Petty - my half marathon sucked

[firstbaby]

I have been running for years and decided to do a half marathon again. I did one a few years ago and it wasn't the time I had wanted. I spent four months following a training schedule and making it all "fit" in - homeschooling, work, taking care of kids (including a 14 month old), team mom for two sports teams my DH is coaching, etc. You get the idea :) Of course AF becomes super regular during my training, and yes, comes to visit three days before the race. I figure no problem, I have done more than half a dozen runs of 12+ miles getting ready for the race. Sometimes during a visit from her. It will be fine.

Get out on race day and it is going great. First 9 miles sail by. I am on track to get the time I want. And I realize things are quickly happening and I need to find a bathroom stat. Except I thought I could finish without a stop, so I have nothing with me. Find a female paramedic and then have to find a bathroom. Don't know where the next portapotty is and really can't wait. I go in this Elk Lodge and wander around after this guy sent me in the wrong direction for the bathrooms. I lost about 10 minutes in this debacle. Finally back out to the race where I didn't get the time I wanted. I finished in 2:14 and I really wanted to break 2:00.

I am so hung up on this. I was crying about it last night and looking to see what other halfs I can do soon to keep my training and make up for this race. I feel so deflated that all those months of work and commitment, and now done.

Sorry, I know this is really petty, but DH is tired of hearing about it and I can't stop thinking about it. That is all.

[BabbyO]

Aww...that sucks.

I trained really hard for my 2nd marathon, thought I'd done everything right. I knew my shoes weren't going to last for the event so about 2 months before the marathon I bought new, identical shoes. I wore them for my shorter daily runs (still 5-6 mile). Two weekends before the event I decided to wear the new shoes for my long run. I got the WORST blisters. It was like I had never put these shoes on.

During the marathon I was able to go about 6 miles before I had to tend to my feet, then it was every 2 miles after that I had to stop, take my shoes off, slather vaseline on my feet, put my shoes & socks back on and run 2 more miles. It took more than 5 hrs to finish and was SO frustrating.

FWIW I'd be thrilled with your 2:14. My half at the beginning of May was 2:36. I hope you're able to find another race soon!

[crl]

That must be so frustrating after you worked so hard.

Catherine

[MamaMolly]

I'm sorry you are disappointed, but I'm so impressed with your dedication and hard work! :bowdown:

[3isEnough]

I'm so sorry, I completely understand the frustration :hug:

One of the marathons I trained hardest for was the Seattle marathon (I had just broken up with a boyfriend, or more specifically, he broke up with me...so I tried to occupy my time by running). Everything was going great until about 10 miles in and then my knee started to bother me. Another runner nearby had some Aleve, so I took one. It helped the knee pain but caused havoc with my stomach. I had to stop at many porta pottys along the way and walk for several miles due to stomach craps. I've never taken Aleve again.

I also trained hard for the NY marathon. The day before leaving for NY I got a bad cold and was really feeling miserable and cold throughout the whole marathon. It was still a really fun marathon to do, just not how I wanted to do it.

I agree with your plan - find a half that you can do in the next few weeks and get your revenge on AF!

[maestramommy]

:hug::hug::hug: I often wonder what I would do in a really long race if this happened. I remember reading about an Olympic runner who suddenly was overcome with a BAD stomach bug during her last marathon, a big one.

[jal]

I can understand (in part) the frustration.

I like to ride a mountain bike for exercise. There's a state park between my office and home with miles and miles of trails. I had been riding regularly after work and on weekends trying to build up enough strength to be able to complete the main loop in under 2 hours.

When I thought I was ready, I took a day off from work to try. As I started coming down the last hill of the loop, I realized I had 10 minutes to finish a mostly down hill section that normally only takes about 5 minutes. I was feeling great. But then I blew a tire about a 1/4 mile from the end. I knew I would never be able to change a tire and finish the loop in time, so I decided that if I could carry my bike to the end of the loop before the 2 hours was up, I would consider it a success. When my 2 hours were up, I could see the finish, but I was still about 50 yard shy.

For me, the good news is that I tried about about 3 months later and managed to attain my goal.

