30 I think? Scorcher of a day.

    Just the 24 minutes in ahead of me!

    Ya an absolute scorcher.


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    #34
    Nuttzz
    Registered Users Posts: 3,771 ✭✭✭Nuttzz


    For me it was New York Marathon in 2018

    I had a reasonable training block, had injuries during the summer but had built the mileage back up to nearly 50 miles a week in the run up to the marathon and had a good 10k about 3 weeks before on a hilly phoenix park course (army 10k)

    Decided as a fly away marathon that I would aim for a time of 4.15 which is about 20 minutes off my marathon pb

    The Monday before the marathon I was struck with the norovirus, I was extremely ill until the Wednesday and the flight out was Thursday. Decided to go as hotels, flights and race were paid for.

    Ran the first half at a steady 9.30 per mile but by mile 18 the wheels came totally off, hit first avenue and all i could see was 3 miles of people ahead of me, I was totally flat and had no energy. Eventually I stopped and sat on the ground for about 5 minutes to get some sort of recovery, the head was extremely annoyed at this, got going again albeit at a woeful pace and finished in 4.55

    In hindsight I should have went to NY for the holiday and deferred the marathon but I had raised money for charity (I paid for everything myself, the charity money was just something I wanted to do) so I felt I would have let people down by not running.
    Next time, dont raise any money and dont run after norovirus!!


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    #35
    Slow_Runner
    Registered Users Posts: 599 ✭✭✭Slow_Runner


    Like everyone else I have so many bad races to choose from (out of 11 marathons there are only 5-6 I have fond memories of :rolleyes:) The one that stands out hands down in Dublin 2017.

    After a strong training block for Rotterdam (the heat on the day put paid to any sub 3:30 aspirations but a very solid 3:42 had me in good shape). Looking back, for some reason I just wasn't as sharp during training for Dublin but still felt strong and injury free. Taper was not ideal as I had a throat infection about 3 weeks out (our annual Run with Jamie 34km training run I looked like death warmed up and felt the same) however a week of antibiotics and I was back on form.

    Day of the race I felt good and went out confident of getting that 3:29 finish but from 11 miles on I knew something wasn't right but not to worry - just ease off the pace and get home in good shape but my pace just kept getting slower and slower and slower until at mile 18 the energy was gone from my legs and I was walking, couldn't understand it and walk/shuffled the last 8 miles.

    Never felt so bad and disgusted with myself for a poor performance (to this day I haven't worn the race shirt). 3 weeks later I came down with a really bad flu - laid up for 2 weeks and a dose of vertigo to boot. Looking back I realize I was carrying a virus into the race but talk about a bad experience!!


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    #36
    BeepBeep67
    Registered Users Posts: 8,079 ✭✭✭BeepBeep67


    Difficult to say but more than likely Rotterdam, Rotterdam or Rotterdam.


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    #37
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    DCM 2014

    I had never done anything like this before, but I had always stubbornly been able to finish everything I set my mind to.
    Queue not really taking training too seriously. I played 7 a side once a week, and did 2 or 3 8k runs each week. Should be plenty.
    All I had to do was show up, and I'd break 4hours. Had some bagels for breakfast. Can't remember why. Never had them for breakfast before.
    Smoked a few cigarettes on the way to the start line.
    And off I went, with a long sleeve under armour top on. It was very warm that day. Think 14C
    Got to around mile 16, and then everything went to pot.
    1st problem, I stopped to walk, thinking that if I walked 1 mile, I could run the rest
    2nd problem, stopped against a house near Bushy Park (I think) to stretch out my calves which were starting to cramp. Ended up puking up all the food from my stomach at this stage.
    Now had the remainder of the marathon to try to complete with legs in agony, and on an empty stomach. For the last maybe 8 miles, I walked close to 80%

    Managed to stagger over the line in 4hr 52
    I learnt the importance of training that day


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    #38
    and still ricky villa
    Registered Users Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭and still ricky villa


    BeepBeep67 wrote: »
    Difficult to say but more than likely Rotterdam, Rotterdam or Rotterdam.

    You must have been there the same 3 years I insisted on going back?


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    #39
    doughef
    Registered Users Posts: 734 ✭✭✭doughef


    Samsung 10k night race a few years ago.

