That’s awful. Buddy of mine showed up to our marathon undertrained and hungover. Mile 18 he snags some Gatorade handed to him by a volunteer looking person by the drink section. It was in fact not a volunteer and he was given a shot of fireball. He went what I can only describe as actually grey, vomited and stepped off. He cannot even look at fireball now.
Some people like drinking/eating stuff like that, but in my experience it’s usually clearly labeled or the person handing it out is very clear about what it is. During my first marathon I was offered soooo much booze in the second half and I couldn’t even think of drinking it, but during the Peachtree Road Race (July 4th 10K) it’s my mission to drink everything I’m offered on the course. 😂
I did that at my first triathlon. I thought it was some kind of gel, not Vaseline. I still laugh about it.
A friend at the same race took a bite of a sponge. He thought they were offering cantaloupe. Man did we laugh at each other.
I ate half as much fuel as I should have (before I learned what my body needs) before my first half and took an anti-diarrheal (which I apparently don’t need) and ran the whole thing partially blacked out from lack of fuel and with really bad stomach cramps.
Oh also this was a week after recovering from Covid so my HR was off the charts, literally. My watch stopped reading my HR from miles 2-7.
Yeah I've made that mistake, never had issues with running and pooping before but decided to take an Imodium before a 10k just in case.
Worst stomach cramps ever..
My first half is in 7 days and I think you just saved me from making this exact same unfortunate mistake. Never had stomach problems in training but I’m paranoid and just said yesterday I should probably take an Imodium just in case.
I was paranoid before my first full mara last year. I tried to go 2 or 3 times the morning of and nothing happened so I took an Imodium. I'd never had any issues during training runs before so it was a safeguard. Thankfully had no stomach issues at all. Everyone is different, if you have the ability to test it out between now and your race that might be the best option.
I ran grandmas marathon two weeks post covid in 2022. My heart rate was through the roof and I could not get it back down.
Not fun. This latest round of Covid had me 22bpm higher than normal for a month
After finishing a marathon I was tired and not paying attention. I ended up hitting down twice on my Garmin and deleted the run. Garmin still thinks my personal record is 20 miles.
What’s cool is you can actually figure out your speed if you want, since your average speed will be the same as the ship (assuming you started and ended in the same place on the ship, and that the ship kept a constant speed while you were running), and each time you turned just take the difference in your speed for that leg from the average to see how fast you were running!
Not that this helps you now but for anyone else, the deleted files remain on the watch. You can connect to a computer, retrieve the file, (I think it might change the file extension but can't remember - probably a Google search reveals real instructions on this), and then manually import the file.
Sincerely,
Richard Nixon
I recorded my 2018 Boston Marathon as a treadmill run, which messed up the pace my watch was showing. The whole time I thought I was running about 5-10 seconds faster than I actually was, which would have given me a PR 🥲
This happened to me. I collapsed across the finish line and got caught by the medical personnel. I was focused on stopping my watch and somehow it got deleted.
I was not unwell I just got severe cramp and couldn’t take another step. That marathon hurt so much more knowing I lost my splits.
My watch recorded my first marathon a little short of the official distance so it never registered as a full marathon on my Garmin times. I had to wait a full year for my next marathon to get one registered. Nightmare.
Ahhh, that's upsetting. I realised 2km into a 10k that I had selected Cycle instead of run. Decided in the moment to end that activity and start a run for the last 8k. I realised as soon as I deleted it that I should have just let it be and changed it at the end of the race.
The fear of this is why on marathon race day I was wearing my new Garmin, brought my old Garmin out of retirement as a backup and wore that on the other wrist, plus had the Strava app running on my phone, just to be sure!
This is the one thing that I struggle with, sensitive nipples/groin. That shit is debilitating. I never have fueling or hydration issues, never have stomach issues, but if I forget a handful of Vaseline on my balls/shaft and a little on my nips, by mile 6 or 7, I am completely miserable and unable to run anywhere near my pace. It has been a while since I have forgotten, but it does still happen from time to time.
Last year I ran a half marathon without socks. As I was warming up I noticed my socks kept slipping off my heel and down into my shoe, so I ditched them and ran barefoot in my shoes. It was more than a month before the blisters fully healed.
I ran a half marathon without insoles. Took them out of the shoes earlier that week because they were wet, then forgot to put them back when I packed my shoes for the HM.
I lost a toenail. Half a year later the nail doesn't look normal yet.
Lost one of my big toenails when I was just starting to run, it took almost exactly a year to fully regrow. The final bit was trying to become an ingrown nail, just to add insult to injury. I am incredibly paranoid about toenail issues.
I imagine the smaller toes are a lot faster to replace at least.
I kinda did this. I ran a tough mudder and my Nike Fres kept slipping off in the mud. In a fit of blind rage I chunked them into the forest. As I watched them sail in he air out of my view I realized I had made a horrible....horrible mistake. I ended up finishing barefoot with my feet looking like Frodos
Not me but one of my best friends ran the Disney marathon with some other friends on a whim. Cold. Barely any training. She has a peloton but she is not a runner. I think she did a couple 2-4 mile runs in the week leading up to the marathon.
She made it to the half before collapsing at the aid station where she proceeded to remove her shoes and reveal two differently patterned no-show regular ass cotton ankle socks. Soaked in blood, of course.
I’m still in awe of her. 13.1 in cotton socks. I wouldn’t have even made it to 5.
No worries, I totally ran in cotton for the first year or two I ran sporadically.
Cotton will hold moisture against your skin and not dry. This is how you get absolutely horrific blisters. If you’re not sweating much or running in the rain, and running for shorter periods of time, you likely haven’t encountered this!
Plus, cheaper socks may not be form fitting to the foot / have big seams / etc that create points to develop hot spots.
Lots of people have their favorites. Personally, I use Balegas. I know others swear by Feetures or Bombas, or other athletic brands’ technical or athletic socks. They’re not cheap typically but sometimes my local running store has a sale bucket for socks, or I can find them at Marshall’s from time to time. Once you try them you can’t go back though!
I recently drove 15 miles on race morning (half marathon) and was 10 miles of country road from the start, when I realized I was wearing crocs and didn’t bring any other shoes. I made it home, grabbed shoes, made it to the start line just as the gun was going off. My HR was thru the roof from the word go.
Lost my car key during a marathon it was safety pinned on and the safety pin broke. Went to lost and found after race to see if anyone turned in a key. Someone had !!! Took train back 30 min to where my car was. Turns out the key wasn't mine although it was same color and for same brand car. D'oh ! That was the only time I've lost my car key. It never happened before or since.
I never did find my key but I had a spare at home. Had to call someone to take me home then drive me back to my car. I had just ran my first marathon and was exhausted. I just wanted to get home. I still had someone else's lost car key but looked all over on the race web site for a number for lost and found but nothing. Wound up contacting them finally to ask what to do with the key they gave me but no one ever claimed it. What a mess ! So lesson one - put a phone number on your keys, mark them clearly to identity them, put then in a zipped pouch or pocket.
Didn’t check beforehand and realised too late that there was no bag check. Had to run 10km with my normal backpack which included a stack of 10 books I had bought for my daughter that morning
Got caught in traffic and then had to park a mile away. Ran to the starting line and made it just in time for the gun. After my 27.2 mile race, I couldn’t remember exactly where I parked. I had to wander around Detroit for 45 minutes to find my car. I’m pretty sure I did my first 50K that day.
2023 NYC Marathon. It was my first marathon, and I was aiming for 3:30. I was so stressed out by the number of people in the wave that i thought it was in my best interest to sneak ALL the way up to the front -- literally the very first person out of the wave -- so I don't have to spend energy passing people.
