General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Have you DNF'd yet? Rss Feed  
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Have you DNF'd yet?
OptionResults
Yes, once because of my own stupid fault
Yes, once because of bad luck
Yes, multiple times because of my own fault
Yes, multiple times because of bad luck
Yes, multiple times - both bad decisions and bad luck
No, but I realize it can happen.
No way! It'll never happen to me!
This is a multiple choice poll.

2013-10-31 3:00 PM
in reply to: TriMyBest

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Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?

Originally posted by TriMyBest

Originally posted by mrbbrad

Never have I ever DNF'd a race and only had a couple DNF training sessions and they were bike mechanicals. I've cut sessions short, but always made it back home under my own steam. I am not so cocky to think it could never happen in a race though. I won't knowingly go into a race that I think I could possibly DNF due to existing injury, illness, or lack of training. I'd rather DNS than DNF, but I hate DNS too.

Right now I am scheduled for the Philly marathon but I have a wicked case of patella femoral pain syndrome, or runner's knee. I haven't run in over a week and I have pain still under certain conditions. I will not toe the start line on 11/17 if I think there's a chance I will DNF. I may or may not get a cortisone injection just to avoid the DNS, but the smartest play is to not get the shot and not race. I am not always smart. I would give my kid a tire though, for sure. 

I have the same attitude, Brad.  I've DNS'd several times for different reasons, and I've had coaching clients who have DNS'd if we decided together that racing wasn't a good idea.

 

I've DNS'd also due to injury which is another reason I don't like to sign up for races months ahead. I look at like this, I would rather miss the race and allow the injury to heal and pick another race than push it in the race and wind up laid up for even longer. I need my daily fix of s/b/r more than I need a race high.

And yes I realize how similar that sounds to a an addict!



2013-10-31 3:09 PM
in reply to: 0

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?

Yep, I have earlier this year at my one and only attempt at a HIM.  

I was looking at it as a long training session leading up to my IM, and had discussed earlier with the DH that if the conditions became entirely too hot/humid/unsafe that I was going to pull the plug.  After I realized that the pavement was so hot that it was melting the soles of my shoes I decided to call it quits when I got to the end of the first of 2 loops on the run - and I'm glad I did.  I think I made the right decision to live to race another day!   

And here's another kitty pic... 

Kitteh



Edited by blueyedbikergirl 2013-10-31 3:10 PM
2013-10-31 3:09 PM
in reply to: Guest

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Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
I've DNS a few races. Once because I got sick, and a few OWS races I registered for but crashed my bike and hurt my shoulder.

The only DNF I had was during a bike race where I had a sidewall blowout. That didn't sting too bad because it was just bad luck, and in a bike race there's not much point in just finishing. I did try to fix it, but it blew out 2 more times as a boot wasn't working. I got a ride back to the finish line and got a head start on the beer.

My second marathon I completely bonked at mile 25 and told the volunteers I was done. I couldn't even stand up without feeling like my legs would give out like rubber. I begged them that I just wanted a ride to the finish but they told me they could only call an ambulance and I would have to wait about an hour since I was low priority. So I just drank a sprite and ate some food and 20 minutes later when the sugar got back into my blood I walked the last mile to the finish.

DNFs mean different things to different people. I have never felt worse in a race than when I did during the early parts of the marathon in Kona. But there was no effin way I was taking a DNF. If I felt the same way at some of the more local races I've done a few times, I probably would have thrown in the towel. I know others who would never take a DNF. To each their own.
2013-10-31 3:26 PM
in reply to: Jason N

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Nashville, TN
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
So far my only DNF was my first marathon attempt. Country Music Marathon in Nashville two years ago. I wasn't ready for the hills, my pacing was terrible, and it was crazy hot that year. Dropped out at mile 18.
2013-10-31 5:11 PM
in reply to: Guest

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Pro
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Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?

I see someone voted "No way, it'll never happen to me!"  If they're serious, I'd love to hear more, because that's some serious self confidence.

 

2013-10-31 6:18 PM
in reply to: 0

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Master
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Eugene, Oregon
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
Only once, if we don't count switching twice from a tri to a du as I tend to cramp badly in cold water. (I still completed the du's, though.) I've also once been pulled from an elite race for not making a time cutoff (had to be on 2:50 pace at 25 km of a marathon, and I wasn't.) Only one actual DNF though, if we define it as quitting the race on your own volition due to injury, illness, mechanical failure, etc.

