Comments on: Question for You from Runner’s World Magazine: Drop Out or Tough it Out? http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/ Runner's Information & Advice Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:57:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: billjankhttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/comment-page-1/#comment-11248 billjank Tue, 03 Apr 2007 03:42:46 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/#comment-11248 $80 dollar entry fee for NYC Marathon and fraternity brothers meeting me at the finish? Gut out the worst 6 miles of my life. $80 dollar entry fee for NYC Marathon and fraternity brothers meeting me at the finish?

Gut out the worst 6 miles of my life.

]]> By: Annehttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/comment-page-1/#comment-11244 Anne Mon, 02 Apr 2007 23:13:23 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/#comment-11244 I had my first (and only) DNF when I mistook a stomach flu for pre-race butterflies. I finally emptied my stomach at Mile 10 of an unusually warm marathon and reluctantly fell in with the half marathoners, so disgusted (among other things, I reeked of pee and puke!) I turned my running bib inside out to mark me among the spectators, sorta like my Scarlet A. Nine months later, I mistook a stress fracture for a groin pull in yet another unusually warm marathon. Not only was that but all the Motrin to ease the pain led to an inability to urinate despite a very full bladder. Still, this time I wasn't about to drop out when I still had the mind (and a terrific running friend I'd just met the day before) to keep me going -- albeit much slower than expected. I didn't know until later that I'd run the marathon with a stress-fractured right hip and, amazingly, fractured left ankle. I coulda kicked myself for being so foolish, but I was out of healthy limbs to do it. I had my first (and only) DNF when I mistook a stomach flu for pre-race butterflies. I finally emptied my stomach at Mile 10 of an unusually warm marathon and reluctantly fell in with the half marathoners, so disgusted (among other things, I reeked of pee and puke!) I turned my running bib inside out to mark me among the spectators, sorta like my Scarlet A.

Nine months later, I mistook a stress fracture for a groin pull in yet another unusually warm marathon. Not only was that but all the Motrin to ease the pain led to an inability to urinate despite a very full bladder. Still, this time I wasn’t about to drop out when I still had the mind (and a terrific running friend I’d just met the day before) to keep me going — albeit much slower than expected. I didn’t know until later that I’d run the marathon with a stress-fractured right hip and, amazingly, fractured left ankle.

I coulda kicked myself for being so foolish, but I was out of healthy limbs to do it.

]]> By: Blaine Moore (Run to Win)http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/comment-page-1/#comment-11243 Blaine Moore (Run to Win) Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:50:50 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/#comment-11243 My motto is to run through annoyance but not through pain. And by pain, I mean unexpected pains that are likely to cause (or be caused by) serious injuries. A week or two before I ran the San Antonio marathon in 2004, I pulled my hamstring. A week earlier, I got lost on a 17 miler and wound up doing 28 miles (first 10 miles in around 61/62 minutes and next 10 not much slower), and then I was doing 1/4 or 1/2 mile hill repeats in 30 degree weather. On one of the repeats, I came up short when my hamstring went. It seemed all right by marathon time, so I ran the marathon anyway. About 11 miles in, I pulled it again. I just slowed down enough that I could use a normal stride and it was an annoyance and not a source of actual pain, and finished the race that way. I still ran a BQ. I tend to have a pretty high tolerance for pain; compared to the migraines I used to get as a kid, not much really hurts that much. I have dropped out of a few races when something hurt, but I will usually opt for a DNS rather than a DNF. It is rare that something hurts enough during a race to make me quit that didn't hurt enough to prevent me from starting. In training, I keep a pretty open game plan. Yesterday I went out for a 15 miler that I cut short around 12 miles due to a sore calf. It just isn't worth risking an injury for the last few miles in the training log, especially with a marathon 2 weeks away. My motto is to run through annoyance but not through pain. And by pain, I mean unexpected pains that are likely to cause (or be caused by) serious injuries.

A week or two before I ran the San Antonio marathon in 2004, I pulled my hamstring. A week earlier, I got lost on a 17 miler and wound up doing 28 miles (first 10 miles in around 61/62 minutes and next 10 not much slower), and then I was doing 1/4 or 1/2 mile hill repeats in 30 degree weather. On one of the repeats, I came up short when my hamstring went.

It seemed all right by marathon time, so I ran the marathon anyway. About 11 miles in, I pulled it again. I just slowed down enough that I could use a normal stride and it was an annoyance and not a source of actual pain, and finished the race that way. I still ran a BQ.

I tend to have a pretty high tolerance for pain; compared to the migraines I used to get as a kid, not much really hurts that much. I have dropped out of a few races when something hurt, but I will usually opt for a DNS rather than a DNF. It is rare that something hurts enough during a race to make me quit that didn’t hurt enough to prevent me from starting.

In training, I keep a pretty open game plan. Yesterday I went out for a 15 miler that I cut short around 12 miles due to a sore calf. It just isn’t worth risking an injury for the last few miles in the training log, especially with a marathon 2 weeks away.

