This week’s Tuesdays on the Run topic is Running and Racing Mishaps. Face it, whether it’s negligence on our part or an act of God, sh!* happens sometimes.
In the 10 years or so I’ve been running long distance, I’ve certainly had my share of “surprises”. Mostly extreme weather issues, but some other incidents as well:
MIA Bib: I just committed this one earlier this year. I was heading to the Cinco de Miler and somehow my race number belt with bib attached slipped down between my car seat and door. I was rushing and fumbling with other gear so I didn’t notice. I was at the starting corrals by the time I realized it and there wasn’t enough time to run back to the parking garage in search of it so I ran as a “bandit”. C’est la vie. I’m usually so careful. Until I’m not.
Pre-race fuel fiasco: At the Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon, I let the Caveman convince me I wasn’t eating enough on race morning. How long had I been racing? Oh 8 years or so at the time. I certainly knew better, but I succumbed to his suggestion and ate some “sugar bombs” which shall remain nameless, and wow did I pay. I almost missed the race start because I had to run all the way back to our hotel lobby to hit the potty because the lines at the race were far too long and things were far too, shall we say, urgent. I ran the entire race with a very edgy tummy.
Gel Malfunction: When I trained for my first marathon back in 2007, rather than carry packets, I used gel from a flask, which hung upside down on my fuel belt. I figured there’d be less waste and fumbling around. I used Espresso Hammer Gel at the time….yeah brown gel. Cue ominous foreshadowing. The plan was to take gel every 45 minutes. Not too long after I took my first hit of gel, I felt something sticky at the top my shoe. Like the tongue was sticking to my foot then pulling away with each step I took. I looked down to find a stream of brown gel oozing from my flask, onto my shorts, down my leg and pooling in my shoe. I was sporting a brown “racing stripe” if you will. Although I’m sure the multitude of spectators thought it was something else far less pleasant. That may have been the last time I used a flask.
What mishaps have you endured? How did you overcome them?
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Oh my, gel malfunction is too much! LOL
The weather surprises seem endless…and I have not even raced much!
Gel malfunction!!! Omg lol. That’s awful and hilarious.
Oh no, you win for the worst race day mishap with your gel story!
Oh that last one is way too funny! Sorry that happened to you.
Race Day Malfunctions – I have way to many Marcia! During one of my marathons my race shirt was leaking the actual fabric dye of my race shirt and my skin looked like I was covered in suds. Running with an edgy stomach is the worst though. I had plenty of gel malfunctions, too. Thanks for hosting the link-up! Have a great week!
It poured ran at the Nashville marathon and clothes that had never chaffed before turned into painful dangerous weapons. OUCH!
ooooh Im reading and absorbing and learning and LAUGHING knowing I will have some sort of SOMETHING happen marathon day as well.
I guess it is inevitable.
LOL!!!! That one about the brown gel is priceless! I seriously cannot believe that happened and only wish you could have snapped a photo. Oh well, live and learn, right? And why is it someone else can convince of us of things we know we don’t need on race morning? I have had similar things happen due to “suggestions” from others.
Hilarious and thanks for sharing 🙂
I’ve had surprisingly few for the huge number of races that I’ve run. Most of them involve getting to the start like the NYC Marathon when the bus broke down and we had to run to baggage and the start and the LA Marathon where we got stuck in terrible traffic and a few bibs left behind (but always rescued in time). The brown gel – ugh! Have had some smaller mishaps with that!
OMG! The brown gel! LOLOLOLOL!
Thankfully I’ve never forgotten my bib (yet!). And while I did use gel flasks for a short amount of time, I never had a malfunction with them. I just found it incredibly difficult to judge how much to take that way. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
And isn’t it amazing how every non runner seems to think they know what you need?
thanks for the giggle this morning!
LOL at the gel malfunction and the racing stripe!!! How mortifying!!! Hey, it’s better than the real thing happening. One time I saw a woman at the Chicago Half Marathon who had clearly missed her portapotty stop and it was… not good.
Oh no, the brown gel!! That is definitely mortifying! I’ve been lucky not to have any potty issues, but I have had struggles with my headphones and hydration – jostling around during my run and slowing me down!
I am so sorry but I could not stop laughing at the gel fiasco. Yikes! My biggest fear is forgetting my bib. I think I would have missed the race instead of running as a bandit.
Oh wow- that brown gel!!!!!! I’m so glad it was just gel!
OK I cannot top the gel malfunction. I’ve been fairly lucky so far…thought of course I now fear I may have just jinxed myself 😉
Well you heard my story about the missing and hastily retrieved dress (skating not running of course). You guys are making me glad I don’t have to worry about food, weather, and so much time for things to happen during the event!
Flask story is funny. First time I have ever read something like that. Though it probably wasn’t funny at the time…
How about salt tab malfunction? I have had two melt in my boob sweat!!