Kind of stupid. I wanted to DNS, but our coach wanted me to start and "see how you feel". I knew I had the flu and already felt awful. It was a track 10,000m and I think I dropped out after 3 or 4 laps. I had a fever of 104. Before that I had prided myself on never dropping out, but at that point I didn't care, just wanted to go home and go to bed. I think I was 19 or 20. To this day, except for the marathon above, that's the only time I haven't made it across the finish line.

My rule is that I will do my utmost to finish what I start, unless my health is in danger or course officials don't allow me to continue.

I have some seriously cute cat photos I could contribute (currently have large and mini versions of what looks like the same cat) but I can't reformat them on my home computer. Will send them later if I get time!

Edited by Hot Runner 2013-10-31 6:20 PM


2013-10-31 6:21 PM
in reply to: Guest

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Colorful Colorado
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?

I DNF'd my 4th IM. Got to mile 14 of the run and was delirious and unable to walk a straight line. Off the med-tent I went.

Sorry, no pet picture...
2013-10-31 7:06 PM
in reply to: Guest

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Master
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Fort Wayne
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?

I have not DNF's but I should have!  A HM about 6 weeks ago I was on track to run 1:29 and I got in just short of 8 miles in and an old meniscus tear got very aggravated.  I finished the race in 1:43 (still faster than 3 other stand alone HM's I've run) but only after pulling a calf sleeve above my knee to keep the certain swelling at bay until I could ice it following the last 5 miles............

............I am still going to PT to get past this injury and get on to my IM training.  I believe I made a foolish and prideful decision to keep running.  A DNF would have been a far better decision.  I should also mention I was feeling pretty good with my running prior to this race even after a bike crash and some minor (at least I initially thought) trauma that had sidelined my cycling for 2 weeks.

2013-10-31 9:07 PM
in reply to: Guest

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Twin Cities
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
DNF for mechanical. Flat tubular. No, I don't carry a spare. Walked about 15 minutes. Got a ride the rest of the way. This was maybe 2005?
2013-10-31 9:10 PM
in reply to: DirkP

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Master
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Redlands, CA
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
Yep DNF'ed before. IMSG 2010, quit at mile 11.

I shouldn't have started the race, but had that philosophy to 'at least try'. Didn't have the fitness, I tore my achilles 8 months out and started training 4 months out, but only got up to 10 hours a week with no real big days. Finished the swim fine, got on the bike, was slow as dirt, couldn't keep down food or water, finally had to call the cart.

I felt pretty bad about it for a long time, but to be honest, sometimes its better to be less prideful and know when its not your day. DNF'ing a race doesn't make you less of a person, so long as you learn from it and get stronger.
2013-10-31 9:17 PM
in reply to: trigal38

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Elite
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Gilbert, Az.
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
I've DNF'd a couple races, but they've never really bothered me, it was just part of racing.

The period that I like to call my own "long dark journey into night" came from martial arts.

By all accounts, I've had a very successful career. Never failed a testing until my first attempt at 4th degree. 20+ years and it was my first time failing a testing. Sent me into a tailspin that ended up with me dropping out of it entirely for almost two years. I still struggle with confidence a bit, and I've been back for over a year now.

So, not technically a DNF but had about the same effect as some of the people in the DNF thread.

John


2013-10-31 9:50 PM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
I DNF'd at my first Xterra race and it was because I wasn't prepared. I had no idea the kind of training that I needed to get through such a challenging race, especially it being my first BIG race (it's an Olympic distance course) with only 5 months of swim training EVER and very little knowledge of the bike. I didn't make the bike cut off and couldn't continue.

I was devastated. I had never not finished anything before. It was humbling and I was angry at myself for wasting all the training time I put into it. I called my husband who was away and cried, and cried. I apologized to him and my parents for all the time I was away from home and needed them to pick up my slack.

I trained better with the help of more experienced friends and was able to complete the race the second time I participated.

Edited by Blanda 2013-10-31 9:55 PM
2013-10-31 10:05 PM
in reply to: Guest

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Bronze member
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
Haven't yet, but realize its probable given age and enough races.

