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Mike D.
Mike D. Sendmail

Mike's Top Ten Ways to have a poor race

posted almost 2 years ago | Report

Mike's Top 10 ways to have a poor race:
10. Stay up late and get less than 6 hours sleep the night before.
9. Drive a long way to and from the race.
8. Don't make allowances for recent slow-paced training due to injuries.
7. Do zero long training runs in the month before the race.
6. Run with 5 extra pounds from the holidays.
5. Forget to wear watch to monitor pace during the race.
4. Run no faster paced training runs in the month before the race.
3. Get frustrated when runner 10 years older than you with a strange tilted running style pulls away from you.
2. Run in cold conditions.
1. Start out 30 seconds a mile faster than you can sustain later.

How about you?

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19 posts

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  • Jimmy J.
    Jimmy J. Sendmail

    Very Cool. I Like All 10. Here's 1. Staying on the sleeping couch more than on the training course leading up to your goal race. No Train - No Gain.
    God Bless You My Friend...+
    JJ. ( =

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Reverend Run V.
    Reverend Run V. Sendmail

    Change up everything from your fast runs to your race. Wear different clothes, eat different foods, etc.

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Greg S.
    Greg S. Sendmail

    Fail to hydrate.

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Chris M.
    Chris M. Sendmail

    Eating fatty goose the night before a half-marathon.

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Kevin M.
    Kevin M. Sendmail

    lol, well done Mike! Post of the year right here!

    posted almost 2 years ago | edited almost 2 years ago

  • Kevin M.
    Kevin M. Sendmail

    1. Wake up at 4am to drive 3hrs to the race the day of with teammates because no one wants to split on accomodation
    2. Over-eat from waking up so early and fuel up with crap road-food high in sugar, sodium and fat.
    3. Try to keep it down during the race only to cramp up right when the break happens.
    4. Fail to bring appropriate cold weather gear and suffer the entire race.
    5. Get stuck in the middle of the pack behind everybody with 1000m to go only to get run off the road in the final sprint.
    6. Peel off onto a side road and curse.
    7. Make the 3hr drive home bitter and frustrated the entire way, with no music to calm the bad air.
    8. Rest on your laurels
    9. Make excuses
    10. Check start times only once and fail to notice everything has been shifted to an earlier time. Make the 3hr drive home after missing the race and try to stay positive.

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Darren W.
    Darren W. Sendmail

    "1. Start out 30 seconds a mile faster than you can sustain later."

    That surely depends on race strategy, I don't think I ever saw Don Ritchie, Cavin Woodward, or Martin Daykin set out at a pace they planned to hold for the entire distance, and they didn't do too badly.

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Mike D.
    Mike D. Sendmail

    I've been guilty of overindulging the night before a race, it can be a real downer!

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Mike D.
    Mike D. Sendmail
    in reply to what Kevin M. said:1. Wake up at 4am to drive 3hrs to the race the day of with teammates because no one wants to split on accomodation 2. Over-eat from waking up so early and fuel up with crap road-food high in sugar, sodium and fat. 3. Try to keep it down during ... read more

    Great additions, thanks!

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Mike D.
    Mike D. Sendmail
    in reply to what Chris M. said:Eating fatty goose the night before a half-marathon.

    I've been guilty of overindulging on less than healthy food the night before a race. In fact before my last race I ate too much sugary caramel popcorn the night before.

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Laura A.
    Laura A. Sendmail

    Those are some pretty good ones. I'm guilty of # 3, letting other peoples races interfere with mine. I have to run my own race no matter how good (or bad!) other people look. I get particularly peeved when there are costumes involved. It just seems like I should be faster than someone dressed like Elvis.

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Joanne S.
    Joanne S. Sendmail

    I love this thread! A few of mine:

    - Bundle up in several layers of your warmest running gear for a run just barely under freezing
    - Believe your faster friends when they say their out of shape and try to keep up with them
    - Wear running tights that don't have drawstring that you bought before you lost 20 pounds
    - Run in hot, humid conditions
    - Assume that finding a place to park will only take a couple minutes, and plan accordingly

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Mike D.
    Mike D. Sendmail
    in reply to what Laura A. said:Those are some pretty good ones. I'm guilty of # 3, letting other peoples races interfere with mine. I have to run my own race no matter how good (or bad!) other people look. I get particularly peeved when there are costumes involved. It just seem... read more

    That's a good one. I got beat by a woman in a butterfly costume on Halloween.

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Mike D.
    Mike D. Sendmail
    in reply to what Joanne S. said:I love this thread! A few of mine: - Bundle up in several layers of your warmest running gear for a run just barely under freezing - Believe your faster friends when they say their out of shape and try to keep up with them - Wear running tigh... read more

    Good ones, thanks! I've missed the start of a few races looking for a parking space! Another I missed altogether when I got a flat tire on the freeway. And I've missed a few by oversleeping!

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • NicolePRO
    Nicole Sendmail

    10. Stay up too late
    9. Skip the early on no line porta potty ones to not be happy later about the longer lines
    8. Malfunctioned I-POD or wrong playlist all the slow easy songs
    7. Not enough Energy to make it ( need more Chocolate to get to the finish line)
    6. Not training enough on hills on a race that is ALL HILLS
    5. Too many races back to back..why does my knee hurt I am not overtrained ??
    4. Going out way faster then even previous 5 K pace
    3. No Coffee Before the Run
    2. Wardrobe Malfunction
    1. Monsoon Rain Storm..Urban Flooding..is it a run or boat race ?

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Mike D.
    Mike D. Sendmail
    in reply to what Nicole said:10. Stay up too late 9. Skip the early on no line porta potty ones to not be happy later about the longer lines 8. Malfunctioned I-POD or wrong playlist all the slow easy songs 7. Not enough Energy to make it ( need more Chocolate to get to the fi... read more

    Great list Nicole, great outfit too. I can tell you are an experienced racer! Agree with the porta potty issue. I like my chocolate after the race not before. Curious about the wardrobe malfunction. I've not had any horrible ones, once wore my socks inside out for a half-marathon and got awful blisters due to the seams.

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • NicolePRO
    Nicole Sendmail

    Wardrobe malfunction here it goes sports undergarments that malfunction or break during a race. Second malfunction Running Skirt during a very rainy run for 13.1 miles water logs and adds 5 saggin pounds and begins to start to fall off so you have to hold running skirt to the finish line not coming in strong or pretty.

    Chocolate #9 is the energy gel I use low GI index no high fructose corn syrup and gives me the best energy boast for long hauls.

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Mike D.
    Mike D. Sendmail
    in reply to what Nicole said:Wardrobe malfunction here it goes sports undergarments that malfunction or break during a race. Second malfunction Running Skirt during a very rainy run for 13.1 miles water logs and adds 5 saggin pounds and begins to start to fall off so you hav... read more

    You have a good sense of humor, thanks!

    posted almost 2 years ago

  • Becky
    Becky Sendmail

    I ran a Halloween race last year that was very crowded, and I thought for sure this guy in a giant box contraption was going to knock me out as I tried to pass him. He took up the entire width of the path!

    posted almost 2 years ago

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