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The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) (Page 3)
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 2010-07-17 12:39 PM in reply to: #2986198 |
Elite  3090    Spokane, WA |  Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last)browncd - 2010-07-16 4:15 PM Several years ago I entered a HIM that was scheduled for the middle of August here in Western Kentucky. I knew it going to be hot and humid put it was scheduled to start a 6:00 am to get it in before the hotest part of the day so I thought I would be okay. The morning of the race a front came rolling through with plenty of thunder and lightning. The weather forecasted it would pass by mid morning so the race was resheduled to start at 10:00am if it cleared. It cleared and like a fool I lined up for the 10:00am start along with 250+ other folks that were crazy enough start this late in the day. The swim and even most of the bike want okay, but I knew I was going to be trouble as soon as I started out on the run in the heat of the day (heat index 110) around 2:00 pm. It was an out and back course and the first couple of miles was across a large dam so there was no shade. The heat reflecting off the road and surrounding concrete and rocks made it fill like it was oven and I was a pizza that had just been put in it. I slowly jogged across the dam and toward the turnaround. There were several people coming back in toward the finish line and they looked in bad shape so I knew this "ain't going to be good". When I got to the turn around there several people at the aid station that had DNFd and waiting for a ride. But I was determined to finish. As I headed back I could see there were a few people still behind me so I had hope. I tried to count them but kept losing track. I was moving slower and slower and felt like I was melting into the pavement. One by one people starting passing me. I got to the last aid station picked up some water and started my survival shuffle back across the dam toward the finish line about a mile away. A few more people passed me and I knew the number behind me was getting real small. Part way across the dam, this older man with white hair came up beside and I had to ask, "Is there anybody else behind me?" He just shrugged and said, "nope" and shuffled on ahead. It took me a while but I made it across the finish line. To my surprise a bunch of people were still there, and they were cheering for me as if I had won the thing. They hung a finishers medal around my neck and handed me a plate food, which I had no desire to eat right then. I had finished DFL. but I had finished. I later learned that I was 188 out of 255 that had started. To this day that finishers medal has a special place all by itself hanging on the wall. That's a great story. And yes, the fact that there were 67 DNF's out of 255 starters showed it was a great accomplishment. Good job! |
| 2010-07-17 12:40 PM in reply to: #2986928 |
Melon Presser 52116  | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) jmk-brooklyn - 2010-07-17 11:55 PM In the NYC Tri last year, as the DFL guy passed each aid station, the volunteers at each station left their posts and started running alongside him, ringing cowbells and cheering for him. By the time he got to the finish line, he had a crowd of about 30 people around him. They do that at CA 70.3. It's awesome. |
| 2010-07-17 5:18 PM in reply to: #2983119 |
Veteran 566 Boise, ID | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) Lisa B - 2010-07-15 11:34 AM I was DFL last year at AG Nationals. In my AG I had spent the season front to MOP depending on the race. Didn't care and am even proud of it. I was the worst of the best! Believe I will go back again this year for some more DFL! And of course you know what they call the Medical student who came in last in his class???...Doctor!! |
| 2010-07-18 10:06 PM in reply to: #2983217 |
Master 1929 Midlothian, VA | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) faded_memories - 2010-07-15 1:06 PM As close as I could get without being DFL.... I saw ONE young lady come in after me, and the results online said (2). Maybe the other one was in an earlier wave and beat me but had a longer time. Strike that. I now own a full on Oly DFL. 91/91 for Long Course today at Midwest Mayhem, Lawrence KS. I was almost the last from the bike. (must.get.better.bike) Just a few started the run behind me. Walk, climb hill, shuffle... Obviously there are hotter races, but the heat index had to be over 100º today. And I don't run much to start with. Where there was shade there was no breeze. If there was a breeze, the sun was still beating down. When I got to the turnaround, an official with a radio and the motorcycle marshall(?) were watching me intently and got to chatting on the radio. I asked and they confirmed I was last. At about mile 4 someone pulled up in a truck and said he was sent to pick me up. (Not if I can help it.)  I asked if they were gonna force me to quit and he said no, so on I went. While I can appreciate the safety of being watched, I could have done without the pressure of being followed to the end. The whole "huge cheer for DFL" didn't happen as pretty much everybody but the event staff had got the hell out of the sun and gone home. Everyone that WAS left in sight of the finish line did clap and cheer though.  