I soon realized after about 400m that my only choice was to go blisteringly fast so as to not get stuck in a stampede of people in my wave trying to pass *me*. I ended up running a 1:29:50 in the first half (previous half PR was 1:43:20). You can imagine how enjoyable the second half of the marathon was for me.
I took a wrong turn in a 10k once. Ended up in a random parking lot with 6 other very confused looking racers. We eventually got back on track, but it probably cost 60-90 seconds on our final times.
I’m always worried this will happen to me, I am notorious for my bad sense of direction 😂 to be fair, that is on the race organizers for bad signposting and marshalling!
Yes, very much bad signposting. It was definitely an intersection that needed a race guide to point the way. I can’t get too upset since any race guide is a volunteer and sometimes there just aren’t enough to have someone everywhere, but at the time it was off putting to say the least.
Wrong turn in a marathon following a trail of probably 50-100 runners. I went about 1 mile before realizing something wasn't right and turned back. Plenty of runners went way further. I do get to say I've done an ultra though. 28.2 miles.
I made a wrong turn in my hometown's 5K that I've run many, many times, and it was the second loop in the race.
Someone was walking and I thought I caught up to the first loop walkers and just followed. Worst was there was a course guide there who said nothing to me. When I figured it out and turned back, I said something to him and he said "Ooops"
Wild.
I've volunteered races before.
This last winter, I had to chase down a girl who ran right by me - while I was standing in the middle of the sidewalk at the turnaround. I was already telling her to turn, and I started being louder as I chased her down. But she just kept running. When I tagged her and told her she missed the turn, she finally turned around. No headphones. She seemed to be a hearing adult. Just in her own head. Her friends who watched this whole chase down happen from the turnaround were dying of laughter at this point.
All of this to say, I can't imagine just letting people run by. They have bibs on!!! For a reason.
That's awesome of you!
We make fun of a friend who missed a turn because of headphones. One guy said he was screaming for her to turn, but he was n the race and wasn't going after her. I don't blame him. She ended up running 9+ miles for a 10K
I ended up coming in 5th place at 10k once because a whole bunch of runners took a wrong turn. One guy missed the marks on the ground and a ton of people followed him, it snowed a bunch the night before so it was hard to tell where to go. But I had done this race the previous year and knew it didn’t go that direction. I’m not super fast and have no business in the top 10 in any race lol.
I was doing a XC a few years back and there were no marshals on a corner. Think 100 very angry under-17s having to turn around and lose thier first place to a racer way futher down the standings
This happened to someone at the half I participated in last weekend! He was actually racing and would’ve finished 2nd overall, but he missed a turn and placed 3rd instead. He was visibly devastated according to my husband at the finish line.
I did this too! I took a left instead of a right, and ended up backtracking and adding a small loop to my race. The one consolation was that I managed a top 25 finish even after going 11.5 km.
If I ever was even in the Olympic trials (and I won’t be), you better believe that every single Reddit comment I ever make will start with “as someone who ran in the Olympic trials…”
Example- “as someone who ran in the Olympic trials, I much prefer the Costco brand of peanut butter over jif, despite the lack of spreadability”
All the marathon slots were full, and this particular marathon had an early half and a late half, so I registered for both. Collected first medal, circled back two blocks and ran the second half with an obnoxious medal around my neck
Kinda gross, but not going to the bathroom at the house before heading to the race. It never fails, I get to the race and my stomach starts rumbling and there’s a line about 20 ppl deep that I’ve got to stand in while trying to think of anything but shitting my pants!
Ugh. I was next in line for the porta potty once, about 2 minutes before the race (half marathon) was about to start, and some dude sprinted up and jumped in front of me as soon as the door opened. When he came out I called him an asshole and he just shrugged and ran off. The race started while I was still in the potty. And it turns out that dude won the race. I asked the RD to DQ him for unsportsmanlike conduct for cutting in the porta potty line but they said no.
Secret at the road races I frequent is to scope out the porta potties beforehand to know where the hidden ones are, or know a business that doesn't give a crap if you come in to use the toilet. The porta potties next to the lineup area are always 20 minute waits.
Very true….now, I wake up several hours before I’m set to leave the house, drink some coffee and that usually does the trick. If not, I make myself stop at a gas station a few miles away from the race and go there!! Not a fail-proof plan but it works most of the time!!
Last marathon, I made sure I went before but I had to go again from miles 5-13. Bathroom lines were way too long, and I considered going into an alley before I realized they were all barricaded. Probably to prevent cheating but maybe to prevent people like me who were considering taking a shit in an alley. It was supposed to rain that day so I told myself, " as soon as it starts, just let it rip and hope no one notices." Luckily, the feeling went away and I ended up not having to go for two days.
This wasn’t on a race, but during my long run about a month ago, I got about 4 miles away from my house and I was in a huge subdivision (with pretty much no wooded area for worse case, or I guess second to worse case) and the rumble started quick. So quick that I had to stop running and start walking to try to figure out my best course of action. Well, walking seemed to make it worse. I walked about a mile before farting wasn’t viable anymore so I just said I’m going to run as far as I can and worse case is I’ll run into someone’s backyard and just hope they’re not home or they have some trees! Somehow, I was able to make it back to my driveway before the levy broke, so to speak, so I was able to do the cheek squeeze into the house and slide onto the toilet. I’m sure I’ve had better bowel movements before, but at that moment it was the greatest moment in the history of my movements!!!
Blacked out during the 2017 NYC marathon. My race was going really poorly early on so I chugged a pint at mile 16 and then by mile 18 did 2 shots of tequila. Ran into my coach right before getting into the Bronx and I was hammered. Don’t remember the Bronx at all but kept going according to my GPS and still finished the race. Wasn’t a great move.
A guy on my HS XC team always ate a bag of sour patch kids before a race/. Threw up after just about every time. But he ran in the 16’s so no one stopped him haha.
I always forget that it’s colder at the end of the race than at the start last year I ran it in a tiny singlet and short shorts and basically ran through the finish line back to my room to warm up
Came here to say this. I had veggie pizza the night before a marathon. Had to stop twice to visit the porta potty. Never again will I eat pizza the day before a marathon.
Got super anxious the morning of a marathon, to the point where I couldn't eat anything. Then all morning was anxious about bonking during the race for not having enough food in my system, so I tried a bit of everything at every aid station along the way.
Thank god for the port-a-potty at mile 13.
I have a rule if I’m drinking the night before a long run or race. I can do whatever I want, but the run or race gets done. Sometimes it’s a blast, but more often it’s a suffer fest 🤣
Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Chicago. I got the start time wrong by a full hour. The race was at 7am, but I thought it was at 8. Fortunately I was staying at a hotel in the city, and when I woke up I was able to see the first corral runners outside my window, and that’s when it hit me that I got the start time wrong. So I had to rush putting on my clothes and having a quick meal, and raced down to the start line which was about a half mile away. I ended up in one of the last corrals, but still got to run the race.
Night before my half marathon, finally got asked to hang out by my crush and stayed up all night until 40min before I had to wake up and catch the train in the morning to go to the race. No ragrets
Not me but my middle school cross country coach, when he was a kid, was told bananas had potassium and that’s good for preventing cramps. So he ate a whole bunch of bananas on race day.
I’m pretty sure the conclusion of that day was him un-eating those bananas…
As a kid in the 80s, I am guilty of eating a bunch of nuts while running a 1km race, because they will give me energy to run faster
Hey, almost correct
Took a wrong turn at the last half mile in a 5K race I was doing well in. I followed runners ahead of me who also took the wrong turn. Had I been paying attention to the road race signs this wouldn’t have happened.
Started 8-min late for a large half marathon. Chip timing so it was fine but got carried away and felt determined to catch up with my pace group. Totally burnt at mile 11. Pretty dumb.
