Have you ever been last in an event?

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  • In my first half marathon I played cat and mouse with the sweeper minibus from about 10 miles or so... the sweeper bus won by quite along way! image



    I wasn't last in the actual race (but definitely in the last 20 - 30 in a large field), but I was comfortably last in the 40-strong team of runners from my work place. TBH it has made me a bit afraid of the distance - I've got my second HM in a couple of months... getting back on the horse, etc...
  • I came last in a cross-country once. It was embarrassing. Like, I know someone has to come last, but I was several minutes behind the guy who came second-last. And it wasn't like I had a good excuse, like an injury or losing a shoe in the mud. 

    That said, I did try to hobble a bit at the end to make it look as though I'd done my knee in...

  • Never personally but a few of my clients have come fairly low down the rankings. Being low down/last is certainly not something to be disappointed with. It is your own challenge and goal and together we've had many great runs and even I would go so far as saying enjoyed the races that little bit more due to the extra support and comradeship that we receive.

  • I haven't come last yet, but I've come close once or twice! A few years back my wife called me from work telling me that one of her colleagues had pulled out of a half marathon that was being held two days later, and if I'd like to step in. Being an eternal optimist, I did, despite my not having trained at all. It was a painful experience!

  • I go to alot of athletics events, XC's etc (only watching) and someone always has to come last, as others have said they usually get the biggest cheers and at least they have entered and put themselves out there. I've had alot of issues with my ankle so have never entered a race..ever! i've now been running for the last 4 weeks and in a few weeks i'll enter a parkrun, if i get round i'll probably finish last, and i'd be over the moon

  • I was nearly last a couple of times, once at a 5k in Knole Park- but I had an excuse, I had bronchitis. My bf at the time dragged me around and was embarassed ever after because of his PW! The other time was of all things the Santa Run in Battersea Park! I had to keep on pulling up my trousers.

    IW- well done! Hauptsache dass man bei der Sache spass hat! image

  • Danke moomoo! Ich habe immer Spass beim Wettkampf!

  • "The race is long, and in the end, its only with yourself"

  • I came third from last in my first (and so far only) 5k, but I was just happy to have finished. As they say, last is better than 'did not finish', which kicks the crap out of 'did not start.'

  • I am debating entering a localish 10K next month. Now, in the past, I would have been about mid to just below mid field. Now, after a year of vaguely well documented health issues elsewhere on the forum, completion would be an achievement. BUT, it might be a last place, even a DNF, I really don't know.

    Soooooo, should I "race"? It's not likely to harm me as long as I leave the rev limiters on, but last is a possibility. I am minded to go along for a laugh anyway, even if there is a bit of walking involved.

     

  • I like being at the back for space and smell! Am too slow to be in the front and the middle smells of sweat and BO

  • After supporting me for a number of years on running events my wife decided to have a go.I am a slow runner normally due to my age finishing in the last 10%.My wife(in her late 60s) had a mortal fear of finishing last.As I ran around with her on several events the problem was overcome as when we entered the finishing straight I dropped back and achieved the accolade of being last.As previous correspondants have stated I was amazed at the goodwill extended to the late finishers.On one occasion a spectator advised me to keep training then I might beat my wife.

    To take part and finish is the one goal we should all aspire to, sod the results.

  • I tell you what, I would give my right arm to have been last in the ultra I DNFd yesterday!

  • XX1XX1 ✭✭✭
    Tired Runner wrote (see)

    I like being at the back for space and smell! Am too slow to be in the front and the middle smells of sweat and BO

    I'm sure you're very fragrant, although no one minds the smell of their own eh image

  • UluruUluru ✭✭✭

    I'm running in the Welsh Castles Relay this weekend. It will be my third year and I am always worried about coming last. I run for a business team and we are lucky just to get 20 runners whereas the running clubs which make up the majority of the participants have try outs and strict cut off times. It attracts some top class athletes, of which I am definitely not one!

    I don't know why I worry as my team would just be happy that I ran and the support on this event is always great so you know people would be still cheering for you.

  • I finished, I wasn't last, I felt well ill for the rest of the day, Ben Davies, one, I feel for you, two, you need a decent name for the forumimage

  • SteadyCJSteadyCJ ✭✭✭

    I was last female finisher at Outlaw Half last week, great support. It is the taking part and completing that feel good.

