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Ive been last twice.
Once at school sports day in the obstacle race. I legged it to the first obstacle (a hoop that we had to pick up, put over our heads and drop down to the ground before running on) lunged to the floor all competetive-like and my glasses went flying off my face. I spent the next few seconds blindly feeling around me for them before putting them back on my face, stood up, straightened my hair and then bimbled to the end running as lady-like as I could hoping that no-one had noticed!!!!!!
My second time wasn't a running race (tho I think it still counts) A colleague and myself cycled the Manchester 100 Cycle Ride a couple of years ago now and we completely underestimated how hard it would be. We spent to last 30 miles or so cycling like the clappers as we were being told that if we didn't hurry up we would have to stop as it was getting dark. The sweeper van was just behind us and collected all the signs giving directions as we passed each one!!!! We were knackered at the end but it was great to get a special cheer from those who had hung around for us at the end!!!
I came last in a school cross-country when I lost a trainer in the mud and had to complete it with one shoe on and frost-bite in the other foot. Never had an interested in xc since.
However, my funniest "last" was when I was asked by soemone to take their place at the last minute in the county trials for triple jump. "Sure" I said ... never having tried triple jump in my life but full of enthusiasm and confidence in my long legs. I had a few goes on the walk to the athletics track ... seemed easy enough. When my big moment came, I hurtled down the run way .... hit the board .... good start ...hop ... ok .... skip ... ok..... jump .... perfect technique .... landed short of the sand pit, still on the runway.
Clearly this is the thread for me. I don't enter many races, mostly run to please myself. However, over the last 6 years or so I have run in 5 organised races, and came last in 4 of them, - a 5k, a 5-mile, a 10k (along a beach - goodness, that was hard work) and a 10 mile.
The only race I've entered and NOT come last in was a 5k handicap. We were handicapped based on past performance, so I started out 4th. Gradually managed to overtake 2 of the 3 people in front of me. The amusing bit was within a few minutes of the end, when all the good runners who had started late came pounding past in a great torrent.
There's kudos in coming last; - you get a special cheer, just for finishing (I was nearly second-to-last in the 10-miler, but the person behind me dropped out before the end). But I must look for a really popular race in order not to be at the back. I happened to be in Bristol earlier in the year, and there was a "Race for life" on and many of the entrants weren't even attempting to run, not even walking fast, just sauntering.
Footnote: I lost almost a stone in weight that day
Bloomin heck - a stone in one race - where do I sign up?
Some great stories on here! I'll still maintain my thoughts that you've already won something by getting off your behind and racing in the first place, whether you come first, last or anywhere in the middle.
I came last in a local 5k at Easter this year.
I've never been fast and always took great pride in the fact that at least i get off my backside and try. This was one of those short fast races with lots of club runners and i think only about 30 entrants. An appalling day weather wise with strong winds and lashing rain.
I have to say i did take it hard coming last, i had had a year full of injuries and lost a lot of my fitness but did think i was getting it back. Once the man i was clinging to managed to pull away and i knew i was last i just seemed to give up. I have really battled to get my head back into enjoying my runs but i'm getting there at last
Sorry to be a bit morbid, i know it's no bad thing to come last. It just really knocked my confidence.
I came last once in a running race a couple of years ago. My OH had just started running and it was a new years eve race so us and the kids all entered a race..............but as my OH and I had to swap child minding duties one of us had tio run the elite 5k and one the fun 5k. so it was me in the elite
unfortunately most of the similar timed runners who should have entered the elite bottled it and joined the fun one so i was right at the back and it was 3 laps. I ran a PB and had the most brilliant response from the marshalls and crowds..................even though i struggled over the line as the announcer had not realised I was still running and had got the runners for the fun run at the the start.
since doing triathlon this year I have managed to come last at an aquathon and an oly distance............marshalls were brilliant on both occassions.
I felt like a winner on both occassions for braving the cold and the weather and competing and finishing.
Like it, Jim!
If more of us start to feel the same, imagine the great battle for last place at future races
There are 2 unique positions in a race 1st and last. One of those I will never be.
Must get More of a Tortoise (MoaT) over to this thread. She is truly an inspiration at coming last. She even checks the previous year's times and checks that the sweep marshals will gather her up.
Does it stop her taking part ? No.
I'll just nip off and find her . . . .
Hey all - for anyone wanting to come last in a race, just for the hell of it, I heard on another thread that the Nuuk (Greenland) marathon had 23 finishers this year
http://www.nuukmarathon.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=63&Itemid=79
these are the 20 men (1 DNF) and these
http://www.nuukmarathon.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=80
are the 4 women...
What an experience the Nuuk marathon would be though...
I came last a couple of times and had the St John's ambulance dogging my steps for the last couple of miles. TBH I wanted to turn round and tell them to p**s off 'cos no way I was going to climb in
Had cinema tickets at the end of one race when they saved a spot prize for me. I enjoyed chatting with the chap on the bike at the back for that one.
I only know a little about it Blith, to be honest. I bought the book and have found it helpful. We got Catriona whassername at our club to do a weekend training session - I couldn't mak eit but those who did said it was great.
Some of the posture stuff is just a small bit hard to follow in the book so the DVD may help. Or the book and Youtube (a much underestimated training tool!).
I short I would recommend the book though! I improved my training time over my regular 5.5K route by just over a minute by following the instructions, and have found running much easier. Due to circumstances I had to pet aside training for the last couple of months so can't really speak for the whole book, just what I have read so far.. I'm about 4 chapters in..
I bet no one can beat this....
Not only did I finish last in a race earlier this year, but I actually managed to fall asleep halfway through it.
It was a very hot day, and I was under-hydrated. Decided to take it easy, so I set off at the back of the 10 mile race, and I was soon being left behind. No worries, I thought, some of these guys were going out too fast. I'll catch them up.
Unfortunately, about 2 miles in, my knee went. It's happened a couple of times before but never during a race. I had no option but to to jog-limp-walk the rest of the way. I thought about giving up but decided may as well try to get round.
Halfway through, the sweeper on the bike stopped by to tell me that someone had switched some of the signs in the field ahead, and I should wait until he'd managed to put them right. So I sat in the middle of the field on this baking hot day.... May as well lie down, I thought..... I was woken up god knows how long afterwards by the guy on the bike telling me he'd sorted it out. Actually, he hadn't, and we then spent another 10 minutes trying to find a stile.
Anyway, I eventually arrived at the finish line around an hour after anyone else. They were pretty good about it.
I plan to enter again next year.......
Good story RC
The bit about last place people being an inspiration is right
When none active spectators see the fit fast bods go past they admire them but cant relate to them as its something they think is unattainable for them.
When the likes of me plod past usually smiling and bantering with anyone who will talk to me -thats when thoughts like thats where i would be start crossing their minds and that is how seeds of possibility are sown and people get a step closer to actually getting up of their arses and donning apair of running shoes
Some of them will probably get closer to the fit bods than they realise in time when they catch the bug, but its the plodders that provide the initial inspiration