We train for and expect the best, but even with proper training, we can't control the outcome of our races. If we could, it would take the fun out of it; we would run new PRs every race! So many factors are at play on race day, some days, the racing gods shine down their favor, and we earn a new personal record, and other days...not so much.
Pro Tip: Smile at every camera you see, no matter how you feel!
I had a mentally tough training cycle leading up to the Dallas Half Marathon. My training runs were consistent and performance acceptable, but my mind was off, and I sensed it from the beginning. I dreaded the long runs and did them half-heartedly, and while my paces were on track, my head wasn't in the game.
But I should have been fine on race day. I was thrilled to complete my last twelve-mile training run before the race, and I thought if I paced the race similarly, I might even achieve a small personal record.
I had an A, B, and C goal for the race and missed all three.
A goal = stay with the 1:50 pacer to achieve a few-minute personal record.
B goal = beat my previous PR by mere seconds (a PR is a PR). Anything under 1:53.
C goal = sub 2:00 (I thought this was in the bag, an easy win.)
My 1:50 pacer goal went out the window in the first mile and a half because of a last-minute porta-potty stop, the pacers were too far ahead of me in the corral, started before me, and because of the crowds in the early part of the first mile, I couldn't catch up. I was afraid of burning energy if I sprinted to catch up. Even though I couldn't stay with the pacers, I thought I could still hold this pace.
I was doing fine to meet my B goal until right before mile ten, and I couldn't go on despite training runs and past races that proved it should be possible. I tried every mental trick in my toolbox; get lost in the music, focus on gratitude, break down miles in smaller increments, play mind games, practice rhythmic breathing, or disassociate.
I mentally fought a walk break, but my body and brain needed it. I felt a sense of relief once I started walking. I decided at that minute that a personal record didn't matter (I've PR'd the last three half marathons that I ran, this can't go on forever). My legs didn't want to move, so I ran increasingly shorter intervals as those last three miles progressed. By the last mile, I mostly walked with brief jogging periods.
When I saw the sign for the final 400 meters, I decided to run it in. Nope, my legs disagreed—more walking. I waited until I turned that last corner down the final chute of cheering people before I attempted a sprint to the finish, which registered barely above my easy pace.
My official time was just a few seconds over two hours, a respectable time, but I would have been disappointed if I'd not kept in mind that it didn't matter.
The results have zero bearing on my life. My local half marathon isn't the Olympic trials. My friends and family still love me, my clients still respect me, and my dogs only care that they get their daily walks (and treats). I didn't get injured or have any other fallout from running a half marathon slightly less fast than I felt capable. Literally, no one cares.
RACE REFLECTIONS AND TRAINING ANALYSIS
However, it can be valuable to reflect on the race and analyze training to pinpoint what went wrong to correct it in future races.
What went wrong? Why was I running twelve miles in training at race pace but lost it before mile ten on race day?
Questions to Ask Yourself After A DISAPPOINTING Race PERFORMANCE
Were your race day goals realistic (Did they reflect your capabilities based on your training)? You can't pull paces or finish times out of nowhere and expect to hit them without demonstrating it in your current workouts.
Did you complete the training plan with at least 85% consistency?
Was the weather warmer or more humid than in training?
Did you go out too fast?
How were your hydration and nutrition leading up to and on race day?
How were your sleep and recovery during the training cycle and race day? Are you overtraining or under-recovering?
None of the above applied to me, but there were other factors that likely were culprits. You can't always pinpoint what went wrong. Our bodies are complicated; it's not always obvious.
OTHER POSSIBLE CULPRITS OF A POOR RACE PERFORMANCE
It's the week before my menstrual cycle. Levels of estrogen and progesterone drop during the week before your period, and I typically feel weaker and have less energy, which could have played a role in my performance.
My anxiety peaked 15 hours before race day. Looking back, I should have demonstrated the presence of mind to keep it at bay. I let uncontrollable and ultimately inconsequential factors like traffic, driving in bad weather, exorbitant parking fees, and lost directions bring me to a panicked state that I struggled to bring down. I slept poorly with high-anxiety dreams of kidnapping and murders with frequent wake-ups, which I think was my brain reflecting my wake-time unease. I woke up an hour earlier than intended, plus low-level pre-race nervousness; I was not feeling very light and carefree.
In retrospect, this is an important lesson that I needed to learn or relearn.
STRESS AND PERFORMANCE
One thing to keep in mind is that body interprets stress all the same; Stress from exercise, deadlines at work, driving in traffic, family or relationship issues. While stress in itself is not a problem, it's the elevated stress that doesn't come down (recovery) that causes an issue. While this is another blog post, I'll summarize here that productive stress, like exercise with rest, or hard work to meet a goal, is good for you, but unproductive, elevated, ongoing stress that impacts sleep and nutrition is not.
I suspect that my unproductive stress may have exerted a lot of energy my body could have used on race day. Had I done a better job of keeping my emotions under control, would my race have gone differently?
The truth is, we'll never know. The stars didn't align today, and that's ok. It doesn't mean things won't go better next time. I need a few weeks off from any official training (and long runs); I will focus on strength training, regroup, and try again in my next training cycle.
COMPARE YOU AGAINST YOU
I had a disappointing race, the worst in ten years, but I don't mean to imply that my finish time was objectively poor (It's not) or even that it was my slowest (it wasn't). It was disappointing because my performance fell off a cliff after mile ten, and I could not finish the race feeling strong.
A successful race is holding a consistent pace throughout the miles, feeling capable and strong (or even feeling less than capable but pushing though mentally and physically). It's not about a specific pace or finishing time. I’ve had better performances with slower finish times.
It's important to compare your race to your past performances, not to the other runners on Instagram, running friends, and certainly not the professionals. Because unless you are an elite, when you run a race, you're not running to win it; you're running against your past self.
How To Move On From a DISAPPOINTING Race Performance
1. Take some time to reflect: Take some time to reflect on your performance and identify areas where you could have improved. Consider what you did well and what you could have done better. Acknowledge your feelings, and don't be too hard on yourself.
2. Take a break: Take a few days off from running and allow yourself to recover physically and mentally to process your performance and give you time to regroup.
3. Reframe your experience: Instead of seeing your race performance as a failure, reframe it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Think of it as a stepping stone to achieving success in the future.
4. Stay focused on your goals: After you've taken the time to process your performance, it's essential to stay focused. Set new goals and create a plan for working towards them.
5. Talk to a coach: It can be beneficial to talk to a running coach or mentor who can help you analyze your performance and provide advice and support.
6. Celebrate your achievements: Don't forget to celebrate your successes, no matter how small. Acknowledge your hard work and progress, and use it as motivation for future races.
In the end, I spent two hours taking in the neighborhood views of Dallas. I had fun, friendship, and laughter with a group of fantastic ladies in pre and post-race events on Saturday and Sunday. (This was the best part!)
Plus, I got solid blog content out of this experience. If that's not a positive spin on a disappointing experience, I don't know what is.
What was your worst race experience? We all have them, and talking about it helps us all remember that life and training will go on.
Did you like this post? Do you know someone who might benefit? It helps me when you share with your friends and followers.
Questions? I’d love to help.
