Would you run a race knowing you would finish last?

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  • chersheppard
    chersheppard Posts: 42 Member
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    My first 8KM race that I ran, I finished dead last and about 20 mins after the person before me.

    I was devasted and I posted about my disappointment on another board I participate in, those members made me feel so much better and told me to be proud of what I did do which was finish that race at my fastest pace to date.

    Something else I learned this weekend after seeing Olympic Gold Medalist Catriona Le May Doan speak. She said that her 3 medals represent 3 races out of a 22 year career. 3 races.

    Set goals for yourself, not anyone else, for yourself!
  • blittle2
    blittle2 Posts: 94 Member
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    my first goal is always just to finish, place doesn't matter at my pace
  • kcgslp
    kcgslp Posts: 212
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    WOW! I'm surprised I am in the minority here but the truth is...No.
    I can go run on my own anytime. For me personally, registering for a race is entering a competition.
    Competition means your performance counts.

    But on the other hand I have run races where I knew I couldn't/ wouldn't go "all out" because of injury ... does that count?
    But at the same time I also knew I wouldn't be last.

    Different people are different. If merely completing a challenging race is not motivating to you and you'd feel bad about finishing last, then running a race against more experienced runners is probably not for you, and that's fine.

    Most 5K and 10K runs are more about fundraising than they are serious competition, though there's certainly some competition among the people who are in it to win it. That's usually a couple dozen people, they know who they are, and they'll be competing against each other and taking the competition seriously.

    The rest of the crowd is out there to test themselves. The very last person to finish raised money for the cause just like the very first one, and you can bet that there's going to be a good cheering squad making sure the very last person across the finish line gets just as boisterous a cheer as the very first.

    But completing your first race at a given level (5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Full Marathon, 100-Miler) is a monumental individual achievement. First, second, or last, it's a major accomplishment. Signing up for an organized one means you showed up on race day and did it regardless of the weather and whether you were feeling your best that day, and gives you a little well-deserved pat on the back.

    Why is completing your first race automatically a monumental achievement? My first race was a half marathon and I completed it with 5 weeks of training. I happened to be athletic already so all it took was a small training adaptation for me to accomplish it. There was nothing monumental about that. I find raising an infant to be about 20 times harder than training for even a marathon.

    I think the value of the achievement is directly related to how much effort it takes to do it. Not everyone is on a level playing field as far as how effort and performance relate. I applaud the effort people put in more than anything, and sometimes just finishing without a challenging goal is selling yourself short.


    It's true... this is kind of a trick question. It depends on what your goals are. Competing against top runners is what I do. I'm one of the ones at the front of the line because every second counts. For 5K races I am at the very least in the top 3 for my age group. I know the names of the runners I've beaten and the ones who've beaten me. My overall goal is to be in the top 3 overall and so far I've made it to Overall Master's winner. So yeah...I work hard at racing and trainging so just finishing a race isn't quite rewarding for me.
    When I decided to move into the relm of longer distance races, once again, just finishing was not my goal.
    Unfortunatley, I was injured before my first 10K and my first 10 miler. I did run knowing I would not reach my goal but if I was going to finish last that means, FOR ME I shouldn't be racing because something is seriously wrong. I finished my 10K in 8:20 min./mile pace and my 10 miler in 8:43 min./mile pace. FAR away from my sub 8:00min goal.
    BUT PRESPECTIVE IS HUGE HERE!!!!
  • spacecase76
    spacecase76 Posts: 673 Member
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    Edit: and with a freaky air of coincidence, just as I posted this my wife tells me that our 94 year old aunt just finished a 5K walk with a winning time of 1:13:46, putting her in last place for the race, but first place for her age bracket....with a pace of 23:48 per mile. Whoo!!!! She ROCKS!

    That is awesome!
  • SweatpantsRebellion
    SweatpantsRebellion Posts: 754 Member
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    Yes, I would.
    I ran a 10k and finished dead-last! I felt that I had enough left in me for a final push to the finish line and make myself 2nd-to-last by passing, but I didn't have the heart to do it. It was a little boy, about 7 years old.

    Awww...you're amazing. I would hope someone would be there to do the same thing if a similar situation ever arose for one of my little guys!
  • SweatpantsRebellion
    SweatpantsRebellion Posts: 754 Member
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    Oh...and to answer, yes. I would. I'm training for my first half this coming fall. I'm extremely slow - an absolute snail. I just want to finish. If I'm last and I've still made it across the finish line, I still get to take home my finisher's medal that shows what I've accomplished.
  • tammyclair
    tammyclair Posts: 38
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    yes, yes, yes, yes!!! I can't even imagine what it would be like to win.
  • capperboy
    capperboy Posts: 99 Member
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    Yes I don't race I participate. That way I am a winner.
  • SunKissed1989
    SunKissed1989 Posts: 1,314 Member
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    Yes, if it meant burning a good number of calories and fat, I'd do it!
    I also love the feeling of finishing races - walked or ran.

    When I finished primary school, I got a bookmark saying "The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running.":smile:
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO COME IN LAST IF YOU DON'T TRY????

    Men's 100m Olympics final (Women's for you)? I think we can safely say that no matter how hard either of us try we're coming in last.

    If you are good enough to be allowed into the Olympics, why would you know you were going to be last?
  • PittShkr
    PittShkr Posts: 1,000 Member
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    Yes, I would.
    I ran a 10k and finished dead-last! I felt that I had enough left in me for a final push to the finish line and make myself 2nd-to-last by passing, but I didn't have the heart to do it. It was a little boy, about 7 years old.

    For letting him not finish last you were in 1st place! That makes it well worth it!
  • burtg
    burtg Posts: 7
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    It's the doing not where you place that counts.
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
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    Sure. You'll still beat everyone who didn't sign up or show up.

    I just ran/walked my first 5K. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't run the whole thing, but I was still happy and proud that I did it.

    The girl who won the 10K passed me right before the finish line, which means she ran a whole 10K in the time it took me to do half, but I still felt great crossing that finish line.

    The thing I didn't expect at my first 5K was all the cameraderie and support that I felt from everyone else who did it. I definitely want to keep working on my running and do it again.
  • picassoadagio
    picassoadagio Posts: 407 Member
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    You bet. I might finish last, but I at least finished and will give me the motivation to achieve more.
  • MissNations
    MissNations Posts: 513 Member
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    I ran pretty much every cross country race in high school knowing I'd be one of the last 5 people or so. :grumble:
  • ball858
    ball858 Posts: 395 Member
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    yes, but will try my hardest not to be last!!
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
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    I run races to beat my PR not to beat anyone else. I had to start somewhere so my first one I didn't care where I ended up only that I actually finished it.
  • kimnsc
    kimnsc Posts: 560 Member
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    Yes, but I would push myself to improve so I wouldn't be dead last next time.
  • Miss♥Ivi
    Miss♥Ivi Posts: 461
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    Yes!! For my mud run I was dead last in my age group 18-24! I placed 198/198 :laugh: Obviously, not last in the entire race as there were hundreds of people racing but last in my age group. It did sting a little but I didn't care because I finished. Now, it's about improving!
  • sheri02r
    sheri02r Posts: 486 Member
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    Yep, 'cause I'm not a fast runner, and if I let the fear of finishing last stop me from running, I wouldn't run at all!

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