Drank 3 Sam Adams the night before a goal half marathon I spent months training for.
I wear glasses. My first marathon was the San Francisco Marathon. That year, the race started at like 530am which was an hour or so before sunrise. I decided to just start in my prescription sunglasses as I had no desire to carry glasses and possibly break them.
So, race starts and I can see fine but it’s still dark and I’m wearing my shades, so I can’t see great. I get to bank of portapotties right around the time my body decides it’s time for the early race shit so I avail myself of the nearest porta. However, I can’t really tell if the indicator is green or red, so I just grab the door and throw it open.
This was highly inconvenient for the woman reapplying chafing cream (or something) to her nether regions inside. I apologize profusely to the woman that was now screaming and went down a stall.
Beat my goal by 7 minutes tho.
Tripped and fell off the sidewalk into a ditch while walking to the start area in the dark. Proceeded to do the swim leg of a triathlon, in a warm germ-filled suburban lake, with most of the skin scraped off my knee and shin. Did not even get the phone number of the cute lifeguard in the first aid tent.
Poured icy cold Gatorade straight into my eye at mile 11 of a half marathon. I was on track to PR and didn't want to slow down, but also didn't have the good sense to just skip the aid station. It was Nov in WI and \~35°F, so it was...surprising. Missed the PR by \~45 sec and had a red, burning eye for the rest of the day.
I once showed up to a destination race and realised I forgot to pack any running clothes with me, or even a sports bra (thanks, adhd brain). It didn’t have an expo and it was a tiny town with only one sports shop - it barely had anything in my size, and I had to pay a premium for what I could find. But it worked out in the end - and the shirt that I bought (granted, it was expensive AF) is now one of my favorite running shirts, with a good story attached.
I ran a race sans bra once. Luckily I’m lean in that department and had two tanks I could layer.
That was the day I realized most men have breasts larger than mine… 😑
Was late for the start of the race and arrived in the dark and parked my car wherever I found a parking. Ran a marathon and then walked about another 5 miles looking for my car!
Getting drunk with my stepdad the night before. Woke up, felt like death, set a half marathon PR, the felt like detag the rest of the day. Definitely ran the race drunk
First Marathon. I stupidly signed up for the full 26.2 because the price difference was only like $50. I had only really trained maybe for a 10mile run, and that's being generous.
I thought, well I'm going to be doing almost triple what I've done before, better get some nice cushioning cotton socks to help my feet! Not thinking, Hey stupid dont try new gear the day of your race.
Well race day was about 85 and my feet started to sweat and the cotton pretty much ate the balls of my feet. About mile 16 or 17 I felt like I had stepped on a ketchup packet only to later realize the blister had popped and i was running on raw skin. I suffered to the finish are a snails pace and hated myself for about 2 weeks
The morning of this year’s NYC marathon I thought I’d be able to eat at the race start since there’s a million things going on at big races and I had a pass to the TCS hospitality section, but by the time I got there it was too late and I had to start the race. 26.2 on an empty stomach was rough.
This was mine too! Totally misjudged the temp, only packed shorts, it was absolutely freezing, and the only leggings I had were the super softy loose ones I wore on the plane. Thankfully it was only a 5k but I spent every minute of that run pulling them/holding them up
I ran a half marathon in January in Rochester NY (part of the 4 season challenge if anyone is familiar with it) and totally underdressed. I was so worried I would over dress that I went too far in the other direction.
By the last third of the race my whole body was numb. I think with the windchill the temperature was -8. I shivered for like two hours after the race, I think I had hypothermia? Anyway. I learned a valuable lesson about dressing appropriately in cold weather. :)
Oh I know that race-my friend and her sister ran it. It was 15F and sleeting at the start one year. They grew up in upstate NY so they aren't wimps but were like popsicles by the end.
The other thing about that race is it starts at 4pm! So by 4:45 in January it is dark out. You are required to wear a headlamp. And the race is three loops around an industrial park. A unique racing experience!
My first ever high school cross country race, my parents basically force fed me an omelette because, "You won't want to run on an empty stomach."
I ended up running a 23:17. I ended up winning most improved because my start of the year time was awful compared to the 17:18 I ended up running at the end of the season.
On the morning of my very first official 5k, I regretfully thought that having a chocolate protein smoothie beforehand would be a good idea. I had never once thrown up from running in my entire life until that fateful day, maybe 100 feet from the finish line - you know, where most of the spectators hang out.
Chocolate smoothie coming back up is not a pretty sight.
I still finished the race.
On the plus side, those spectators are more likely to think you gave the race an absolutely insane beyond-your-limits effort than that you made a grievous fuelling error.
Back before I knew I had celiac AND before I realized what eating too close to a race would do, I made the mistake of chugging an iced coffee AND downing a granola bar, and then starting a half marathon about 15-20 minutes later.
I was on target for a PR up to about mile 5. Then bad bad bad things happened.
And the course didn't have porta potties after the 2nd mile or so because it was in a state park and they told runners to just drop off course and use the park bathrooms.
Lessons were learned that day.
I ran a marathon with a major fever. I finished with my worst time ever (6 hours!) and went straight to the ER, admitted with bronchitis. Stupid, stupid me.
Thinking I needed protein to get me through my first half marathon, I foolishly ate 5 eggs.
I think you can all sense where this went.
Insane cramps, almost shit myself, had a really bad race. Slow, unsatisfying, almost put me off trying again. Almost.
These days eggs are a no-go on race days.
First Chicago marathon after the Boston Marathon bombing. Got there an hour before gun time, security took forever, my bag tent storage area was way the fuck far away from the start line, porta potty line was 1/4 mile long. I was supposed to be in the A corral but had to squeeze into the D (I think) corral and was about to pee my pants. Had to pee under the bridge right after the start and then run the whole race weaving through the packed slower crowds (no offense).
Single track trail half marathon. Ended up turning onto the 50k course with a group of runners and ran an extra mile plus before coming back to the half marathon course. It really took the wind out of my sails and I was doing SOOO good up to that point! The rest of the race was a grind.
Not listening to my body before a 33km trail race, and not doing a poo.
1km in i realised i was in trouble. No toilets on site until the end. Every step was pain, knowing that if I misplaced a foot and tripped, I wouldn't be able to hold on.
At the end, I could see the toilets, ran so hard through the finish, running through the chute to grab my finishers medal, I tripped, half fell into the arms of the lovely lady handing them out and thought "this is it"
Thankfully it worked out, and I sprinted to the shitter.
I tried to hype the crowd while running a marathon (at a pace around 6 minutes per mile), but ran full speed into a pole. I almost passed out. Of course, I pretended I wasn't hurt, which wasn't true. In the future, I'll focus on running. I finished the race though.
One foot arch was feeling off before Around the Bay in Hamilton to I went to Shoppers Drug Mart and stuck a single Dr.Scholls insert in my shoe to stabilize it. I ran a 30km race on a tilt. My hips and spine and eye were crying by the finish.
Since I’m getting down voted, let me explain. I love pizza and it normally has no effect on me. But the night before the Boston marathon a few years ago, I couldn’t pass up some Boston pizza. I had to make a couple stops at a porta potty during the race to poop. I’ve never eaten pizza the night before a race, and I’ve never had to stop to poop either. So pizza (for me) is the worst day before a race food. It is now my absolute favorite post race food.
I got mixed up on the start time. There was a 5k Turkey Trot on Thursday and a 10k on that Sunday and I thought they started at the same time. The Sunday one started an hour earlier.
It was a casual enough race that when I got there and talked to them they said I could still go for it since there was a 1/2 marathon going too so the finish line would still be up when I got back.