Closest I came was wayyyy back in High School when I rolled my ankle in a mid-season cross country race and hobbled the last 1/2 mile or so. Almost came in last, but not quite. I think a few swimmers running just for fitness finished after me.
2013-10-31 11:00 PM
in reply to: Guest

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Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
Leading overall in a regional race (provincial champs) & a moment of inattention had me down on the tarmac. My bike needed minor repairs so I called it a day and went back to T1 and had it fixed. My folks took my gear and I rode home pretty angry at myself.
2013-11-01 6:07 AM
in reply to: trigal38

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Williamston, Michigan
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?

yes

1-Planned DNF.  I had wrecked my bike the week before and the run is a struggle for me on a good day.  I had paid for the race, the condo and had the days off of work and needed a break.  I did HIM private aquabike and had a fabulous bike split.  Thank God I had planned that too because running from swim to bike I ended up with glass embedded in my foot and who knows what would have happened running on that. 
2-DNF at IMTX.  Went in grossly under trained and made some rookie nutrition mistakes on a 99 degree day.  Got heat stroke.  My fault
3-IMFL last year.  Did not see this one coming.  Went in with a little calf strain which turned into a muscle tear during the run and plantar fasciitis on the other side.  When both legs are buggered its not fun.  I could hardly walk and DNF'd at mile 20-21 of the run.  I did not have time to finish by midnight given the pace I was moving at and I have no regrets.  Took 3 months to be able to scrape together any kind of run

 

2013-11-01 6:41 AM
in reply to: Socks

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Master
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Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?

Yep. Crashed the bike 2 miles into the ride this year at a local sprint race. Pretty good road rash, bloody, etc. Got back on and kept going. The flat tire at mile 8 was the determining factor for me. Caught a ride back from support and finished the day in the med tent getting cleaned up.



2013-11-01 6:51 AM
in reply to: Guest

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Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
I have DNF'ed once and I knew going into the race that it was a possibility based on the course - draft legal, sprint distance triathlon with elite and junior athletes. I was doing some racing at the time with the Canadian Forces Triathlon Team and they wanted athletes gain some draft legal experience so there were several of us entered in the race.

I exited the swim with a small group about 2:30 down from the lead pack but made a tactical mistake of not hammering the first km or so to stay with that group and ended up time trialing the entire course. It was a 4x5km loop and the lead pack was at least 15 athletes and with about 200m to go before I started my fourth lap, I was lapped out by the pack.

I was the last athlete lapped out; I think there were five or six pulled from the bike course and two athletes who didn't even get to start the bike as the lead group had already finished their first lap when they finished the swim. I was a bit disappointed but since I knew that with a 5km bike course it was a possibility, I was able to use that as motivation to perform better at my next draft legal event.

Shane
2013-11-01 9:36 AM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Regular
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Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
I guess it was my own stupid fault--ended up in the medical tent at a 10k, of which I completed about 9k. Dehydration--after an IV and a required (but unnecessary) ride to the hospital, I was fine. But man, I was on PR pace...
2013-11-01 9:43 AM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Chicago, Illinois
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
I DNF once well I guess twice now I think about it if we you want to get Technical and I had a race DNF on me. I had a number of DNS which prevented a DNF. I feel if I do not have a chance I would rather DNS than DNF on purpose. My last marathon I swear I was going to DNF but somehow I got through it.

Chicago marathon 2007 was cancelled midrace so it DNF on me.

First DNF was during a 50K. My foot started hurting at around mile 5. Did not go away by mile 10 so I called it a day. I figured better not to get injured first thing in the spring. Also limping for 26 miles does not sound like much fun.

2nd one was doing my last HIM. I took 30 mins off my time for the year before and even survived a pretty bad thunder storm but the RD said I missed a published race cut off. He claims it was published but no one ever saw and he could not even point out. He mentioned WTC cutoff times a lot so I guess I should assumed he would use the same. I do not count it as a DNF I more count it as bad RD. Which is funny because he has said I am a bad racer on slow twitch. My only complaint I ever made was him not communicating things like race cut offs. If you tell me I can respect that and deal with it what comes my way. If I asked and you still do not tell me then shame on you.
2013-11-01 10:07 AM
in reply to: MCA

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Master
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...at home in The ATL
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
After 22 years of racing, I had my first DNF at lake placid this year, and it happened before I ever really got going. While I didn't know it at the time I tore the right erector muscles in my lower back in a freak little accident in T1. I pretty well knew immediately my day was done as I couldn't stand up straight. After 45 minutes in medical, the docs got me to where I was ambulatory.

I know that we commonly use the term "DNF" to mean "Did Not Finish," but in ultra racing parlance it is actually more often used to mean "Did Nothing Fatal." While I certainly would not have died if I had just tried to soldier on through the course with my injury, I went to IMLP this year to go fast and in my mind I had trained too hard and built way too much fitness to throw it away on a slog around the course. I have done that plenty of times and most likely will again, but in this particular case protecting my health and fitness gains were WAY more important than finishing the course. My docs confirmed that this was a good decision, and turned what could have been a recovery period of months into one of just a matter of weeks. I would like to think that DNF in this particular case at least stands for "Did Nothing Foolish."