  • I have regularly been in the very end of a raise. I was 5th from last at UK70.3 when i first tried it, and i think the same position in IM Austria. I was the last individual finisher at Challenge Roth, although relay athletes came after me, as they started later....did mean i missed out on my last finisher bouquet though! image

    I did a little local aquathlon, and a 'friend' overtook me in the dying metres, cos she couldnt possibly be last......I reminded her i had only been back running a few weeks, 6 months after i had broken my back.

    The support at the back of the field is always great.....I have a friend who does all the local cross country races, and she is regularly last. But she is massively respected and supported because she is having a go...

  • My first and so far only full marathon I came very nearly last. To my mind I was chuffed having finished it and as I was nearly last it was our friends and family cheering us over the line (the weather was horrendous so not many other spare bodies). Think you just have decide does it matter to you? Is your goal to finish or to to do a certain time? Just give it it a go, any distance is a challenge and fair play to you for having a go!

  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭
    I've been last and now had a DNF, being last finisher is waaaay better
  • I've been last but as my friend always says somebody has to be last and the people that can't run and who are sat at home in front of the tele are really last. That gets rid of any pre-race doubts for me. I am relatively new to running but I am improving all the time and hopefully I will gradually move up the field.

  • I'm always at the back as i plod along This year came in with the sweepr car at Brathay as chose to stay and help an injured runner 

    sometimes its abit lonely as lots of people go home but also those that are left usually give a big hearty cheer when you are near the end

  • I would happily be last! image

    You started AND finished - you are awesome!!!

  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    Haha done it again *pout* 

    Did back to back marathons, I wasn't last each day, but of the the 34 that did both days my combined total was the worse. 

    Still bloody glad that I did the challenge. image  I still have two medals to show for my efforts image  

    It's one of those things, am I a laughing stock as I'm last? maybe in some eyes but to me someone has to come last and I would rather be last than doing nothing. 

  • Yes if DNF or DNS count as last place.

  • I'm slow and I'm sure I'd be last in a small field but I generally finish about two thirds of the way through the pack. But I've been near the back on one occassion. I'd been running in Innovation's Clapham Common 10K series (pretty flat) when I saw a flyer for a Herne Hill Harriers cross country event on Streatham Common. As it's another local common I thought, what the heck, it'll be fun. I used to ride there as a child and somehow managed to forget that Streatham Common is one huge, soul-sucking hill. I ended up having to walk several times and it completely humbled me. I wasn't last but there were only a few behind me, but there was also quite a few DNFs so at least I got round. I've since made a point of going back there to train occasionally because I'm not letting some hill beat me. I can now get from my house to the common (about 2 miles) and back with three laps of the race circuit, without stopping. (Well, I could before I tore my calf the other week, but that's another story).

  • Yes, did a small local race a few days after a big ultra and staggered after a friend, who put on something of a finishing sprint which I just couldn't match! I have a number of friends who are often the lanternes rouges so I felt if they can man up and do it when they know that's on the cards, then so can I. I think as long as you know why you're there and you know you've trained as well as you can under the circs then it's OK. Dunno what it's like to be last because you never got round to doing the training ... that might be interesting.

  • I overheard a lady at a race once say, "unless you have a chance of coming first then the only person you are racing is yourself" and its stuck with me as a very true saying.

  • It is true - at almost 65 I know I don't have much of a chance at not being last, especially as I haven't done much training lately (translate that into 'none'!) - and again in yesterday's sprint triathlon I occupied last place. Got a lot of support from spectators though. 2nd place in the age group - I know the lady who beat me quite well and I don't have a chance of beating her as she is around 4 mins faster in the swim and no slouch at the rest, so I'm always in the role of the chaser! But at least I'm still out there racing, and I was 20 mins better than the last sprint 2 weeks ago

  • I take the attitude that where you finish really shouldn't matter, I try think about all those armchair athletes who never even enter a race (I was one of these until I entered my first race this year), they're the ones who come last.  This helps me relax and enjoy the run far more, never going to win a race or set the world alight with times, but I enjoy it. Now writing a blog to help me continue with this, as well as writing down some of the weird things which whizz through my head while running http://goo.gl/5i0IUo

     

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