    We were corralled on Nassau st ages before the start.
    Absolute pissing rain.

    Wouldn’t normally need a pee during a 10k but with the rain and the wait I needed to go about half way.
    Stopped for a pee / wind changed ...

    Ended up peeing in my own face


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    #40
    EDit
    Registered Users Posts: 819 ✭✭✭EDit


    Has to be the Gingerbread run 2018. Turned up too early and while sat in car park waiting for the start, I decided it would be a “good” idea to gorge on some chocolate and sweets. No problem, I think. I then get to the start line and realise I’d forgotten my gels. No problem, I think.

    Start off good and strong and decide to go for a PB. All is going well until km 16 when I start to get the familiar hunger pangs in the stomach and slightly lightheaded feeling. No doubt the sugar overload in the car screwed up my blood sugar for a while and, having forgotten the gels, I was now looking at some sort of rebound into the bonk zone.

    And I wasn’t wrong. I have very little recollection of anything after about km 18/19, as I moved into a fully fledge bonk. What I do remember is that I literally staggered the last km to the finish. I’ve hit the wall in some form before and since, but this was an entire new level. It was like being blind drunk; I was falling over every few metres, crawling on my hands and knees, my eyes didn’t work, I couldn’t speak, and loads of people were asking if I was OK. Anyway, I gradually made it across the line (my watch later revealed that the last km took over 15 minutes) and collapsed in a heap on a bit of grass next to a food van. Eventually some nice person noticed me and brought me a banana, which helped sort me out enough for me to scurry back to my car and drive home. Didn’t feel right for 2-3 days and was just thankful that no-one I knew had seen me in that state.


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    #41
    Murph_D
    Registered Users Posts: 10,418 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    DCM 2014

    I had never done anything like this before, but I had always stubbornly been able to finish everything I set my mind to.
    Queue not really taking training too seriously. I played 7 a side once a week, and did 2 or 3 8k runs each week. Should be plenty.
    All I had to do was show up, and I'd break 4hours. Had some bagels for breakfast. Can't remember why. Never had them for breakfast before.
    Smoked a few cigarettes on the way to the start line.
    And off I went, with a long sleeve under armour top on. It was very warm that day. Think 14C
    Got to around mile 16, and then everything went to pot.
    1st problem, I stopped to walk, thinking that if I walked 1 mile, I could run the rest
    2nd problem, stopped against a house near Bushy Park (I think) to stretch out my calves which were starting to cramp. Ended up puking up all the food from my stomach at this stage.
    Now had the remainder of the marathon to try to complete with legs in agony, and on an empty stomach. For the last maybe 8 miles, I walked close to 80%

    Managed to stagger over the line in 4hr 52
    I learnt the importance of training that day

    To be fair that wasn’t that bad - you got the result your preparation deserved! ;)


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    #42
    OOnegative
    Registered Users Posts: 4,834 ✭✭✭OOnegative


    Murph_D wrote: »
    To be fair that wasn’t that bad - you got the result your preparation deserved! ;)

    I had a much harsher reply, but true D.


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    #43
    TFBubendorfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,340 ✭✭✭TFBubendorfer


    In all honesty, it wasn't that bad a race. True, I ran 2 minutes slower than the year before but the year before I had been in the best shape of my life and even though I wasn't to know it yet, I would never ever be able to reach those heights again.

    Anyway, I gave it a good, honest effort, ran reasonably close to the limit I was able to give that day and, with great effort, gained a few places as the miles wore on.

    Then came the last uphill mile. I might have caught one or two more but at the end the next lad was about 5 seconds ahead of me and there was no way I was going to catch him and anyway, I did finish a 10 mile race with a sub-6 final mile, uphill, so really I can't blame myself for not trying any harder.

    Why was this my worst ever race, you ask? Because it was Ballycotton, and the top 100 finishers in Ballycotton would receive a special t-shirt. I always hoped I'd snag one of those one day. I knew it was an outside chance but on my day I might just about be able to take one.

    I crossed the finish line. The lad ahead of me got his t-shirt. Then they turned over the empty box. I had come 101st. You cannot describe what that felt like. To say I was crushed doesn't even come close.