I'm not particularly bummed. Given my lack of run training especially, and my not so dreamy bike, I am still just out to finish. I could stick with sprints and probably work into MOP at some point, but right now I am more about the challenge to push for bigger. Some people have comfort zones. Some of us just tend to fly by the seat of our pants and occassionally strive for tougher goals. I finished, and my time wasn't too much worse than my last race. Considering the shock of the heat and the couple of nasty hills on the bike course, I think I have improved my own time. Someday I'd like to be a competitor, but for now it's about me. Yay. Yep. DFL. It's all good. -eric |
| 2010-07-18 10:15 PM in reply to: #2982984 |
Expert 1070 Denver Area | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) Got to listen to the announcer at my first Oly saying to the young volunteers, "We STILL have athletes on the course! We STILL HAVE ATHLETES ON THE COURSE!" 'cause some were highschool age and getting antsy. I am so very grateful for the volunteers who stayed. |
| 2010-07-19 6:03 AM in reply to: #2982984 |
Regular 853 | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) I did a mountain tri this weekend and only around 15 people showed up. I chose to do the run/mtn bike (I did the du). Came in last in the du, but actually won 2nd overall female cuz only 2 ladies showed up. The other gal is my friend, and she went on and did an 8k that evening. I stressed about coming in last till I saw the bike course. Then I stressed about really getting hurt, cuz the course is intermediate to advanced single track. I have had my mountain bike less than a month. I did a lot of getting off/pushing my bike on the course. jami |
| 2010-08-30 9:43 AM in reply to: #2982984 |
Member 29 | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) I haven't yet competed in my first triathlon, but I did run my first 10K a few weeks ago. I am not a fast runner by any stretch of the imagination, but I knew I could complete the distance. This particular race had a 5K run and 5K walk in addition to the 10K. So we started running, and I was quickly in last place. After about a mile and a half I stopped being able to see other runners ahead of me, and the volunteers were tearing down the course behind me. Some of the volunteers were encouraging and told me I was doing great, and some seemed to be impatient for me to finish so that they could go home. By the fifth mile or so, some of them had already packed up and gone home. Unfortunately, that meant that the balloons marking each turn on the course had also been taken down. I had looked at the course map online beforehand, so I had a pretty good idea of where to go, but that was a little discouraging. During the last mile, one of the guys on bikes accompanied me to show me where to go. I ended up finishing dead last by about six minutes. By that time the awards ceremony was going on, but at least my family was there to cheer for me at the finish (they did the 5K walk).  I was happy to have finished my first 10K. I started running in May of this year, and at that time running a minute at a time was hard for me (I did C25K). To be able to run 6.2 miles in three months was something I was pretty proud of being able to do. And as it turns out, I beat my goal time in the 10K (I was going for 72 minutes, and I finished in 70), and I ran the fastest average mile pace I had run in any race yet. The whole experience was kind of discouraging for me, though. I have since looked at the results from other 10Ks in my area this year, and there were a number of people who posted similar times to mine. They just didn't run this particular race. I've struggled some with getting my confidence back before my first triathlon (which is in a few weeks). But at least I have some experience with being last, so if that happens in the triathlon, it won't be the first time. |
| 2010-08-30 10:05 AM in reply to: #2982984 |
Veteran 162 Austin | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) I was DFL, or pretty darned close, at my first tri. It was an off-road club-sponsored "sprint" event. The swim went great, better than expected, Then hit the mountain bike for two ~7 mile loops through very primitive hill-country trails. I crashed my bike about halfway through the first loop and seriously wrenched my ankle as my foot mas caught in the cage as I went one way and the bike went the other. Adrenaline kicked in and I was able to complete the MB portion, although slowly. Then came the run...I could barely even stand on the ankle, much less run. I really should have DNF'd but I refused to give up. I walked, jogged, hobbled, and cramped for the agonizing 5k trail run and ended up finishing the sprint somewhere well north of 3 hrs. I think my wife thought I had died out there. I cant remember if i was absolute DFL but might as well have been! |
| 2010-08-30 10:30 AM in reply to: #2982984 |