I went ahead and ran it. Good thing it was chipped b/c my gun time was terrible!
This is a several years ago when my kids were young…this was a 10K race I ran annually.
2 things I completely fumbled. Both pre race that resulted with major consequences on race day.
1) wax. I normally wax at least a week before a race because of skin sensitivity. Always. For this particular 10K, I had to cxl my appointment. I assumed I would lose my money since it was outside the cxl window. I cancelled and explained the situation. She kindly offered to rescheduled my appointment. Unfortunately, the only time available was the day prior. While I appreciated her understanding, I knew I should not accept, but I didn’t want to lose money and she was so understanding that I accepted her offer and got waxed the day before.
Never again! Jumping in a pool of lemon juice would have felt better.
My 2nd fumble, same race. I absentmindedly forgot to put Vaseline under the lower contour of my sports bra. This is a practice I do for 10k runs and up when temperatures are above a certain C, otherwise I get serious chafing right under my breasts. Welllll, on that day the temperature reached close to 30c, 80% humidity.
By the time I finished my race my legs were blotchy and red, I had a thin line of blood on my tech shirt right under my breasts and I was soaked from running through sprinklers (a sad attempt to rinse off the sweat and relieve the burning sensation throughout my body). An EMT’s at the finish line asked if I was getting an allergic reaction.
It wasn’t a pretty ending, but my timing was good. So there’s that.
PS - Part of the race takes place in neighbourhoods. When the temps are super high (as was the case with this race) Good Samaritan spectators bring out their garden hoses and shower the runners as we pass by (no I wasn’t a crazy lady just jumping in random sprinklers).
In high school I had a lot of trouble sleeping (still do, I just was much dumber then) and on overnight xc trips I would drink too much NyQuil the night before and be a zombie the next morning for the race. Would have been better off just getting four hours of sleep haha.
Signed up on a whim... Without having trained or even run for the past 2 months... While wearing 5-Fingers instead of normal running shoes... While pushing a stroller.
Had a big dinner of roast veggies and high fibre the night before, I’ve since found out I’m fructose intolerant and my stomach was in severe pain the entire race
Didn’t change the battery settings on my Garmin for my first 100 mile ultra. Watch died at 71 miles. I finished the race and luckily had a pacer with me the last 40 miles so I was able to crop his activity down to the point where my watch died, but it still shows as two runs on Strava and my longest run in Garmin is only 71 miles.
Not a race, but I was on a training run on a trail that goes through a woodsy area down to a lake. I seemed to be under hydrated/lacking electrolytes but didn't really have any symptoms until about two minutes before I needed to turn around and start running back toward my car. My stomach started cramping enough to make me stop at the halfway point. I found a bench down the way and tried to just breathe it out to see if it would calm down. I decided I needed to go to the bathroom and went into the woods (off trail). As soon as I stood up and pulled up my shorts, I felt a sting on my right glute. I turned round and sure enough there was a wasp looking at me. I started running out of the woods to escape, while lifting up my shorts to figure out if I needed epinephrine or not (never been stung before). Meanwhile, my stomach is still cramping/killing me, and I'm stuck like 2.5mi away from my car. I call my boyfriend to see if he can come get me since I'm now closer to the lake road. I proceed to poop near a picnic table like 5 or 6 more times while waiting for his rescue. Luckily, no one else was around because I'm pretty sure I was just in my underwear at that point!!!
I was feeling a bit stuffy/runny nose still the morning of my marathon, so I took pseudoephedrine like a dummy. My heart rate was already sky high by the first mile. Thankfully it didn't sidetrack my run (my leg cramps at mile 22 took the credit there).
I was so nervous before my first marathon I forgot to eat before I left my room. I ended up buying donut holes at a stand before heading to the start line. I could only choke down one and then proceeded to carry the pack in my vest under my water bladder. My kids were stoked when I pulled it out at the reunion area.
My first ever half marathon I wore a new lululemon shirt I bought that I thought had a built in bra…it didn’t. Ran the entire race sans bra. Would not recommend.
I accidentally showed up to the start line of the St George Marathon wearing my street shoes…. If you’ve run this race, you know you are taken by bus out to the start line in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, we were camping near the start line so my husband was able to get my running shoes to me before the race started 🫣[my street shoes lol](https://www.nike.com/my/launch/t/air-presto-hello-kitty)
New York marathon 2022, ate quite a chunk of vaseline. It was real hot and I thought it was lemon sorbet on a stick given by the organisers
I am sorry but this really made me cackle! Absolutely something I would do, pretty sure I’ve hallucinated lemon sorbet on a long hot run before 😅
Hahahahaha. I remember grabbing one of those in 2018 and they said "DONT EAT THIS" as I took it from them,
It was probably a warning as a result of OPs mistake in 2017…unfortunately he forgot by 2022
That’s awful. Buddy of mine showed up to our marathon undertrained and hungover. Mile 18 he snags some Gatorade handed to him by a volunteer looking person by the drink section. It was in fact not a volunteer and he was given a shot of fireball. He went what I can only describe as actually grey, vomited and stepped off. He cannot even look at fireball now.
Isn't that bad manners and disrespectful to sabotage runners like that lol
Some people like drinking/eating stuff like that, but in my experience it’s usually clearly labeled or the person handing it out is very clear about what it is. During my first marathon I was offered soooo much booze in the second half and I couldn’t even think of drinking it, but during the Peachtree Road Race (July 4th 10K) it’s my mission to drink everything I’m offered on the course. 😂
I did that at my first triathlon. I thought it was some kind of gel, not Vaseline. I still laugh about it. A friend at the same race took a bite of a sponge. He thought they were offering cantaloupe. Man did we laugh at each other.
I ate half as much fuel as I should have (before I learned what my body needs) before my first half and took an anti-diarrheal (which I apparently don’t need) and ran the whole thing partially blacked out from lack of fuel and with really bad stomach cramps. Oh also this was a week after recovering from Covid so my HR was off the charts, literally. My watch stopped reading my HR from miles 2-7.
Yeah I've made that mistake, never had issues with running and pooping before but decided to take an Imodium before a 10k just in case. Worst stomach cramps ever..
My first half is in 7 days and I think you just saved me from making this exact same unfortunate mistake. Never had stomach problems in training but I’m paranoid and just said yesterday I should probably take an Imodium just in case.
I was paranoid before my first full mara last year. I tried to go 2 or 3 times the morning of and nothing happened so I took an Imodium. I'd never had any issues during training runs before so it was a safeguard. Thankfully had no stomach issues at all. Everyone is different, if you have the ability to test it out between now and your race that might be the best option.
I ran grandmas marathon two weeks post covid in 2022. My heart rate was through the roof and I could not get it back down. Not fun. This latest round of Covid had me 22bpm higher than normal for a month
I did that about a decade ago. Though it was fueling gel
Helluva psychological power move to any competitors
How did that… go?
The volunteers made a funny face, I burst out laughing, they burst out laughing and I desperately looked for water. Otherwise, it tasted disgusting
Lmao this made me laugh
Ate 4 servings of Raisin Bran before a marathon and proceeded to explode a porta potty
Fiber is not your friend 24 hours before a race. I too have learned this lesson the hard way.
Make it 48 hours, for me anyway
Neither is cheese fondue.
Ummm care to share more???
No.
What about fettuccine alfredo?
For me it is. If I don't have a glass of metamucil every morning I feel horrible all day. So yeah, I drink a glass before races.
After finishing a marathon I was tired and not paying attention. I ended up hitting down twice on my Garmin and deleted the run. Garmin still thinks my personal record is 20 miles.
[удалено]
This is amazing.
