This week’s Tuesdays on the Run topic is all about that dreaded decision to DNS or DNF a race. That’s did not start and did not finish a race, in case you were wondering. After months of training and sacrifice, taking a DNF or DNS is a bitter pill for sure.
DNS? I’ve had a few. One of them is very fresh. I was supposed to run the RnR Carlsbad All Day 20k this past weekend, but due to this stupid knee injury, that did not happen. In 2011 I got ambitious/greedy and desired more “bang for my marathon training buck”. I signed up for not one but two fall marathons. The thinking was I’d run Twin Cities in early October and Philly later on in November.
Somewhere along the line that summer my hip started complaining. I ended up bagging one race, then the other. Losing the registration $$$ hurt, maybe more than my hip. But it would’ve been even worse if I’d tried to run. Sometimes it hurts to be wise.
As far as the dreaded DNF, I almost had one, at my first Soldier Field 10-miler back in 2006. I was at the mile 5 turnaround point. It was gravelly with a slight downhill and a water station all rolled into one treacherous corner. I slipped on a cup, came this close to wiping out entirely but snapped my ankle instead, spraining it. If there had been a med tent there, I’d have stopped for sure. But there wasn’t, so I limped on.
After a search for ice or help of any kind turned up nothing, my limp turned into a walk/run. As Soldier Field loomed ever closer in the distance, I considered what a shame it would be to come all this way and not have the chance to enter the stadium and finish on the 50 yard line. So I soldiered (pardon the pun) on and did just that. As soon as I finished and stopped running, my ankle totally blew up. But I finished, so no DNF for me.
In the starting corral, behind the fake smile I’m already struggling mentally with another sweltering hot race. Oh and look, there’s the Fuel Belt I threw in the bushes.
At the 2010 Chicago Marathon I had a mental DNF at mile 9. It was another hot race. Flashes of the inferno that was Chi ’07 danced in my head. I had a half marathon on tap in Grand Rapids just 6 days later. In my heat-addled brain I decided I’d just DNF Chicago and move up to the full in Grand Rapids and call it good. So I walked and called the Caveman to share my genius plan and tell him to come get me. Except he didn’t answer. So I’d run a bit, then walk and call again. Run and swear, walk and call. That went on for a few miles. What I didn’t realize then was I was calling the Caveman’s work number and leaving him voicemails there, which would be highly hilarious to him when he returned to the office on Monday. Finally I gave up and decided I’d get to the charity tent (I ran on the Lupus Charity team that year) at mile 14, flop down and quit there. The Caveman was waiting for me at the tent. I started balling when I saw him and told him my plan as volunteers packed me with ice. But then he asked “CAN you finish?” and I answered “of course I CAN, I just don’t WANT to in this miserable heat.” At that moment I knew I was letting my team down. I knew I had to suck it up and finish. So I plodded on and finished a race I’d mentally given up on at mile 9.
Physically I finished. Mentally I checked out at mile 9. Sweat much?
Even though I technically finished, I still consider that race a mental DNF. Not my proudest moment.
Have you DNS’d or DNF’d a race? What were the circumstances?
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I have never DNF a race or DNS. But I think DNF would be much worse, I would feel like I am letting myself down. At least the DNS, you knew you were making the right decision because you were injured and did not want to agitate it anymore.
LOTS of DNSs; One DNF. I’ll blame that DNF on the fact I forgot my hydration vest for a suckass mountainous 50k and borrowed someone’s handheld. The strap was broken and I am not a handheld fan anyway, and the broken handle was so irritating and really causing me mental issues. Then Melissa fell and that caused about a 10 minute delay and we got lost and that was another 40 minute delay. When we got to mile 17, we were now chasing cutoffs from all the delays and I was like, “Screw it! Done with this handheld.” It was the easiest place to drop and get back to the starting line :). I didn’t have any regrets bc I was so ill-prepared for that race anyway and it wasn’t an A-race, but Melissa dropped with me for some reason (chasing that damn cutoff probably!) and went back the following year for revenge. I have none :). I did, however, learn that you shouldn’t attempt 8000′ vertical climbing races when you haven’t really been climbing much!
Hope you’re having a blast in S.D.!!!
xo
I’ve had lots of DNSs, but I don’t think Ive ever had a DNF. Probably because if I don’t think I will be able to finish I don’t start. It’s always injuries that keep me from racing, which is why I pretty much stopped signing up for races in advance!
Thanks for this – believe it or not, I needed this post today! I’ve just been told no running by my dr, hopefully it’s temporary, but hearing this and reading these posts is reassuring! I’m not alone.
Ugh the pain! It’s a wonder we keep doing this nonsense! That is hilarious about calling your husband’s work number. He should have saved those messages forever 🙂 And yes, I’ve had my share of DNS but no DNF…yet. I still have plenty of years to achieve that one!
