Have you ever been last in an event?

Am running my first half this October and do 10-11 min miles.  It's a small half with a few hundred runners and looking at last years results i'll be in the last few.  Has anyone been last in an event?  What was it like?

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  • I was third out of four in a MTB race once. I got a trophy and prize money and everything. Brilliant.





    Someones got to be last - It probably won't be you - you always run faster in races. Don't worry about it and put in the training.
  • Never been absolutely last but always near the back!  Often see the last runner coming over the finish at local events & they generally get more support than the middle pack, so don't worry & enjoy it.

  • don't  worry about being last, people are accessed with being first. I coach athlete and I always say. " to compete and do your best is all you can ask of yourself." 

    As you get fitter and training gets harder then your times and position will get better.

  • Been last a couple of times.had the biggest cheer ever when crossing the finish line.....sometimes in the race they have a back marker and they will run with the slowest person so that they can let the marshalls know they can stand down.....

    I wouldn't worry because someone has to be last.......

    on other races I have also been in the first 3 sometimes and even first........image

  • Been last or nearly last most of my running years. I do not worry about it at all, as the others say someone has to be last. Big cheers and sometimes even a prize when last, consider it that you get better value for your entry fee when at the back.

  • ShivaShiva ✭✭✭

    I am usually in the top third of races, but last year agreed to help my brother train to run a 10k. This was a big thing for him, and on race day a ran by his side the whole way, and we came last.  It was the by far the most reawrding run I have done, and I had more support and encouragement than I have had in any race before or since.  I enjoyed every minute of it

  • I have been last and am almost always near last There is nothing wrong with being last!

  • Oh yes ! But you do get the best support from marshals, other finished competitors and the clean up crew.

    it was my first aquathon - transition took longer than the swim as I faffed about putting on shorts & top, tied shoe laces then went wrong way so 5k became 8k 

    But it got me unhooked into multi sport events so not the end of the world but the start of triathon 

  • I recently did my first HM, it was a bit smaller than yours with 85 finishers and was last for the first couple of miles (both sub 9 min miles). Ended up 83rd and 2:13 which was 7 minutes ahead of my goal and 90 seconds a mile faster than training. I'm sure coming 3rd from last gave me a better feeling than the guy that came 3rd overall image

    Next run is Loch Ness at the end of the month and aiming for a sub 5 hour time and will probably be in the top 2000 (of 3000).

  • I came last having unwittingly entered an 'elite' category... I did not feel too bad after hearing that others were training for the Marathon des Sables... I got over it, no one seemed to have an issue.

    I have noticed that the back markers and last person get bigger cheers than the first person and finishers... must be a British thing

  • I have finished last. My first 10k. I got a huge cheer and won a huge basket of fruit. image

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    Yep. In Europe - most of the races I'm in the last 10 and have been last once or twice. You normally get a lot of support.

  • Last weeks Run to the Castle, 4 miles in, four of us teamed up to map read and navigate when we were all in danger of getting lost, slow hard plod, at times everyone struggled somewhere but we stuck it out and all finished together and I have to say it was probably the most enjoyable run in years because of the way it was run.

  • I've been last and top 30 in the same event. image

  • Not last, but in the last few handfuls

    2008 Holme-Moss Fell-Race; 18 miles & 4,000 feet of ascent

    It was my first fell at that kind of distance (only done 7 mile max before), & I 'blew' at about 14 miles, & had to walk a fair distance

    Ended up finishing way back, & taking 4 hours 'dead' to cover the 18 miles image

    Mindst you, it was a round of the English National Championships. so had to be hard

    The first big hill was tough enough (& that was at about 2 miles!!!)

    /members/images/442128/gallery/2010._Fell-Running._Holme-Moss_Fell-Race._20.jpg

     

  • It can be a very long day marshalling a race so when the last person shows up they are bound to get a great cheer as at last you can start packing up and go home!

  • I have finished 3rd from last in a XC race and last in every race I ever "ran" at school!  I appreciate how awkward it can make you feel but you do tend to get a big cheer.

