This week we are talking about something that really sucks.  The Did Not Start (DNS) and Did Not Finish (DNF) experience.

Tuesdays on the Run this week:  tell us about your DNS or DNF.

Did you have an injury?  An illness? Or maybe just changed your mind about a race?  Or maybe mid-race something happens- and you have to pull out.  We’d love to hear how you deal with situations that affect runners like this.

Link up with Erika, Marcia and me for this week’s Tuesdays on the Run!

 

That Hurts: DNS

I’m thankful that I don’t have too much experience in these categories.  I can’t remember many races where I didn’t start or finish.

Oh, there were races I wish I hadn’t started.  Ha.  And there are races where I certainly came in so slowly it was close to a DNF.  Sometimes it was the same race.

But so far I’ve got a decent track record. Knock on wood for staying healthy during races!

My biggest DNS heartbreak happened around this time last year.

I made the decision to defer my Walt Disney World Marathon Goofy bib.  I was completely A-OK with the decision at the time.  No regrets at all.

But then… I was at home watching my friends run and suffered total FOMO.  I wasn’t alone since another friend had to defer as well.  I remember texting back and forth our disappointment for not being there.

We were stuck watching from the sidelines on social media as our closest running friends completed their first marathons.

I had my reasons, and they held true through race day.

I didn’t want to run a marathon at that time.  And I wasn’t ready.  And one of my children was having a hard time with separation, so it was the best choice to stay close to home and the family.

But.

It still made that DNS hurt.

Especially as the friends battled through injury and nerves and rocked all their races.

And most importantly: they had the best time ever doing it!

Have you ever changed your plans for a race and later had FOMO (fear of missing out) regrets?

[inlinkz_linkup id=590576 mode=1]