Today I’m linking up with MCM Mama, My No Guilt Life and Run the Great Wide Somewhere for Tuesdays on the Run. The topic for today? What we’ve learned from our worst races ever.
What makes for a bad race experience?
The Undertrained Race:
I’ve raced a handful of times when I was not prepared to run the distance. Ironman Canada 2012 is the best example of this that comes to mind. I dealt with an inexplicable knee injury early on in the year that sidelined me for a good month. After that I really struggled with motivation to train which is a terrible thing when you have an Ironman on the horizon. I do not recommend starting Ironman training in earnest two months before race day!! I truly believe I was lucky to finish my race that day because I was not well prepared for it.
What I Learned: Never take a race for granted. Remember why you signed up for an event to begin with to keep the passion for training alive.
The Gastrointestinal Rebellion Race:
Is there any worse feeling than believing that you’ve trained to have your best day possible, only to discover that your guts are not on board? At Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens in 2009 I likely swallowed too much lake water and spent the entire bike ride burping and trying not to be sick. On the run course I personally inspected almost every one of the porta potties on the race course.
What I Learned: Long distance racing is a day of problem solving. When a problem comes up do what you can to fix it (in hindsight I would probably have been better off to just be sick on the bike to reset my stomach). No matter what though keep moving forward.
The Under the Weather Race
Waking up sick on race morning is no fun! At the Disney Half Marathon in 2012 I spent the night before the race hacking up a lung. Racing in the humidity with a heavy chest was hard that day.
What I Learned: If you are going to race when you aren’t feeling well the best place to do it in is at Disney World. It is a great excuse to run slow and stop for all of the character photos along the way.
The Horrible Weather Race:
The weather in Calgary can change in an instant. It can snow in any month of the year or you may be running in shorts in January. Who knows? I’ve raced in heavy snowfall and on slick roads after a night of freezing rain. I’ve slipped on an icy patch, fallen and hit my head. I’ve raced in a heavy downpour in Vancouver and in record heat and humidity in Florida.
What I Learned: If the weather conditions aren’t ideal then adjust your expectations for the race…but still get out there and race!
My big takeaway is that you may not have perfect circumstances surrounding a race. If your race doesn’t go as you hoped for don’t be disappointed. Take what lessons you can from the day. You’ve made the decision to train hard and to do something for your personal health and wellbeing. Don’t let a tough experience take that feeling of accomplishment away from you!
What was your worst race experience and what did you learn from it?
Great lessons! Being undertrained is the worst because that is normally something that you control…been there! When it comes to bad weather or being sick, you just have to make the most of it and not push yourself too hard!
Janelle recently posted…Philly Half Marathon: My Worst Race
Thanks so much for your comment Janelle! It definitely stings if the weather isn’t ideal or you aren’t 100% healthy, but you are right. Just make the most of it!
Runner Leana recently posted…What’s Cooking?
Great lessons, you’ve had some tough races! I think adjust your expectations is always the lesson to learn. Not ever race can be your best race.
Jen recently posted…5 Tips to control cravings
You are right, not every race can be your best race. That can be hard to swallow when you really want to chase after PRs…but there is a lot of value from those races that don’t go perfectly.
Runner Leana recently posted…What’s Cooking?
Great lessons. And I agree – unless the conditions are truly dangerous, just adjust your plan and get out there. Some of my funnest races have had crazy weather.
MCM Mama recently posted…TOTR: My worst race and what it taught me
I agree, I’ve had really great races in terrible weather. The half marathon that I ran where it just poured the entire time actually went really well from a racing perspective. It was just very wet and quite cold and that felt miserable as soon as I stopped running.
Runner Leana recently posted…What’s Cooking?
OMG you are one tough runner!!.
I can’t believe you did an ironman with an knee injury.
I agree, disney is the best place to run when you just aren’t “feeling it”. -M
Thanks Meranda! Truth be told my knee injury was several months before Ironman…I was just rather undertrained for said Ironman when it came about!
Runner Leana recently posted…What’s Cooking?
I loved how you categorized all these races! I’ve had the gastrointestinal disaster race, which was a PR half for me. Maybe “lightening the load” was key? LOL!
Wendy recently posted…A runner in real life
Thanks for your comment Wendy! I’m so impressed that you were able to PR a gastrointestinal disaster race. Yes, maybe it did help to lighten the load!
Runner Leana recently posted…What’s Cooking?
Great lessons learned! I raced the Gate River Run 15k with a raging sinus infection (I didn’t decide until race morning if I was even going to start!) and it was very tough but I’m glad I did it. Thanks for linking up with us today!
Racing with a sinus infection does not sound like fun at all!
Runner Leana recently posted…What’s Cooking?
Great takeaways. Important part is learning and then moving forward.
John recently posted…A Dose of Disney Magic | Magical Mickey
Thanks for your comment John! I agree, learn and move forward instead of dwelling on bad race experiences!
Runner Leana recently posted…What’s Cooking?
There are so many circumstances you can’t control on race day. You just go with the flow and with the hand you are dealt. It makes for good stories at least!
HoHo Runs recently posted…The Bad Half (Tuesdays on the Run)
That is true, it does make for some great stories! Thanks so much for your comment!
Runner Leana recently posted…What’s Cooking?
Such great lessons, thanks for sharing. Each race is a learning experience that we can grow from.
Thanks Chantel!
Runner Leana recently posted…Thinking Out Loud Thursday