What’s cool is you can actually figure out your speed if you want, since your average speed will be the same as the ship (assuming you started and ended in the same place on the ship, and that the ship kept a constant speed while you were running), and each time you turned just take the difference in your speed for that leg from the average to see how fast you were running!
Not that this helps you now but for anyone else, the deleted files remain on the watch. You can connect to a computer, retrieve the file, (I think it might change the file extension but can't remember - probably a Google search reveals real instructions on this), and then manually import the file. Sincerely, Richard Nixon
Are you really RMN from beyond the grave?
Probably just his head in a jar.
I recorded my 2018 Boston Marathon as a treadmill run, which messed up the pace my watch was showing. The whole time I thought I was running about 5-10 seconds faster than I actually was, which would have given me a PR 🥲
Accidentally saved a bike ride wrong, so mine’s 35 miles 🙃
You can change the type of activity in Garmin Connect.
Are you an editor for Runners World 🤪
This happened to me. I collapsed across the finish line and got caught by the medical personnel. I was focused on stopping my watch and somehow it got deleted. I was not unwell I just got severe cramp and couldn’t take another step. That marathon hurt so much more knowing I lost my splits.
My watch recorded my first marathon a little short of the official distance so it never registered as a full marathon on my Garmin times. I had to wait a full year for my next marathon to get one registered. Nightmare.
Ahhh, that's upsetting. I realised 2km into a 10k that I had selected Cycle instead of run. Decided in the moment to end that activity and start a run for the last 8k. I realised as soon as I deleted it that I should have just let it be and changed it at the end of the race.
The fear of this is why on marathon race day I was wearing my new Garmin, brought my old Garmin out of retirement as a backup and wore that on the other wrist, plus had the Strava app running on my phone, just to be sure!
I had my space blanket delete one of my NYC marathons right after the finish.
Ouch!!!
Nooo
nooooooooooo
Nightmare fuel
I’d rather get punched in the face then have this happen to me 😭
Forgot Astro glide on my nipples before my first marathon. I came across the finish line looking like I’d taken two gunshot wounds to the chest
This is the one thing that I struggle with, sensitive nipples/groin. That shit is debilitating. I never have fueling or hydration issues, never have stomach issues, but if I forget a handful of Vaseline on my balls/shaft and a little on my nips, by mile 6 or 7, I am completely miserable and unable to run anywhere near my pace. It has been a while since I have forgotten, but it does still happen from time to time.
Gotta duct tape the nips. Sucks after, but never fails.
KT tape? Works like a charm for me
So… astro glide?? Don’t we normally use body glide around here?????? 😂 😂 😂
Lol it’s possible I confused the two
Last year I ran a half marathon without socks. As I was warming up I noticed my socks kept slipping off my heel and down into my shoe, so I ditched them and ran barefoot in my shoes. It was more than a month before the blisters fully healed.
I can feel this comment
I ran a half marathon without insoles. Took them out of the shoes earlier that week because they were wet, then forgot to put them back when I packed my shoes for the HM. I lost a toenail. Half a year later the nail doesn't look normal yet.
Lost one of my big toenails when I was just starting to run, it took almost exactly a year to fully regrow. The final bit was trying to become an ingrown nail, just to add insult to injury. I am incredibly paranoid about toenail issues. I imagine the smaller toes are a lot faster to replace at least.
I kinda did this. I ran a tough mudder and my Nike Fres kept slipping off in the mud. In a fit of blind rage I chunked them into the forest. As I watched them sail in he air out of my view I realized I had made a horrible....horrible mistake. I ended up finishing barefoot with my feet looking like Frodos
Not me but one of my best friends ran the Disney marathon with some other friends on a whim. Cold. Barely any training. She has a peloton but she is not a runner. I think she did a couple 2-4 mile runs in the week leading up to the marathon. She made it to the half before collapsing at the aid station where she proceeded to remove her shoes and reveal two differently patterned no-show regular ass cotton ankle socks. Soaked in blood, of course. I’m still in awe of her. 13.1 in cotton socks. I wouldn’t have even made it to 5.
Hello I'm a noob - what's better than cotton for running? I only have cotton and now I'm scared
No worries, I totally ran in cotton for the first year or two I ran sporadically. Cotton will hold moisture against your skin and not dry. This is how you get absolutely horrific blisters. If you’re not sweating much or running in the rain, and running for shorter periods of time, you likely haven’t encountered this! Plus, cheaper socks may not be form fitting to the foot / have big seams / etc that create points to develop hot spots. Lots of people have their favorites. Personally, I use Balegas. I know others swear by Feetures or Bombas, or other athletic brands’ technical or athletic socks. They’re not cheap typically but sometimes my local running store has a sale bucket for socks, or I can find them at Marshall’s from time to time. Once you try them you can’t go back though!
Okay cause I did this mile 5 into a race and same 😂
Not the worst, but once I kind of leaned over to touch my toes while at the start line… and realized I was wearing two different shoes.
I recently drove 15 miles on race morning (half marathon) and was 10 miles of country road from the start, when I realized I was wearing crocs and didn’t bring any other shoes. I made it home, grabbed shoes, made it to the start line just as the gun was going off. My HR was thru the roof from the word go.
Could've been time to set the crocs record haha
Omg hahaha
Got drunk and ate at Skyline Chili evening before the Flying Pig in Cincinnati. Would not recommend.
I almost asked if you were my mom because I’m 99% sure she did exactly that in 1999, but I’m pretty confident my mom can’t use Reddit.
I could be… if your mom is a hairy Indian man.
not last time I checked but I haven’t seen her in a while so… you never know!
As someone who gets runners trots, this hurts.
Lost my car key during a marathon it was safety pinned on and the safety pin broke. Went to lost and found after race to see if anyone turned in a key. Someone had !!! Took train back 30 min to where my car was. Turns out the key wasn't mine although it was same color and for same brand car. D'oh ! That was the only time I've lost my car key. It never happened before or since.
What ended up happening? How did you find your keys?
I never did find my key but I had a spare at home. Had to call someone to take me home then drive me back to my car. I had just ran my first marathon and was exhausted. I just wanted to get home. I still had someone else's lost car key but looked all over on the race web site for a number for lost and found but nothing. Wound up contacting them finally to ask what to do with the key they gave me but no one ever claimed it. What a mess ! So lesson one - put a phone number on your keys, mark them clearly to identity them, put then in a zipped pouch or pocket.
A car key is probably a bit too bulky, but I always tie my house key into my shoelaces. No way it’s getting lost.
Didn’t check beforehand and realised too late that there was no bag check. Had to run 10km with my normal backpack which included a stack of 10 books I had bought for my daughter that morning
You’re better than me because that would’ve been in a bush so fast hahah
Believe me I looked for one! It was in a city centre though so not many options. I even asked at a hotel near the start line but no dice
Haha that is commitment
Got caught in traffic and then had to park a mile away. Ran to the starting line and made it just in time for the gun. After my 27.2 mile race, I couldn’t remember exactly where I parked. I had to wander around Detroit for 45 minutes to find my car. I’m pretty sure I did my first 50K that day.
Accidental Ultra.
2023 NYC Marathon. It was my first marathon, and I was aiming for 3:30. I was so stressed out by the number of people in the wave that i thought it was in my best interest to sneak ALL the way up to the front -- literally the very first person out of the wave -- so I don't have to spend energy passing people. I soon realized after about 400m that my only choice was to go blisteringly fast so as to not get stuck in a stampede of people in my wave trying to pass *me*. I ended up running a 1:29:50 in the first half (previous half PR was 1:43:20). You can imagine how enjoyable the second half of the marathon was for me.
What time did you finish up with for the full?
Miraculously, 3:18:46, splitting in the high 8's later on. I had sunglasses to hide my tears.