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    #44
    Enduro
    Registered Users Posts: 3,617 ✭✭✭Enduro


    TFBubendorfer wrote: »
    Why was this my worst ever race, you ask? Because it was Ballycotton, and the top 100 finishers in Ballycotton would receive a special t-shirt. I always hoped I'd snag one of those one day. I knew it was an outside chance but on my day I might just about be able to take one.

    I crossed the finish line. The lad ahead of me got his t-shirt. Then they turned over the empty box. I had come 101st. You cannot describe what that felt like. To say I was crushed doesn't even come close.

    I totally get this! One year I was called out in 101st position at the bottom of the uphill finish, and knew that was definitely the one result I did not want. Very motivated running from there.


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    #45
    Working class heroes
    Registered Users Posts: 3,507 ✭✭✭Working class heroes


    My worst was the Lanzarote marathon 2018.
    Prepared very well for it but straight from the off my heart just wasn't in it. I got as far as a bike rental shop(around the 12 mile mark) hired a bike and cycled back to the pub. Got p1ssed, great night!

    Racism is now hiding behind the cloak of Community activism.



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    #46
    mister paul
    Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭mister paul


    Worst ever race for me was the boards 5k TT today.

    Really well organised race, race number arrived in plenty of time.

    Good, if slightly fast first k.

    I was starting to feel the pace and slowed during the second k. By the end of that I was done. Calf was starting to tighten up and I took that as an easy excuse to retreat from the entrance to the pain cave. If the heat hadn't been getting to me, I'm sure the calf would have been no more than a minor irritation

    The second k was followed followed by progressively slower next 2k before I stopped feeling sorry for myself and pushed again for the final k, which was my fastest.


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    #47
    Chivito550
    Registered Users Posts: 7,694 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    I never posted on this thread in the end. It completely slipped my mind. Which works out well, as on Sunday just gone, I experienced by far the most disappointing race in 10 years of track athletics. The most gut-wrenching feeling I've had from my own running. It was tough to write about it, but you've got to take the bad with the good in this game.

    Report is here.


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    #48
    woody1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,902 ✭✭✭woody1


    Dublin City Marathon 2015 ? i think
    just way underestimated it , did everything wrong in the build up
    not enough mileage, slow runs too fast, and then long long run too close to the marathon

    came out with 4.47 , blew up just over halfway, walked a good bit, dont think ive ever suffered as much at a race


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    #49
    pgmcpq
    Registered Users Posts: 1,852 ✭✭✭pgmcpq


    Worst: Boston 2018. After a number of DNS at Boston, I finally made the start line in the middle of storm that made Connemara 2016(?) look like a picnic. While everyone else was going down with hypothermia, I started to feel ill about mile 5-8, and by mile 10 I knew I was done. Nothing worse than going through the scream tunnel knowing you're stepping off at the next med tent. So while every one else was cold ... i was running a temperature. Took my a few months to recover physically, about six months mentally.

    Next worst: Virtual Boston 2020 ! All going great ... until I noticed that mile 12 clocked in at a tasty 6.08 mile, mile 13 at 4.55, and "mile" 14 at 4:23. With an average pace on the watch now faster than I had clocked at any legitimate mile I had to abandon, after a restart/reboot of the watch as it was now clear that the mileage was nonsense. So apparently I can DNF a virtual run too **sigh**.

    Most embarrassing: A local 10 miler. It was an out and back along a canal tow path. I was going pretty well, and after the turn around people began applauding me back in. This is great - I must be the leading auld fella, as I graciously acknowledged the applause. So I was very happy with myself for a mile or two .... until I realized (thanks to my OH) that the leading woman was on my shoulder :o.


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    #50
    opus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,963 ✭✭✭opus


    It would be Comrades '17 for me, was going fine 'til I got to somewhere beyond 30k & then my stomach started acting up. I won't elaborate on the gory details but let's just say that I had to stop just before the 44k mark & slink onto the bailers bus. Was supposed to be meeting some people for dinner that night but was so p*ssed off (6 months of training down the drain) that I figured I'd just drag the atmosphere down for them so gave it a miss.

