Got a race medal but feel like a failure

[SlowyMcSlowlegs]

Yesterday I took part in a Colour Run which was the very first race I've ever been to. I have trained for months to be able to jog 5km and really felt ready for the race but I totally fell apart! Unfortunately I had to walk at least 7km to get to the event entrance because most of the roads and pathways were closed for the race. The sun shone - I'm used to running early in the morning so not in that sort of heat. I was running with my sister in law who also has been doing the C25K podcasts. We both started at a jog but after about 1km I just couldn't continue to jog. People all around me were walking and something in my head just thought, "stuff this, walk!" so that's what I did! I walked some of it, jogged some of it and stayed along side my S-in-L who carried on jogging throughout. I was totally lost without music or a beat banging away in my ear. I didn't take my headphones because I didn't want them ruined with the powder that they throw at us. About 1.5km to the end I tried so hard to get a grip of myself and desperately tried to search my mind for a song that had a beat that I could follow so I could jog to end. The only song I could actually muster was...Onward Christian Soldiers!!! It worked and got me to the end but I feel like a total utter failure because I crumbled so easily. I want to enter a 5km race that is near me in a month's time. I feel quite determined to do better next time. I will have my music in my ears, I'll do it without friends so I can just get my head down and run my own race. Next time I want to get a medal that I actually deserve and look at with pride!

[Hidden]

What you did is called jeffing and is a valid technique. i'm reading reports of the GNR on other running forums, and a lot of people did it. It isn't cheating. You did great so don't be sad x

[SlowyMcSlowlegs in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply Flick. There was certainly a lot of effing and jeffing from me while waiting an hour to actually start the race!! I've never heard of jeffing related to an actual technique. I've just watched something on Youtube about it - interesting that some people finish faster than running continuously. I actually managed a PB yesterday, under 40 minutes so perhaps I should hold on to the positives.

[Hidden in reply to SlowyMcSlowlegs]

Indeed you should hold on to the positives 😊😊😊😊

[GoogleMe Graduate10]

I'm really not doing a naff sort of positive thinking rationalisation when I say that you have gained so much from this experience, such a lot learned that you can use to achieve your future goals.

[SlowyMcSlowlegs in reply to GoogleMe]

Thank you GoogleMe - I totally agree. I think that it will drive me to do better next time and actually achieve what I know I am capable of.

[misswobble Graduate10]

You did it! you nailed it! Walking and jogging is fantastic. A device people use all the time I walk during all my runs! I’d never get round any of em if I didn’t I don’t think it diminishes any of us. It’s not like we’re professional runners is it. By the way, remind me, how long have you been doing this jogging malarkey? In the scheme of things, no time at all. Cut yourself some slack!

Don’t let it put you off. Racing is great fun 😁

[roseabi]

Well done!!!!

This was your first race, and you have learnt an awful lot from it - so don't put yourself down. Cherish that medal, you DID deserve it!! And look forward to getting the next one, you've got a good plan going on there 😊

And - Onward Christian Soldiers, lol!!!! 😊😊😊

[Empem Graduate10]

What an honest post but really you got yourself to a race and put yourself out and took part and experienced the thing. That in itself is quite something ( from someone who has never even done a Parkrun or run with a friend). Onward Christian Soldiers made me laugh though!!

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

I think you are being a bit harsh on yourself SlowlyMcSlowlegs as you only graduated a few weeks ago. If you have a parkrun you can get to on a Saturday why not give that a try, just to get you used to running 5k with others. You can put your earphones in and do your own thing or chat to people as you go along. Walking is okay, as is Jeffing or running it all. It is also very supportive. Think of that last run as a practice for all the runs ahead of you and you got bling! 🏃‍♀️👏

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate10]

Hey hey hey...no such word as the F word on here...you have done brilliantly, were you sat on the sofa? no...were you out there running/walking for a good cause?? Yes...there is nothing wrong with walking, if you hadn’t walked themaybe you’d have really struggled & poss not made it at all?? But you didn’t, be proud of yourself! Sometimes the thought of it is so different to actually being there which can be quite daunting & on youve got those kind of thoughts in your head, they’re hard to get out...don’t be hard on yourself, you’ve done it...which is more than most folk 😉

[ancientrunner Graduate10]

It's just the way of it. You got to the finish line. You can train all you like nothing really prepares you for an organised race until you do one. I always find them much harder than training and have also been caught out by the heat of running later than usual. You just can't replicate the adrenaline/nerves, I read something once about the Brownlee brothers training and how they practice waiting around at the start and standing still as they would have to if they got a time penalty. I will try and run at a similar time of day and surface, no headphones but there are limits and you should be proud of what you did.

[Agelesslass Graduate10]

Don’t be hard on yourself, forget this one and get better results next time, congratulate yourself, at least you did enter and completed it. Well achieved.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10]

This sounds to me like you went off too fast, such an easy thing to do at a race. It doesn't need much increase in pace to tire you fast, especially at the beginning, as I found out the other day when I did exactly that - started out fast with the intention of getting a PB....well, no PB for me, and in fact I had to stop, not just slow down to a walk, after less than 1 KM, and I've been running for 4 years. It's so easily done....you should still be proud of your medal, you completed the distance, and you found a new technique that works for you... ha ha Onward Christian Soldiers!

[SlowyMcSlowlegs]

Thank you all for your replies. I've been out and had a good strong positive run and had a few choice words with myself. I'm going to use my experience as just part of a learning curve. Onwards and upwards now. Thanks again.

[SHBWY in reply to SlowyMcSlowlegs]

Well done!

[Lordi Graduate10]

Nothing wrong with jeffing it. You did the distance (12km if you count getting to the starting line!).