Oh, and for what it is worth ultimately I was able to get cleaned up and get back out on the course to watch my friends race and see my wife finish with a 1:35:00 PR on the course. It was genuinely one of the most spectacularly fun and exciting days of my triathlon career. So much so In fact I might start DNF'ing more often....

2013-11-01 10:49 AM
in reply to: TankBoy

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Master
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Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?

Originally posted by TankBoy After 22 years of racing, I had my first DNF at lake placid this year, and it happened before I ever really got going. While I didn't know it at the time I tore the right erector muscles in my lower back in a freak little accident in T1. I pretty well knew immediately my day was done as I couldn't stand up straight. After 45 minutes in medical, the docs got me to where I was ambulatory.

I know that we commonly use the term "DNF" to mean "Did Not Finish," but in ultra racing parlance it is actually more often used to mean "Did Nothing Fatal." While I certainly would not have died if I had just tried to soldier on through the course with my injury, I went to IMLP this year to go fast and in my mind I had trained too hard and built way too much fitness to throw it away on a slog around the course. I have done that plenty of times and most likely will again, but in this particular case protecting my health and fitness gains were WAY more important than finishing the course. My docs confirmed that this was a good decision, and turned what could have been a recovery period of months into one of just a matter of weeks. I would like to think that DNF in this particular case at least stands for "Did Nothing Foolish."

Oh, and for what it is worth ultimately I was able to get cleaned up and get back out on the course to watch my friends race and see my wife finish with a 1:35:00 PR on the course. It was genuinely one of the most spectacularly fun and exciting days of my triathlon career. So much so In fact I might start DNF'ing more often....

Perspective. You got it!



2013-11-01 12:08 PM
in reply to: 0

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Expert
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Marin County, California
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?
Once. IM St.George 2012 along with 34% of the field due to the insane windstorm that came on in the early part of the swim. It was my 3rd time doing IM St.George, so I wasnt too flipped out over it.

I took a DFL spot at IM Lake Tahoe due to breaking 2 toes in the swim start. This was truly my most humbling and gratifying finish ever.

Heres a close up of my cats nose.



Edited by LittleCat 2013-11-01 12:11 PM




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2013-11-01 3:10 PM
in reply to: trigal38

Iron Donkey
38643
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, Wisconsin
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?

I have DNF'ed only once - my very first running road race back when I was entering my H.S. Frosh year.  The race was a 10K that my X-Country coach started.  I quit before mile 2 because I was young, didn't know any better, and wasn't prepared to run that distance, so I mentally talked myself into quitting.

From that day on, I told myself that I would NEVER quit a race again.

This year at IM WI 2013, I was suffering from major lower leg cramps during the swim but eventually completed the swim, then suffered from very bad GI cramping/discomfort during the run until the last 6 miles or so. I kept telling myself to not quit.

Last week at my 50 mile Ultra road race I was suffering from a large external thrombosed hemorrhoid (I just had minor surgery a couple of days ago to remove them) and an internal prolapsed hemorrhoid.  I completed the race in much pain.

Despite these unbearable issues, I mentally dug down and kept forging on.

2013-11-01 6:12 PM
in reply to: 1stTimeTri

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?

One DNF for me at Epic Dartmouth.  I was signed up for the Epic distance - 3.8k/180k/21.1k.  In the middle of the night before the race I woke up with bad stomach cramps.  When I got up for the race in the morning, I couldn't take in any water or food without cramping badly.  I thought it might be nerves so I kept getting ready and went to the race site.  While preparing I was feeling a bit better so I started the race.  No problems on the swim but as soon as I got out on the bike and tried to take in any water or food the cramps came back.  I rode for about an hour hoping it might get better but it didn't so I turned around and went back to the start and turned in my chip.

While I was out on the bike my wife had talked to her mother and she said that her mother, father and sister all had similar symptoms the day before.  Guess who we had supper with two evenings prior??

2013-11-01 7:05 PM
in reply to: axteraa

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Regular
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Chicago
Subject: RE: Have you DNF'd yet?

DNF'd Chicago Tri 2012. Had a bad bike crash due to rain, bad roads, a crowded course and my own impatience. I only had road rash & cuts, but the bike was totally busted. I had to walk through the finish line chute to get to the medi tent so I could get all cleaned up. It was only an Oly race, but man, it broke my heart  not to finish. Seeing everyone cross the finish line so proud of their accomplishments - I was happy for them, of course, but upset that I couldn't have that feeling.

Melissa

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