    Thankfully I was able to head back in '18 & '19 and finish without any real problems. Always end on a high note :)


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    #51
    partyguinness
    Registered Users Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭partyguinness


    Had a few miserable day outs but I suppose the Ashby 20 stand out. This is a hilly 20 mile run every March in Leicestershire countryside. It is generally used to build up for Manchester and London marathons in April.

    Training since January had gone well enough but I was getting a progessively worse 'runners' knee' in the weeks leading up to it which was really getting me down.

    Arrived on the morning but broke several cardinal rules:

    1. Had not eaten properly at all on the Saturday. Never going to have enough energy.
    2. Met up with the buddies beforehand which is something I never do- I always stay on my own and avoid people I know. Total distraction and never got in the 'zone' or warmed up properly
    3. Another rule- I never ever run with someone I know. Again solitary animal but as I was trying to subtly move away from the gang one of the lads kept following me and said "Oh I will run with you. I can never run on my own". I said nothing but this guy is quicker than me.
    4. Following on from #3, buddy's pace was a little too quick and then he started talking to me. Another rule breaker.
    5. Then two other runners started talking to us about the previous day's 6 Nations rugby.

    So about 8 miles in I am running too far quick, energy depleting, chatting about rugby and knee is killing me...end of.

    I had to tell the buddy to carry on and I dropped back. Completely empty at 10 miles. Horrendous 2nd lap and just about finished in under 3 hours- about 30 mins off PB.

    There is a picture of me afterwards just lying on the ground with legs up, strapping all over the place and generally a complete mess. I had to plead with the lads to take it off Strava.


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    #52
    Kevhog1988
    Registered Users Posts: 3,959 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    u12 cross country leinster championships. we took off in a quagmire of mud and my spikes came off.


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    #53
    The Davestator
    Registered Users Posts: 3,395 ✭✭✭The Davestator


    First Dublin Marathon in 2002. Was working as a fitness instructor, and though 'how hard can it be?'

    Was at a wedding drinking pints on the Saturday, McDonalds etc on Sunday and rocked up at the start on Monday with a ziploc bag of talcum powder and an apple.

    Got to half way in 2 hours on the button feeling good and was still wondering how hard could it be.

    Stopped for a stretch shortly after, pulled everything and the second half took me... 4 HOURS!

    Finish time of 5:59 which was a fluke as I didn't even have a watch on!

    Met friends and family in the Mont Clare hotel, but couldnt go down the stairs for a wee, so just went home.


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    #54
    Murph_D
    Registered Users Posts: 10,418 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Talcum powder? :confused:


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    #55
    event
    Registered Users Posts: 15,962 ✭✭✭✭event


    Yeah what was that for


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    #56
    The Davestator
    Registered Users Posts: 3,395 ✭✭✭The Davestator


    Murph_D wrote: »
    Talcum powder? :confused:

    I was more worried about chaffing than actually finishing the race!


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    #57
    Working class heroes
    Registered Users Posts: 3,507 ✭✭✭Working class heroes


    The Davestator wrote: »
    First Dublin Marathon in 2002. Was working as a fitness instructor, and though 'how hard can it be?'

    Was at a wedding drinking pints on the Saturday, McDonalds etc on Sunday and rocked up at the start on Monday with a ziploc bag of talcum powder and an apple.

    Got to half way in 2 hours on the button feeling good and was still wondering how hard could it be.

    Stopped for a stretch shortly after, pulled everything and the second half took me... 4 HOURS!

    Finish time of 5:59 which was a fluke as I didn't even have a watch on!

    Met friends and family in the Mont Clare hotel, but couldnt go down the stairs for a wee, so just went home.

    Planning a bit of weightlifting after were ya....:)

    Racism is now hiding behind the cloak of Community activism.



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    #58
    Slideways
    Registered Users Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭Slideways


    Melbourne marathon in 2018. Debut was Perth 2017 in 3:34 so thought with some coaching and training properly could go well.

    Got the coach and got stuck in, lots of strength training as well as running. Mrs is a physio and former Kona athlete so in safe hands.

    A few weeks from the race, coach sets a 5k TT to see where I am at. 19:09 at a parkrun but I told him it was short, real time was 19:24. Big row follows and he says its 19:09, end of discussion. Off the back of tht says 3:10 is the goal for the mara.