I”ve had few DNS but way more painful was that one DNF I had last summer at that 10k. It was my own fault–I got greedy, Instead of sticking to my run/walk intervals and running within my capabilities at the time, I tried to be something I wasn’t. Lesson learned. It still stings.
I had a DNS when I had broncitis once. Never had a DNF… but I’m sure if I ran more races these days I would. 🙂
While I’ve come dangerously close to DNS a few times, so far I’ve been lucky & also haven’t DNF either — but yes, I have definitely mentally DNF’d a few halves — that’s why NOLA was such a big surprise last year. I will need to draw on that when I’m running 2 long races this summer!
I’ve had a couple of DNS due to falling to injury…thankfully, it’s been a few years since that’s happened! I’ve never had a DNF (knock on wood), but the Rock ‘n Roll Montreal half last year was brutal with the heat and I definitely mentally checked out!
I haven’t DNF’d yet, but I know I shouldn’t have started the 2014 WDW half. I crossed the start line, and by golly, I was going to cross the finish line. It was my worst ever race, but I’m proud of that medal. Stubbornness for the win!
You’ve prob heard my story, but my DNF happened a couple summers ago…. I’d worn an old (but comfy) pair of shies and they awoke the sleeping piriformis beast, and he was ticked. I was doing a 5K/10K combo event on a hot & humid Jujy night. That 5K was my slowest 5K on record. 30 minutes later, one mile into the 10K I pulled over without reservation. I had an ultra a week later and that was more important than a stupid 10K that I should not have even lined up for. No regrets, but it was s huge mental struggle until I white flagged it.
DNS and DNF are both awful, but I feel like if you run enough, they happen! My most painful one was giving up a slot to NYC – ouch. I ended up running the next year, but it is still a tough one to sit out, especially as a local!
Technically, I DNF’d my last 50K…since my running buddy and I didn’t make the 3rd loop start cutoff, we were forced to finish the 20M we had run…BIG bummer (esp for my pal, her first ultra attempt). While I could have just ran off without my buddy and made the cutoff, I wasn’t about to leave her. DNF is a bitter pill for sure…and it recently felt worse since I noticed that several runners came close to the cutoff and then spent their TIME on the last loop… (finishing up to 1.5 hours past the finishing cutoff). Oh well, better luck next year!
I had to DNS a race last year due to some ankle pain. I think it was the right decision at the time, but it was still hard to make that decision… if you have paid for and looked forward to a race, it’s hard to do the “right thing’ and not start/finish.
Wow, that was quite the endurance race, both literally and physically, you ran in Chicago in 2010!! Mad props for finishing even when the going was that rough!
I’ve never DNF’d although I’ve thought about it a couple of times. I’ve DNS a couple times, too. Most recently, I DNS’d the MCM in 2016 because I tore my meniscus. So sad. 🙁
I have definitely given up mentally before after being totally thrown off of my game in a tri race. It’s hard to keep that focus when something does not go according to plan. I bailed on a race last December that I had really been looking forward to bc I had some aching shins. I was really bummed at the time but it was 100% the right call. It’s hard when you have to sign up so far in advance.
Does the 2007 Chicago Marathon count as a DNF? There was also one half marathon in June where it was very HOT (90 degrees before the start) and was cancelled. I managed 9 miles. Then a few years later I did the same race but I didn’t finish because I got too hot and my heart rate was very high. I got nervous and stopped running. I had another DNF where I got very cold due to the rain and had to get hand warmers and a blanket from the ambulance guys. As for DNS, I can think of two, a 5K and one Shamrock Shuffle.
I also did the 2010 Chicago Marathon. Surprisingly, I did better that year by 19 minutes than in 2008.
Chicago Marathon is one of may favorite races. I’m training for this year marathon with SportMe running app , hope all will be fine.
OH boy – you talk about mental DNF and my list is looooooooooooong. There are a few races in there where I got to a point I was like “NOPE! DONE!” and that was that!! <3
I haven’t had a DNF, but I’ve had two DNS races. The first one was because I had a bad case of runner’s knee (my knee blew up and I had to get it drained twice). I knew I was in no shape to take on a hilly half marathon. My second DNS was the NYC Half. That one hurt my pocket ($130 just gone), but I was not trained properly so I didn’t want to risk running it and injuring myself.
I have had a couple of DNS’s thanks to an injury that put me way behind on training (most recently the Black Cat 10 miler), and once because of a respiratory infection that made running almost impossible. While they were the right choice, taking a DNS is never easy – I can’t imagine how hard it would be to take a DNF.
Great topic! I’ve never not finished a race… although I really really wanted to quit on Saturday. But there were many I didn’t show up for, including the first marathon I ever trained for due to a knee injury. The worst!