Would you run a race knowing you would finish last?

FitNWise

Dead last > did not finish > did not start :-)

You are doing a great thing by just getting out there and the experience of running a race is worth it no matter how you finish.

jennt_22

yes!!!!!!!!

FINISHING = WINNING

BrianSharpe

Why not? If you've put in the time training and give it 100% there's no shame in coming in last (last year I had an IT band problem during a half marathon and had to walk the last 7km - finishing last would have been preferable to a DNF)

L00py_T0ucan

Yes.

I know that some people feel 'why bother?' or they are embarrassed for me because I am slow, but I figure, SOMEBODY has to be last and sometimes it will be me...I'm okay with that.

That said, I have not been officially last, but second to last in an all-trail 10K. Did it take me more than an hour? Yes. Did I think I'd even be able to finish this run? No, so I was pretty happy to finish, regardless of 'place' or 'pace'.

vim_n_vigor

No, I couldn't do it.

bcattoes

I think I'm going to do that very thing next month. My daughter was going to run with me to avoid the embarassment, but she got a great job out of state and will be moving before the race. But, I'm still going to do it. I'm pretty slow so I imagine I'll be last or very nearly so.

ZebraHead

If you think you will finish last you will find a way to make it happen.

No one makes an attempt thinking they will fail, but sure I would run a race assuming that I would not place, but I would be competing against myself...

thebigcb

I would

Take more out of the person that finishes last, than the person that finishes first.

And you will still finish ahead or your old self that would even do the race.

skingszoo

I don't run races to beat anyone but myself!

jlewis2896

100% yes.

I try to stick around in every race to see the final finisher (usually I am not waiting long...). Seeing that much effort is incredibly inspirational to me, and I honestly remember these people every time I have a difficult run.

Aperture_Science

nope.

Kickinkim418

yep. Its not about finish first or last. Its about going out there and giving it your all. You aren't there to race against everyone else, you're racing against yourself.


Unless of course you're fast enough to actually podium and then you are in fact racing everyone else.

YUP!!!

dsjohndrow

Yes. A race is against my best time, and being around others that are better pushes me. I would be bummed if they took down the time clock though.

Ali_TSO

Yes, I would.

Dead last finish
is better than
did not finish
is better than
did not start.

:flowerforyou:

TheAncientMariner

I do it all of the time in 5ks. I don't finish last, but I just run comfortably. It's for a good cause and I like enjoying exploring new areas of my city and state. I have never really cared about how fast I finished the race, as long as I finished it. I'm just too busy enjoying the journey, lol!

therealangd

I have come in last. I'm not bothered by it in the least.

KimertRuns13_1

My goal anytime I race is to finish. First, middle or last.

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
-John Bingham

skylark94

I wouldn't intentionally put myself into a race that I thought would be too difficult, but someone has to come in last. As long as I finish what I started, I can be happy.

prism6

no

MrsSamB

Just the fact of knowing that I'd actually run the whole thing would be motivation enough for me. As far as it being my last: I would be able to live with the memories of my one and only race and that would make it worth it.

ratherbeskiing

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO COME IN LAST IF YOU DON'T TRY????

adderlyii

Yes. I actually have in one race and it got me the motivation to get better.

wlgreen379

I plan on doing that this Saturday in the Warrior Dash. The awesome thing about that is that there is another heat starting a half hour after mine, so I'm going to have people all around me.

deadstarsunburn

Yup.
Ran cross country in high school and regularly finished last if it were just dual meets.
Actually sometimes they would have even started the boys race before I even finished, which sucked but my team was encouraging and my times really WEREN'T that bad, I averaged 30 min 5k.

domgirl85

I would. I did it a lot when I was younger lol. You eventually get better at it and then someone else is last

desert_rhino

Yes. I'd be doing it to finish, not to finish at any given place. Now, the second time, I'd be looking to do BETTER than the first...

helenmc40

Yes, as long as you finish you are a star!!

Aperture_Science

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.

BriskisGrl

if I could run absolutely the pride and accomplishment I would feel just from being able to finish would be amazing... and would help fuel me to do better for the next one.

rmhand

yes.