Extreme Veteran 318 Lunenburg, Nova Scotia | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) I didn't even have a crowd when I came to the finish line at yesterday's HIM. I was still 1 lap short of finishing, but the cutoff was approaching, so they told me I couldn't do my last lap. I ran to the finish line/transition area to get my stuff, and there was noone. No tents, no bikes, no gear, no announcer. The timing chip company even drove by me while I was finishing my 2nd last lap, and the guy leaned out the window to ask me for my timing chip. I couldn't help but laugh as I got my gear together |
| 2010-08-30 10:40 AM in reply to: #2982984 |
Extreme Veteran 335 Herriman, Utah | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) I'm doing the Pumpkinman Olympic in Las Vegas in two months and wouldn't be the least surprised if I end up DFL. Even if I'm not DFL, I will celebrate mightily at a buffet on the Strip that night! While volunteering at the Utah Half last Saturday, one of the last cyclists on the course joked about "losing the race." We quickly corrected him. You might finish DFL, sure. But there are no losers in triathlons! Edited by mrwrite 2010-08-30 10:42 AM |
| 2010-08-30 10:49 AM in reply to: #3071156 |
Expert 1249 MI | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) I was looking at last year's results for the race I'm doing in 2 weeks. I think I'm going to come in last off the bike. |
| 2010-08-30 11:06 AM in reply to: #2982984 |
Champion 7547 Albuquerque, New Mexico Bronze member | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) One of BT's own, Discipleguide, was DFL at IMKY last night. He's in my 2010 mentor group. I talked to him this morning and he had 9 minutes to get the last 1+ miles (7-8 min/mile) on the run (after 25 miles of 13-15 minute miles). |
| 2010-08-30 11:17 AM in reply to: #3071219 |
Melon Presser 52116 | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) McFuzz - 2010-08-31 12:06 AM One of BT's own, Discipleguide, was DFL at IMKY last night. He's in my 2010 mentor group. I talked to him this morning and he had 9 minutes to get the last 1+ miles (7-8 min/mile) on the run (after 25 miles of 13-15 minute miles). That is sooooo awesome ... it totally brings tears to my eyes!!! |
| 2010-08-30 12:11 PM in reply to: #2982984 |
Expert 1461 Sarnia, Ontario | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) There is a very good chance that I will be DFL at the Muskoka 70.3 in 2 weeks or worse yet DNF. I am torn as to whether or not to even try. I figured I was trained enough to finish BOP for that distance but got sick last week and am so weak this week... gunna try a couple rides and runs to see how the fitness comes back now that I am getting better. You have all motivated me... being DFL doesnt sound so bad now... better than DNS no matter how you look at it. |
| 2010-08-30 12:40 PM in reply to: #2982984 |
Elite 3067 Cheesehead, WI | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) The one and only Olympic I've done, I came in DFL in my AG. But.....drum roll please------ that DFL equated to 3rd Place! Yep, hardware! LOL. Turns out there were only 3 of us in our AG Edit: I got a trophy and my kid thought that was like winning Kona. It's all relative I suppose. LOL Edited by BbMoozer 2010-08-30 12:41 PM |
| 2010-08-30 12:56 PM in reply to: #2984462 |
| Member 52 | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) LabraNostra - 2010-07-16 6:49 AM It turned out this guy was the father of the child who had died - the family for whom we were riding. He wrote me later that he felt that I had been sent right from his son. The one and only time I've been compared to an angel. I'm a total softy, so that just brought tears to my eyes. This thread has made me feel soooo much better about my first try-a-tri in two weeks. I haven't been training like I should and I'm not naturally athletic...so I'm going to be DFL, or very close for sure. |
| 2010-09-02 10:14 AM in reply to: #2982984 |
Veteran 345 SE TX | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) In high school I DFL'd a lot of cross-country races. As an adult I DFL'd my AG in a mtb race. I also did a mtb time trial where I was DFL overall (I did beat the DNF's). Crashed in both races, was happy just to finish both times. I have beat asthma, allergies, and being 45 pounds overweight, so like many of you, I "win" every race I finish. Training for my first tri, I obsessed over results from previous events, hoping some slower people would show up. I turned out 28/34 in my AG, and tried to encourage the walkers and shufflers on the way back. |
| 2010-09-02 11:32 AM in reply to: #2982984 |
Champion 5868 Urbandale, IA | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) I was DFL in my first ever Duathlon (5k/16/5k). I had no idea what it was like to run a 5k and then get on the bike (my strength). I had never practiced it, and in fact, had under-estimated what it took to a very serious degree. I finished the first 5k in PR time and got on the bike and proceeded to get my butt handed to me by almost everyone. What followed was a second 5k by a slow runner starting near the back of the field. Whe I got finished there was a coupole of Bananas and drinks - but no real food left. That was the worst part since the food was being supplied by Chipotle. I swore I would never do another Du again. This year I was set to do an early May Tri in KC and there had been so much rain that we got the word on Friday afternoon that the swim was cancelled and we would do a Du. I had already driven to KC, so I did it. I beat my first attempt by 42 minutes and finished nowhere near last. |