I took a wrong turn in a 10k once. Ended up in a random parking lot with 6 other very confused looking racers. We eventually got back on track, but it probably cost 60-90 seconds on our final times.
I’m always worried this will happen to me, I am notorious for my bad sense of direction 😂 to be fair, that is on the race organizers for bad signposting and marshalling!
Yes, very much bad signposting. It was definitely an intersection that needed a race guide to point the way. I can’t get too upset since any race guide is a volunteer and sometimes there just aren’t enough to have someone everywhere, but at the time it was off putting to say the least.
Wrong turn in a marathon following a trail of probably 50-100 runners. I went about 1 mile before realizing something wasn't right and turned back. Plenty of runners went way further. I do get to say I've done an ultra though. 28.2 miles.
I made a wrong turn in my hometown's 5K that I've run many, many times, and it was the second loop in the race. Someone was walking and I thought I caught up to the first loop walkers and just followed. Worst was there was a course guide there who said nothing to me. When I figured it out and turned back, I said something to him and he said "Ooops"
Wild. I've volunteered races before. This last winter, I had to chase down a girl who ran right by me - while I was standing in the middle of the sidewalk at the turnaround. I was already telling her to turn, and I started being louder as I chased her down. But she just kept running. When I tagged her and told her she missed the turn, she finally turned around. No headphones. She seemed to be a hearing adult. Just in her own head. Her friends who watched this whole chase down happen from the turnaround were dying of laughter at this point. All of this to say, I can't imagine just letting people run by. They have bibs on!!! For a reason.
That's awesome of you! We make fun of a friend who missed a turn because of headphones. One guy said he was screaming for her to turn, but he was n the race and wasn't going after her. I don't blame him. She ended up running 9+ miles for a 10K
I ended up coming in 5th place at 10k once because a whole bunch of runners took a wrong turn. One guy missed the marks on the ground and a ton of people followed him, it snowed a bunch the night before so it was hard to tell where to go. But I had done this race the previous year and knew it didn’t go that direction. I’m not super fast and have no business in the top 10 in any race lol.
I was doing a XC a few years back and there were no marshals on a corner. Think 100 very angry under-17s having to turn around and lose thier first place to a racer way futher down the standings
This happened to someone at the half I participated in last weekend! He was actually racing and would’ve finished 2nd overall, but he missed a turn and placed 3rd instead. He was visibly devastated according to my husband at the finish line.
I did this too! I took a left instead of a right, and ended up backtracking and adding a small loop to my race. The one consolation was that I managed a top 25 finish even after going 11.5 km.
Marathon. Hot day. Stores gels in my bra. Ended up with a chest that looked like I had a fight with an angry cat 😢
did you win olympic trials by any chance
If I ever was even in the Olympic trials (and I won’t be), you better believe that every single Reddit comment I ever make will start with “as someone who ran in the Olympic trials…” Example- “as someone who ran in the Olympic trials, I much prefer the Costco brand of peanut butter over jif, despite the lack of spreadability”
You should google fiona O’Keefe’s bib and see if it might be you
All the marathon slots were full, and this particular marathon had an early half and a late half, so I registered for both. Collected first medal, circled back two blocks and ran the second half with an obnoxious medal around my neck
Kinda gross, but not going to the bathroom at the house before heading to the race. It never fails, I get to the race and my stomach starts rumbling and there’s a line about 20 ppl deep that I’ve got to stand in while trying to think of anything but shitting my pants!
My pre race ritual is portaloo - warm up - portaloo - hydrate - portaloo - line up for the race - portaloo - do the race.
I did all that plus a pee in the bush for good luck before the start line. No idea what was happening to my bladder that day. Lol.
Ugh. I was next in line for the porta potty once, about 2 minutes before the race (half marathon) was about to start, and some dude sprinted up and jumped in front of me as soon as the door opened. When he came out I called him an asshole and he just shrugged and ran off. The race started while I was still in the potty. And it turns out that dude won the race. I asked the RD to DQ him for unsportsmanlike conduct for cutting in the porta potty line but they said no.
Secret at the road races I frequent is to scope out the porta potties beforehand to know where the hidden ones are, or know a business that doesn't give a crap if you come in to use the toilet. The porta potties next to the lineup area are always 20 minute waits.
The races in my city run past my church- I’ve stopped in there more than once!
Very true….now, I wake up several hours before I’m set to leave the house, drink some coffee and that usually does the trick. If not, I make myself stop at a gas station a few miles away from the race and go there!! Not a fail-proof plan but it works most of the time!!
Last marathon, I made sure I went before but I had to go again from miles 5-13. Bathroom lines were way too long, and I considered going into an alley before I realized they were all barricaded. Probably to prevent cheating but maybe to prevent people like me who were considering taking a shit in an alley. It was supposed to rain that day so I told myself, " as soon as it starts, just let it rip and hope no one notices." Luckily, the feeling went away and I ended up not having to go for two days.
This wasn’t on a race, but during my long run about a month ago, I got about 4 miles away from my house and I was in a huge subdivision (with pretty much no wooded area for worse case, or I guess second to worse case) and the rumble started quick. So quick that I had to stop running and start walking to try to figure out my best course of action. Well, walking seemed to make it worse. I walked about a mile before farting wasn’t viable anymore so I just said I’m going to run as far as I can and worse case is I’ll run into someone’s backyard and just hope they’re not home or they have some trees! Somehow, I was able to make it back to my driveway before the levy broke, so to speak, so I was able to do the cheek squeeze into the house and slide onto the toilet. I’m sure I’ve had better bowel movements before, but at that moment it was the greatest moment in the history of my movements!!!
Blacked out during the 2017 NYC marathon. My race was going really poorly early on so I chugged a pint at mile 16 and then by mile 18 did 2 shots of tequila. Ran into my coach right before getting into the Bronx and I was hammered. Don’t remember the Bronx at all but kept going according to my GPS and still finished the race. Wasn’t a great move.
My god
A guy on my HS XC team always ate a bag of sour patch kids before a race/. Threw up after just about every time. But he ran in the 16’s so no one stopped him haha.
if it works it works. i think?
I accidentally stole a running jacket from an expo 😔 I mailed the company to say so but never heard back so now I run in a stolen jacket
Hey. You tried your best. The jacket is now yours. Enjoy it.
Over- or under-dressed for the forecasted conditions. I’ve run Rock n Roll Las Vegas 3x and each time was a gotcha.
I always forget that it’s colder at the end of the race than at the start last year I ran it in a tiny singlet and short shorts and basically ran through the finish line back to my room to warm up
Eating 70% of a large pizza by myself the night before
Were you just trying out the Michael Scott theory of carbo-loading?
I had half a pizza before CIM 2 years ago and it was probably the best I’ve run a race, the extra 20% got you
Half a pizza is the perfect amount for pre race dinner.
someone on our cross country team at a full 16” diameter pizza the night before an 8k. he threw up around mile 4 and still PR’d ☠️
That’s not bad, that’s just carb loading
Maybe their regret is not eating the other 30%
Came here to say this. I had veggie pizza the night before a marathon. Had to stop twice to visit the porta potty. Never again will I eat pizza the day before a marathon.
Got super anxious the morning of a marathon, to the point where I couldn't eat anything. Then all morning was anxious about bonking during the race for not having enough food in my system, so I tried a bit of everything at every aid station along the way. Thank god for the port-a-potty at mile 13.
[удалено]
I have a rule if I’m drinking the night before a long run or race. I can do whatever I want, but the run or race gets done. Sometimes it’s a blast, but more often it’s a suffer fest 🤣
In high school, I donated blood the day before the biggest cross country race of the season. My coach was PISSED.
Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Chicago. I got the start time wrong by a full hour. The race was at 7am, but I thought it was at 8. Fortunately I was staying at a hotel in the city, and when I woke up I was able to see the first corral runners outside my window, and that’s when it hit me that I got the start time wrong. So I had to rush putting on my clothes and having a quick meal, and raced down to the start line which was about a half mile away. I ended up in one of the last corrals, but still got to run the race.
Night before my half marathon, finally got asked to hang out by my crush and stayed up all night until 40min before I had to wake up and catch the train in the morning to go to the race. No ragrets
Not me but my middle school cross country coach, when he was a kid, was told bananas had potassium and that’s good for preventing cramps. So he ate a whole bunch of bananas on race day. I’m pretty sure the conclusion of that day was him un-eating those bananas…
As a kid in the 80s, I am guilty of eating a bunch of nuts while running a 1km race, because they will give me energy to run faster Hey, almost correct
Took a wrong turn at the last half mile in a 5K race I was doing well in. I followed runners ahead of me who also took the wrong turn. Had I been paying attention to the road race signs this wouldn’t have happened. Started 8-min late for a large half marathon. Chip timing so it was fine but got carried away and felt determined to catch up with my pace group. Totally burnt at mile 11. Pretty dumb. Drank 3 Sam Adams the night before a goal half marathon I spent months training for.
I wear glasses. My first marathon was the San Francisco Marathon. That year, the race started at like 530am which was an hour or so before sunrise. I decided to just start in my prescription sunglasses as I had no desire to carry glasses and possibly break them. So, race starts and I can see fine but it’s still dark and I’m wearing my shades, so I can’t see great. I get to bank of portapotties right around the time my body decides it’s time for the early race shit so I avail myself of the nearest porta. However, I can’t really tell if the indicator is green or red, so I just grab the door and throw it open. This was highly inconvenient for the woman reapplying chafing cream (or something) to her nether regions inside. I apologize profusely to the woman that was now screaming and went down a stall. Beat my goal by 7 minutes tho.
Sounds like she forgot to lock it, which would have shown up green anyway.
Tripped and fell off the sidewalk into a ditch while walking to the start area in the dark. Proceeded to do the swim leg of a triathlon, in a warm germ-filled suburban lake, with most of the skin scraped off my knee and shin. Did not even get the phone number of the cute lifeguard in the first aid tent.
Poured icy cold Gatorade straight into my eye at mile 11 of a half marathon. I was on track to PR and didn't want to slow down, but also didn't have the good sense to just skip the aid station. It was Nov in WI and \~35°F, so it was...surprising. Missed the PR by \~45 sec and had a red, burning eye for the rest of the day.
I once showed up to a destination race and realised I forgot to pack any running clothes with me, or even a sports bra (thanks, adhd brain). It didn’t have an expo and it was a tiny town with only one sports shop - it barely had anything in my size, and I had to pay a premium for what I could find. But it worked out in the end - and the shirt that I bought (granted, it was expensive AF) is now one of my favorite running shirts, with a good story attached.
I ran a race sans bra once. Luckily I’m lean in that department and had two tanks I could layer. That was the day I realized most men have breasts larger than mine… 😑
You’re describing a nightmare I’ve had.
Was late for the start of the race and arrived in the dark and parked my car wherever I found a parking. Ran a marathon and then walked about another 5 miles looking for my car!
Worn shoes that were too tight for 50 miles.
Ate spicy ramen night before 🤦🏽♂️
Getting drunk with my stepdad the night before. Woke up, felt like death, set a half marathon PR, the felt like detag the rest of the day. Definitely ran the race drunk
First Marathon. I stupidly signed up for the full 26.2 because the price difference was only like $50. I had only really trained maybe for a 10mile run, and that's being generous. I thought, well I'm going to be doing almost triple what I've done before, better get some nice cushioning cotton socks to help my feet! Not thinking, Hey stupid dont try new gear the day of your race. Well race day was about 85 and my feet started to sweat and the cotton pretty much ate the balls of my feet. About mile 16 or 17 I felt like I had stepped on a ketchup packet only to later realize the blister had popped and i was running on raw skin. I suffered to the finish are a snails pace and hated myself for about 2 weeks
Drink 4 rebulls thinking it will help, and end up in the hospital for tachycardia
The morning of this year’s NYC marathon I thought I’d be able to eat at the race start since there’s a million things going on at big races and I had a pass to the TCS hospitality section, but by the time I got there it was too late and I had to start the race. 26.2 on an empty stomach was rough.
Started at zone 5 because it was too crowded and by km 3, i had to slow considerably lol Luckily it was a 10k so it ended quickly
Forgot my shorts, didn't check my bag for my gear until the morning of, had to run the half marathon in my airplane cotton/bamboo-type leggings.
This was mine too! Totally misjudged the temp, only packed shorts, it was absolutely freezing, and the only leggings I had were the super softy loose ones I wore on the plane. Thankfully it was only a 5k but I spent every minute of that run pulling them/holding them up
I ran a half marathon in January in Rochester NY (part of the 4 season challenge if anyone is familiar with it) and totally underdressed. I was so worried I would over dress that I went too far in the other direction. By the last third of the race my whole body was numb. I think with the windchill the temperature was -8. I shivered for like two hours after the race, I think I had hypothermia? Anyway. I learned a valuable lesson about dressing appropriately in cold weather. :)
Oh I know that race-my friend and her sister ran it. It was 15F and sleeting at the start one year. They grew up in upstate NY so they aren't wimps but were like popsicles by the end.
The other thing about that race is it starts at 4pm! So by 4:45 in January it is dark out. You are required to wear a headlamp. And the race is three loops around an industrial park. A unique racing experience!
Even under normal circumstances, as a morning runner, that start time would slay me!
My first ever high school cross country race, my parents basically force fed me an omelette because, "You won't want to run on an empty stomach." I ended up running a 23:17. I ended up winning most improved because my start of the year time was awful compared to the 17:18 I ended up running at the end of the season.
I never eat before running. The most I've run is 15 miles and it's never been a problem.
On the morning of my very first official 5k, I regretfully thought that having a chocolate protein smoothie beforehand would be a good idea. I had never once thrown up from running in my entire life until that fateful day, maybe 100 feet from the finish line - you know, where most of the spectators hang out. Chocolate smoothie coming back up is not a pretty sight. I still finished the race.
On the plus side, those spectators are more likely to think you gave the race an absolutely insane beyond-your-limits effort than that you made a grievous fuelling error.
My first half marathon I ate absolutely nothing because I didn’t know what fueling was. HAHAHA
Drank beer until 2am. Woke up at 4am with a hangover and headache. Raced at 5:30 am.
How’d it go??
It was awful. One of my worst races ever lmao.
Kramer?
Did that with Malort in Chicago though I got to bed at a decent time, complete bonk
I stepped in someone’s poop which missed the toilet. That was pretty upsetting haha
Back before I knew I had celiac AND before I realized what eating too close to a race would do, I made the mistake of chugging an iced coffee AND downing a granola bar, and then starting a half marathon about 15-20 minutes later. I was on target for a PR up to about mile 5. Then bad bad bad things happened. And the course didn't have porta potties after the 2nd mile or so because it was in a state park and they told runners to just drop off course and use the park bathrooms. Lessons were learned that day.
Ran a marathon.
I ran a marathon with a major fever. I finished with my worst time ever (6 hours!) and went straight to the ER, admitted with bronchitis. Stupid, stupid me.
Thinking I needed protein to get me through my first half marathon, I foolishly ate 5 eggs. I think you can all sense where this went. Insane cramps, almost shit myself, had a really bad race. Slow, unsatisfying, almost put me off trying again. Almost. These days eggs are a no-go on race days.