    Most importantly you should remember that you have beaten the thousands (millions?) who cannot even contemplate running that far.  Remember what an achievement it is to make it to the start line and be worrying about coming last instead of worrying if you can finish the distance...

  • Finished last in a triathlon a few years ago and it was one of the most enjoyable ones that I've done. I was last back from the bike and ran with the person who finished in front of me to keep them company.
    It took a while to complete the run but it was great fun, we were even reminded that we were in a race as we discussed tourism with one of the marshalls while having a drink of water.
    The support as we neared the end and eventually crossed the line was fabulous and I'd not have missed it for the world.

     

     

  • Finishing 'last' doesn't take into account those who DNF either - if you can get round an event then it's an achievement, and last is nothing to be ashamed of!  (You may take this with a pinch of whatever you like, given that I haven't actually ever come last.  Well, not since school, when I was a lap behind everyone else in the 800m because I was crap.  That was humiliating.)

  • finished last in the last 2 runs I did, a 10 miler and a offroad 10k....doesnt bother me but feel sorry for the marshalls who have to keep waiting for me to finish...image

  • JvR wrote (see)

    Finished last in a triathlon a few years ago and it was one of the most enjoyable ones that I've done. I was last back from the bike and ran with the person who finished in front of me to keep them company.
    It took a while to complete the run but it was great fun, we were even reminded that we were in a race as we discussed tourism with one of the marshalls while having a drink of water.
    The support as we neared the end and eventually crossed the line was fabulous and I'd not have missed it for the world.

     

     

    Triathlon support for the last runner home is very strong, I've seen that and was really impressed, even the first few elites gathered at the finish to cheer the last person home

  • Last by nearly a minute and I wasn't that far short of my pb image

    results to prove it

     

  • I came last in a half marathon (2hr 17). I was second to last then the one behind me dropped out, ggrrrrimage It was the first race that my OH and daughter had come to watch. As I came up to to the finish line the chappie on the microphone said "a big round of applause for the last lady on the course". I didn't enjoy it at all. Since then I've changed my way of thinking - better being last than sat on my backside doing nothing.

  • I've finished last, but it was a 1500m track race with only 10 runners....nonetheless, it was last! My club didn't have a 2nd runner for the event so I volunteered on the day. Last and was even lapped! Runners were finishing in around 5 mins or quicker whereas I was more like 7 mins. All valuable club points though...so who cares image

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    marathon molly wrote (see)

    ..... Since then I've changed my way of thinking - better being last than sat on my backside doing nothing.

    +1 You're beating everyone on the couch.

    I like to see being last as getting more value for money out of your entry fee!

  • I was last, by a long margin, in my first (and so far only) time trial on a bike.

    As it was a TT, and I was the second one to go, people were still finishing after me, but most people did pass me along the route!

     

  • Madbee wrote (see)

     I haven't actually ever come last.  Well, not since school, when I was a lap behind everyone else in the 800m because I was crap.  That was humiliating.)

    Oh yes, I've been there, and crawled off the track on my hands and knees afterwards. Luckily I was quite a good sprinter so it made up for the humiliation. It's probably why it took until the age of 38 to persuade myself I could actually run long distance.

    Still slower than a slow thing though image

  • Holymoly wrote (see)

    I've finished last, but it was a 1500m track race with only 10 runners....nonetheless, it was last! My club didn't have a 2nd runner for the event so I volunteered on the day. Last and was even lapped! Runners were finishing in around 5 mins or quicker whereas I was more like 7 mins. All valuable club points though...so who cares image

    Very similar experince to this. During my teeage years I was ofter last in - 800m  races (this was my favoured distance. I still always came last!), 1500m races, 400m races, discus. I even just about dropped the shot putt to get a point. My only dnf was an attempt at 400m hurdles. Perhaps trying that for the first time at a competition was not the best plan. I made it half way round then fell and couldn't bring myself to jump the next hurdle!

  • Yes, I've been last in a club race and I'm usually at the back of the pack in club races although only actually last once.  I don't really mind TBH. Someone's got to be last and the others will be grateful it's not themimage

    I do not really have a competitive streak image

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