| 2010-09-02 11:36 AM in reply to: #2983135 |
Master 2426 Central Indiana | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) brycoy - 2010-07-15 1:40 PM worse than DFL...I'm in the military and our units had a mini-olympics day. (track and field+softball tourney). Every event had to have a male and female competitor. Our unit didn't have a female, so the lowest pt score (me...) had to compete against the girls. And yes, the races are seperate, first all the guys for a mile run around the track, then the girls+me. We have stadium style bleachers and every lap I had to listen to the heckling from the stands. I lose both ways, either I lose to girls, or what i did, out kick a girl to the finish line and hear hundreds booing me and listening to "way to go tough guy" or "hey look, he's the fastest chick"...sucked OUCH!!!!! |
| 2010-09-02 11:39 AM in reply to: #2982984 |
Coach 10487 Boston, MA | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) Can't say I've ever been DFL but at my 1st cyclocross race last year I was among the last finishers (like last 15 or something like that) on the Cat 4s which is the beginners category and it was both fun and humbling at the same time! |
| 2010-09-02 12:09 PM in reply to: #2982984 |
Champion 5781 Northridge, California | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) This thread reminded me of the time in HS track that I went out leading an 800m run for the first lap--and someone from a local paper apparently grabbed a picture at that point, me in the lead, that they ended up running in the next day's sports section. Well, right after that, everyone else in the race pretty much blew by me and I struggled to make it to the finish within shouting distance of the next-to-last finisher. Someone on the team taped up the picture from the newspaper in the locker room at the next practice with "This [censored] finished last!" on it in black marker. Nice. Flash forward 32 years and I'm a 50 year old recovered fat guy who just won the run in my AG at the Alcatraz tri last weekend. By a pretty big margin, actually. Wonder what the guy with the magic marker is up to these days. Keep at it, guys. You will make progress and leave the "DFLs" in the past. |
| 2010-09-02 1:57 PM in reply to: #2982984 |
Veteran 256 Everett | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) Oh boy. I get to join the ranks! The run was laps - so I was surrounded (and passed...) by runners for lap 1. Still a few other runners when I headed out on lap 2. the volunteers tried to steer me to the lap 3 out and back but I told them I was on lap 2 and that I would "be right back!" |
| 2010-09-02 2:32 PM in reply to: #2982984 |
Elite 2553 Tucson, AZ | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) I was DFL in my first XTERRA. Crossed the finish line and 2 guys in a truck asked "Are you the last one?" Yeah, always fun having to admit it. All I wanted was the Subway sandwiches they said would be at the end, and the thought of the sandwiches is what kept me going. I headed to the food tent and all of the sandwiches were GONE! Everyone was lounging in the grass with empty plates and full bellies watching the awards ceremony, and little kids chewed on Subway sandwiches. People had taken extra and given the post-race food to their family and spectator friends! People that weren't even in the race! So because of that, I had nothing. I moved away from the crowd, sat down in a small patch of grass off to the side, and started to cry. All I wanted was the sandwich I had been dreaming of to get me through the race, and a 3 year old was drooling over a fist full of sandwich. MY SANDWICH!!! So that's how my first XTERRA ended...DFL and no sandwich. But I kept training and racing, and next month I'll be racing at the XTERRA World Championships on Maui. They better have sandwiches at the end.  |
| 2010-09-02 2:43 PM in reply to: #3079095 |
Veteran 154 | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) So that's how my first XTERRA ended...DFL and no sandwich. But I kept training and racing, and next month I'll be racing at the XTERRA World Championships on Maui. They better have sandwiches at the end. Be someones angel and save a sandwich for whoever comes in DFL! My first Tri is in 9 days and I will either come in DFL or pretty darn close to but don't really care. Of course I'm sure that will change if I do DFL! |
| 2010-09-02 4:42 PM in reply to: #2982984 |
Expert 1002 | Subject: RE: The DFL thread (if you've ever come in last) The reason that I am doing IM is because a friend did it back in 2003 (or maybe 2004) and came in DFL. Technically, not actually DFL since he finished after midnight, but we made sure he got to that finish line one way or the other. Very inspiring stuff. Love everyone that comes in super late...they've got some extra special crazy grit. |
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