Weekly Runner Photo Challenge: Your Worst Race
This week’s challenge: Your worst race. Not necessarily your worst race photo, but a photo or representation of your worst race to date. It can be a photo of you before, during or after the race, or if you don’t have one, something that represents the race (maybe your bib, shirt, medal). And an explanation of why it was your worst race.
I definitely have a worst race, with two runner-ups.
GOLD MEDAL: Wisconsin Half Marathon 2011
Somehow, in the winter of 2011, I convinced Erin that we needed to run the Illinois Half Marathon and the Wisconsin Half Marathon on back-to-back weekends. The problem (besides this being a stupid idea) is that my IT Band was bothering me for first half marathon, so by the time we got to the second one, I was in a lot of pain. At mile 3, I thought “I really should not be running this race.” But I wanted my medal. So I stuck it out. It sucked that I could not keep up with Erin because my leg was bothering me. And I was depressed for most of May* and June. Yeah. Races from those months were not stellar.
So now you know why I was so happy the race went so well this year! And this race also holds my favorite race picture (2009) from last week’s question. Ha ha.
Lesson learned: None. I would still have run this race to get my cheese medal.
SILVER MEDAL: Red Ribbon Race 5K 2008
Lesson learned: don’t take vitamins on an empty stomach before a fast race. Wow. I had stomach pain like no other for this race. Not the “I am about to throw up because I am running so fast!” pain, but the “something is trying to kill me from inside my body” pain. Since this race, I have never taken vitamins in the morning before a run. I don’t want to risk it. It was that painful.
BRONZE MEDAL: Rally for Autism 5K 2009
My first race with Erin! At 9:00 am! In August! In the high 80s! In a park with no shade! You can tell where this is going… it was hot and we were miserable.
Lesson learned: don’t try to race in the summer.
Also, this is when I was first having shin problems. I should not have been running at all.
Lesson learned #2: Respect your body. Unless you are going for a Cheese Medal.
*What is my problem with May?! This happens to me every year!!!
Themocracy
Maybe you get the opposite of spring fever and get spring blahs? 🙂
I think so. Since I spend time outside year round, it’s not like I am waiting for spring! And this year I was really sad we did not have a typical winter. I know that’s weird, but it’s true!
I have one worst race, no runner up, not by a mile. The 13.1 LA I ran in January. I thought I was going to die. My stomach was a mess, I wanted to throw up, I dry-heaved, I contemplated dropping out and I walked the last 3-4 miles of the race. I didn’t even steal the photos, let alone pay for them, because I just want to forget that this race ever happened. By the way, you look too good and happy in your worst races’ photos.
No cheese medal is worth your health! 😉
Even though I’m not a runner, this was entertaining to read.
I took a vitamin on an empty stomach one too. NEVER.AGAIN!
May is always rough for me too, who knows!!! Maybe we need to cure these blues with a run and post-run mimosas finally! 🙂
2 cheese medals are better than one? No, probably not but I get wanting the medal, hindsight is a wonderful thing sometimes!
It was my third year running the race and I was like “I need my medal for the series! AHHH!!!!” 😛
Hahahaha … anything for a cheese medal! I’m so with you on that one.
Great choices! I don’t know if Wisconsin 2011 is my worst race but, yeah, it was a rough one.
[…] Ilax Studio: Somehow, in the winter of 2011, I convinced Erin that we needed to run the Illinois Half Marathon and the Wisconsin Half Marathon on back-to-back weekends. The problem (besides this being a stupid idea) is that my IT Band was bothering me for first half marathon, so by the time we got to the second one, I was in a lot of pain. At mile 3, I thought “I really should not be running this race.” But I wanted my medal. So I stuck it out. It sucked that I could not keep up with Erin because my leg was bothering me. And I was depressed for most of May and June. Yeah. Races from those months were not stellar. So now you know why I was so happy the race went so well this year! And this race also holds my favorite race picture (2009) from last week’s question. Ha ha. […]