]]> By: Dennishttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/comment-page-1/#comment-11241 Dennis Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:54:56 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/#comment-11241 During my training for Boston in 2003, I was having hip pain and my doc put me on prescription anti-inflammatories. On race day, I took one (an 800 mg ibuprofen, or the equivalent of 4 Advil)about an hour before the start. It was 75 degrees and sunny and by mile 10 I was getting full-on leg cramps of the kind that stop you in your tracks. I was drinking at each aid station, but the NSAID had taken a toll. I stopped at a medical tent and they said I was OK. So I kept going and started having diarrhea. The cramps continued off and on, but I ended up finishing, an hour off my projected pace. I spent the night in the hospital after going to the ER because I couldn't keep fluids down. I took 4 liters of fluid and the ER doc told me both of my kidneys had shut down and if I hadn't come in to the ER I likely wouldn't have made it through the night. Clearly a race I should have dropped out of. During my training for Boston in 2003, I was having hip pain and my doc put me on prescription anti-inflammatories. On race day, I took one (an 800 mg ibuprofen, or the equivalent of 4 Advil)about an hour before the start. It was 75 degrees and sunny and by mile 10 I was getting full-on leg cramps of the kind that stop you in your tracks. I was drinking at each aid station, but the NSAID had taken a toll. I stopped at a medical tent and they said I was OK. So I kept going and started having diarrhea. The cramps continued off and on, but I ended up finishing, an hour off my projected pace. I spent the night in the hospital after going to the ER because I couldn’t keep fluids down. I took 4 liters of fluid and the ER doc told me both of my kidneys had shut down and if I hadn’t come in to the ER I likely wouldn’t have made it through the night. Clearly a race I should have dropped out of.

]]> By: Irenehttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/comment-page-1/#comment-11234 Irene Mon, 02 Apr 2007 15:39:12 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/#comment-11234 I was diagnosed with arthritis in both knees while in the middle of training for the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon 2005, my first marathon. I was advised to not stop running, but to take things easy, and that I should go for a half marathon distance instead. I still participated in the marathon. Mile 18 and I had sharp,stabbing knee pain and thought that might be it. I still managed to finish, however not as fast as my ego wanted... It was the only time I had experienced that sharp and stabbing knee pain. I was diagnosed with arthritis in both knees while in the middle of training for the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon 2005, my first marathon. I was advised to not stop running, but to take things easy, and that I should go for a half marathon distance instead. I still participated in the marathon. Mile 18 and I had sharp,stabbing knee pain and thought that might be it. I still managed to finish, however not as fast as my ego wanted… It was the only time I had experienced that sharp and stabbing knee pain.

]]> By: Ronhttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/comment-page-1/#comment-11231 Ron Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:37:23 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/#comment-11231 St. George Utah 2001, trying to qualify for Boston. My splits had been increasing for the last few miles and I knew it was going to be very close. I didn't hurt much, but was seriously running out of steam. I made the final turn at around mile 25 and could see the banners and balloons around the finish line straight down the street. Every time I blinked from that point on, I was in serious doubt that they would reopen again. So for the last mile I had only two thoughts in my head, just keep going and don't pass out! I made it with 48 seconds to spare and all of my skin intact. St. George Utah 2001, trying to qualify for Boston. My splits had been increasing for the last few miles and I knew it was going to be very close. I didn’t hurt much, but was seriously running out of steam. I made the final turn at around mile 25 and could see the banners and balloons around the finish line straight down the street. Every time I blinked from that point on, I was in serious doubt that they would reopen again. So for the last mile I had only two thoughts in my head, just keep going and don’t pass out! I made it with 48 seconds to spare and all of my skin intact.

]]> By: Nancy Tobyhttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/comment-page-1/#comment-11230 Nancy Toby Mon, 02 Apr 2007 13:12:07 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/#comment-11230 The decision point for me is if I'm doing damage by continuing. For example, if I'm limping badly enough early in a long race, it will probably create a secondary injury. When I did Country Music Marathon a long while back, I was limping by Mile 2 and knew I probably wouldn't finish. I walk/jogged it to the halfway point and dropped out. Turns out I had a stress fracture in my foot that required a cast for 7 weeks - and I have some permanent damage in the ankle from running on it. The decision point for me is if I’m doing damage by continuing. For example, if I’m limping badly enough early in a long race, it will probably create a secondary injury.

When I did Country Music Marathon a long while back, I was limping by Mile 2 and knew I probably wouldn’t finish. I walk/jogged it to the halfway point and dropped out. Turns out I had a stress fracture in my foot that required a cast for 7 weeks – and I have some permanent damage in the ankle from running on it.

]]> By: Tammyhttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/comment-page-1/#comment-11227 Tammy Mon, 02 Apr 2007 05:13:28 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/#comment-11227 Seriously, if I didn't have at least one moment where my mind told me to quit, I'd know I hadn't tried hard enough. That's the true challenge... to keep going when every fiber of your being is screaming for you to stop. Seriously, if I didn’t have at least one moment where my mind told me to quit, I’d know I hadn’t tried hard enough. That’s the true challenge… to keep going when every fiber of your being is screaming for you to stop.

]]> By: Jon (was) in Michiganhttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/comment-page-1/#comment-11224 Jon (was) in Michigan Sun, 01 Apr 2007 23:03:57 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/04/01/question-for-you-from-runners-world-magazine-drop-out-or-tough-it-out/#comment-11224 I definately considered dropping out of my marathon in Detroit. I was already overly exerted and when my right ITB went "twang" I began looking for the sag-wagon. It was really brutal running on it, and doing the run-walk thing was exceptionally tough because starting up again was really hard. I thought about having only five more miles to go and tried to think how I would get home. Eventually, I decided it would be too hard to find a ride home (no phone, no money for a cab) so I just kept going. I finished but wouldn't want to have to do that again. I definately considered dropping out of my marathon in Detroit. I was already overly exerted and when my right ITB went “twang” I began looking for the sag-wagon. It was really brutal running on it, and doing the run-walk thing was exceptionally tough because starting up again was really hard. I thought about having only five more miles to go and tried to think how I would get home. Eventually, I decided it would be too hard to find a ride home (no phone, no money for a cab) so I just kept going. I finished but wouldn’t want to have to do that again.

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