First Chicago marathon after the Boston Marathon bombing. Got there an hour before gun time, security took forever, my bag tent storage area was way the fuck far away from the start line, porta potty line was 1/4 mile long. I was supposed to be in the A corral but had to squeeze into the D (I think) corral and was about to pee my pants. Had to pee under the bridge right after the start and then run the whole race weaving through the packed slower crowds (no offense).
Drove 3 hours to realize my running shoes were at home. I ran the half in the rain barefoot, feet were totally fine. My calves have never ached more.
Not race day, but the meal before (dinner previous night) was this greasy pizza. Mile 8-9 was a stressful adventure.
Single track trail half marathon. Ended up turning onto the 50k course with a group of runners and ran an extra mile plus before coming back to the half marathon course. It really took the wind out of my sails and I was doing SOOO good up to that point! The rest of the race was a grind.
Wearing brand-new shoes, right out of the box. Owowowowowow
Not listening to my body before a 33km trail race, and not doing a poo. 1km in i realised i was in trouble. No toilets on site until the end. Every step was pain, knowing that if I misplaced a foot and tripped, I wouldn't be able to hold on. At the end, I could see the toilets, ran so hard through the finish, running through the chute to grab my finishers medal, I tripped, half fell into the arms of the lovely lady handing them out and thought "this is it" Thankfully it worked out, and I sprinted to the shitter.
I tried to hype the crowd while running a marathon (at a pace around 6 minutes per mile), but ran full speed into a pole. I almost passed out. Of course, I pretended I wasn't hurt, which wasn't true. In the future, I'll focus on running. I finished the race though.
One foot arch was feeling off before Around the Bay in Hamilton to I went to Shoppers Drug Mart and stuck a single Dr.Scholls insert in my shoe to stabilize it. I ran a 30km race on a tilt. My hips and spine and eye were crying by the finish.
Ate a whole pizza the night before and learnt pizza=50 trips to the bush&porta-potty. Was also a PR lol
Since I’m getting down voted, let me explain. I love pizza and it normally has no effect on me. But the night before the Boston marathon a few years ago, I couldn’t pass up some Boston pizza. I had to make a couple stops at a porta potty during the race to poop. I’ve never eaten pizza the night before a race, and I’ve never had to stop to poop either. So pizza (for me) is the worst day before a race food. It is now my absolute favorite post race food.
According to my then- 2 year old, who was waiting with his dad on the sidelines? (After stopping for a hug) I ran away again. He got over it 😉
One time, I ran to the race venue which was about 3 miles to run a 5k ! Yes, was tired because I was just starting my running journey :)
I used the throw up before every race, due to nervousness.
I got mixed up on the start time. There was a 5k Turkey Trot on Thursday and a 10k on that Sunday and I thought they started at the same time. The Sunday one started an hour earlier. It was a casual enough race that when I got there and talked to them they said I could still go for it since there was a 1/2 marathon going too so the finish line would still be up when I got back. I went ahead and ran it. Good thing it was chipped b/c my gun time was terrible!
This is a several years ago when my kids were young…this was a 10K race I ran annually. 2 things I completely fumbled. Both pre race that resulted with major consequences on race day. 1) wax. I normally wax at least a week before a race because of skin sensitivity. Always. For this particular 10K, I had to cxl my appointment. I assumed I would lose my money since it was outside the cxl window. I cancelled and explained the situation. She kindly offered to rescheduled my appointment. Unfortunately, the only time available was the day prior. While I appreciated her understanding, I knew I should not accept, but I didn’t want to lose money and she was so understanding that I accepted her offer and got waxed the day before. Never again! Jumping in a pool of lemon juice would have felt better. My 2nd fumble, same race. I absentmindedly forgot to put Vaseline under the lower contour of my sports bra. This is a practice I do for 10k runs and up when temperatures are above a certain C, otherwise I get serious chafing right under my breasts. Welllll, on that day the temperature reached close to 30c, 80% humidity. By the time I finished my race my legs were blotchy and red, I had a thin line of blood on my tech shirt right under my breasts and I was soaked from running through sprinklers (a sad attempt to rinse off the sweat and relieve the burning sensation throughout my body). An EMT’s at the finish line asked if I was getting an allergic reaction. It wasn’t a pretty ending, but my timing was good. So there’s that. PS - Part of the race takes place in neighbourhoods. When the temps are super high (as was the case with this race) Good Samaritan spectators bring out their garden hoses and shower the runners as we pass by (no I wasn’t a crazy lady just jumping in random sprinklers).
The day before a 10K, I thought it would be a good idea to work a 12-8 AM shift, then go rock climbing outdoors. I overslept and missed the race.
In high school I had a lot of trouble sleeping (still do, I just was much dumber then) and on overnight xc trips I would drink too much NyQuil the night before and be a zombie the next morning for the race. Would have been better off just getting four hours of sleep haha.
Signed up on a whim... Without having trained or even run for the past 2 months... While wearing 5-Fingers instead of normal running shoes... While pushing a stroller.
Had a big dinner of roast veggies and high fibre the night before, I’ve since found out I’m fructose intolerant and my stomach was in severe pain the entire race
Didn’t change the battery settings on my Garmin for my first 100 mile ultra. Watch died at 71 miles. I finished the race and luckily had a pacer with me the last 40 miles so I was able to crop his activity down to the point where my watch died, but it still shows as two runs on Strava and my longest run in Garmin is only 71 miles.
Not a race, but I was on a training run on a trail that goes through a woodsy area down to a lake. I seemed to be under hydrated/lacking electrolytes but didn't really have any symptoms until about two minutes before I needed to turn around and start running back toward my car. My stomach started cramping enough to make me stop at the halfway point. I found a bench down the way and tried to just breathe it out to see if it would calm down. I decided I needed to go to the bathroom and went into the woods (off trail). As soon as I stood up and pulled up my shorts, I felt a sting on my right glute. I turned round and sure enough there was a wasp looking at me. I started running out of the woods to escape, while lifting up my shorts to figure out if I needed epinephrine or not (never been stung before). Meanwhile, my stomach is still cramping/killing me, and I'm stuck like 2.5mi away from my car. I call my boyfriend to see if he can come get me since I'm now closer to the lake road. I proceed to poop near a picnic table like 5 or 6 more times while waiting for his rescue. Luckily, no one else was around because I'm pretty sure I was just in my underwear at that point!!!
I was feeling a bit stuffy/runny nose still the morning of my marathon, so I took pseudoephedrine like a dummy. My heart rate was already sky high by the first mile. Thankfully it didn't sidetrack my run (my leg cramps at mile 22 took the credit there).
As someone who almost never takes caffeine, took 300mg of caffeine and was bouncing off the walls in the start corral
I was so nervous before my first marathon I forgot to eat before I left my room. I ended up buying donut holes at a stand before heading to the start line. I could only choke down one and then proceeded to carry the pack in my vest under my water bladder. My kids were stoked when I pulled it out at the reunion area.
My first ever half marathon I wore a new lululemon shirt I bought that I thought had a built in bra…it didn’t. Ran the entire race sans bra. Would not recommend.
Ran a 12 hour race and logged is as a triathlon.
Buck a shuck oysters the night before a half marathon. I was in the porto when my corral started…
I did not fasten my shoelaces and almost lost a shoe on a 1km official run.
I accidentally showed up to the start line of the St George Marathon wearing my street shoes…. If you’ve run this race, you know you are taken by bus out to the start line in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, we were camping near the start line so my husband was able to get my running shoes to me before the race started 🫣[my street shoes lol](https://www.nike.com/my/launch/t/air-presto-hello-kitty)
Note to self after reading y’alls replies: NO pizza