Firstbaby, it's not like your training has been for naught. It sounds like you (just like me) have demonstrated your ability to attain this goal. It was just unexpected difficulties threw up road blocks that prevented you from "officially" attain your goal. So simply keep your training up and keep looking for those half runs. Keep in mind the very next one might also have more unexpected road-blocks that might pop up. So try to take a longer view... I bet that if you plan for at least three more halves, at least one of those three will workout to NOT have any unforeseeable roadblocks and you will obtain your attain your goal during that run.

[SnuggleBuggles]

If you take the lost 15 minutes out to look for stuff, you'd have made it, right? Congrats either way!!!

[specialp]

My husband does marathons and triathlons and I know how important it is in that world to "beat your best". He's been heartbroken when something interrupted him (albeit, very different reasons from yours!) and he's stayed in a funk for a while. I'm so sorry. I think you did awesome, but I know it's disappointing to not see your official time when you worked so hard. (Those of us who hold down the couch on a permanent basis are beyond impressed with you runners!)

[hellokitty]

Ugh, I can totally see something like that happening to me, so I totally get why you are so aggravated, and I would be too if I were in your shoes. With that said, I am a novice runner, still only doing 5Ks and trying to work toward a 10K. You may not feel like it, but I think you did a kick ass job with the time that you got! So, don't discount it! I do hope that you find another half to do though, so you can get a PR and feel good about it. :) Someday I hope to run a half, so you are already my idol for doing it and for doing it in such an awesome time! I know I will never be able to ever do it in 2:14, I'll be one of those ppl who will be happy to even finish it. So, don't be too hard on yourself, in reality, you know that it sucks that you ended up with a snafu and that technically you got the time, but I get wanting it officially documented on the clock!

[♥ms.pacman♥]

aw, i totally know how you feel. i remember running a half marathon with DH and it happened to be during my period and i got diarrhea and lost like 15 mins just going to the bathroom. So annoying!! Of course DH who had been running with me went way ahead. So unfair. That's the most annoying thing, running during AF...cramping, diarrhea just sucks.

Another time, in 2004 i flew home to visit my parents out of state and had planned to run a half marathon there. I was so looking forward to it. Two days before, i injured my lower back playing Dance Dance Revolution (i felt sooo dumb!) and it hurt so much i couldn't run at all..so i couldn't do the race at all. :(.i ended up having to do physical therapy and stop running for an entire month!

It'll be okay in the end. There will be other races. The year after I hurt my back, and then later was out for 5 months with an injured knee and other issues... I ended up recovering (finally), training with Team in Training and running the 2005 Boston Marathon. I had a crappy time (5:06) but it was my first marathon and i was just glad i finished.


:hug::hug::hug: I often wonder what I would do in a really long race if this happened. I remember reading about an Olympic runner who suddenly was overcome with a BAD stomach bug during her last marathon, a big one.

yeah, that was Uta Pippig in the 1996 Boston Marathon..http://www.boston.com/marathon/history/1996.htm

i just happen to know bc she spoke at the Team in Training dinner a few nights before the 2005 Boston marathon, and she told the whole story about getting diarrhea during the race. she was not shy about telling it all, it was kind of funny!

eta: can i add that i'm just so impressed you were able to do the training etc with kids, a 14month old and all! right now, i couldn't run a few miles to save my life..i'm out of shape and i just have no time/motivation to do the training!

[oneplustwo]

I know I'm supposed to feel bad for you, but I can't get past this:

"I spent four months following a training schedule and making it all "fit" in - homeschooling, work, taking care of kids (including a 14 month old), team mom for two sports teams my DH is coaching, etc."

Holy cow, woman! You did all this? I am beyond impressed. In my book, you are a supermom, super-wife and super-athlete, regardless of what happened in the actual race. :bowdown:

[firstbaby]

Ladies, I can't say thank you enough! I read through the responses and burst into tears! Now that I've had a few days to get over it (and had such great support here), I am feeling better about it. I am doing a 10 miler in the fall and if I can find a good half with the right (monthly) timing and course, I am going for that PR :)