    Flew to Melb from Perth with the family and spent way too much time on my feet doing family stuff on the Saturday. 20k steps or something crazy like that.

    Day of the race and it’s a tram to the city from my mates and a good bit of walking to the start line. Took off doing prescribed pace and thought I’m going well, passed herself maybe 5k in and she looks at me oddly with a questionly hand gesture. I can’t figure out what the fuss is, my splits have been a second or so either side of perfect. Then I notice the marker on the side of the road is about 500m after the beep for the next split. Melb mara course is shït house. All doubling back on yourself.

    Out to the coast and I knew I was in deep doo-doo. My mate was planning a 3:20 and every time we had to do another u turn I could see him gaining ground. Eventually the walk of shame at the aid stations started. Back towards the city and it was getting very hot. I work in the Pilbara, a desolate hot hell hole but I was cooking. Luckily some kind folks had started to hand out sooper doopers (mr freeze) and I grabbed one.

    Everyone talks about getting to finish in the MCG, how it’s so great. They had ply wood down on the grass and it is the only time I’ve ever gotten a cramp running, the little give it in made my shagged legs wobble. Mrs and co were in the stand and she reckons she could see I was devastated on the big screen as I came through the tunnel.

    After the race you can’t just meet who is waiting. You have to go outside and try and organise meeting point, something I hadn’t realised. Had to borrow a strangers phone and call herself to try and battle through the mob.

    The walk back through the throngs and tram home was torture. Haven’t done a mara since. Herself is turning 40 this weekend and wants to do 40k for it. Maybe I’ll do the extra 2.2 if I’m not Mr Soft by the time we are done


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    #59
    partyguinness
    Registered Users Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭partyguinness


    So....what time did you get?


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    #60
    Slideways
    Registered Users Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭Slideways


    partyguinness wrote: »
    So....what time did you get?
    3:40 in melb.

    Yesterday did the 40 for 40 birthday social run
    3:35, nearly exactly 2 years since melb and 5 mins faster. Was great to run without the pressure of racing. That’s moving time as there was a few stops to pick up people who didn’t want to do the full distance and some water stops as it got a bit warm towards the end.


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    #61
    tHE vAGGABOND
    Registered Users Posts: 6,686 ✭✭✭tHE vAGGABOND


    Different ways of looking at it..

    "Worst Race" - Connemara 2016; decent sunny [but cold] start, first 10k or so was ok. I was just ahead of 4 hour pacers i think. Then starts crazy wind, sideways hail shooting at my eyes. Looking back now I a touch undertrained, had only done one or two proper long runs. But I was doing the whole thing for mental health and only wanted sub-4 anyway - so in second half of the race when I was suffering anyway, it was made a million times worse by said sideways hail and strong wind. It was made a lot worse by seeing 500ml bottles of lucazade sport on the ground with a single mouth full gone from them [****ing Conn half runners!!!] - when I was at deaths door. It was actually proper dangerous day, I rememer thinking if this was Dublin or a city marathon I would have dropped out - but did not in Connemera as I kept seeing 100 marathon club folks stopping or in mop up vehicles and I did not want to take the place of someone with hyperthermia !!

    Seriously finished, the hotel there was jammed and I had a change of clothes but virtually nowhere to sit etc - just a yuck day all around.

    My worst race - easy, my first DCM [2011]. Long story but I had lost loads of weight, got into running. Went for DCM, had raised a bucket of money for charity [note for history, raised the money for Console, who's founders "allegedly" just spent/stole all the money] - had trained really well. I look back I was running with the boards folk every weekend, going to club sessions. I was a rock star!! I was carrying a knee injury going into the race, but wanted 3.45, secondary goal of Sub-4. I was going well for 3.45 I think [there is a 5 or 6 page race report in my log somewhere!]. But injury came back in second half of the race. I was *crushed* when the 4 hour group passed me, and I was going backwards fast. I still think about that moment when I see the UCD flyover!! I finished at 4.08; but did not go for beers, went home and took a couple of weeks to get over it truth be told.

    All is well as I did Paris the following April in 3.45 and weas elated and thrilled with myself and Berlin that September missing out on 3.30; with 3.38; and even tho the last 10k were agony, the different mindset I had meant I was really happy with the PB and I knew all the positives I could and should take from from!!


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