The Unexpected Finish

By: Kate Laing

Runners wake up on race morning full of hope and expectation. They have spent hours envisioning finishing their race. The emotion of all the blood, sweat and tears of that finish is in their mind’s eye. It seems so close they can taste it but, what happens when the finish isn’t what the runner expected? The truth is sometimes races don’t always go the way we hope or expect. Sometimes, factors far beyond our control determine this, yet, we hold these unexpected finishes close to us like a bad dream we can’t shake.

In our rational runner mind we know that the odds of it happening again are low but the fear can over take some. Those runners want to get back on the road and feel the pound of the pavement under their feet. But, the memory holds them back. The good news is those unexpected finishes don’t need to haunt you! They should empower you!  And be considered learning experiences, stories to tell like old Salty Sailors and their sea stories. It should be a badge of honor worn in its own strange way.

I’ve had one — an unexpected finish. The race started with such hope but half way through I felt thirsty and it was HOT !  So much hotter than I was ready for and I became severely dehydrated with heat exhaustion. Totally unexpected! But, now, I use my experience as a guide of how to prepare my body properly for races and listen to my instincts. It’s my story and badge that I share with other runners and not out of shame but triumph! And you too can overcome the emotions of an unexpected finish. Here are some tips on how:

Find your inner motivator. It should be something that makes you feel good like listening to your favorite song or a quick warm up. I like to post on Facebook, “IT’S RACING DAY! IT’S RACING DAY!” to help pump me up.

Envision a successful finish. It might be hard especially if that unexpected finish was recent but envisioning success will help you to be successful. Remember, there are many factors that effect a race outcome and the runner can not always control them.

Know what you can control and let the rest go.  Properly fuel your body! Eat good fueling foods like carbs, drink lots of water and rest! We can’t control things like weather or poorly organized events. So, go with the flow, even laugh at it and let go what you can’t control!

After the unexpected finish find another race and commit to it!  You know the saying, “when you fall off the horse, get back on”? Well??? Don’t let one finish stop you from achieving your goals!  Get back in it with a new race and a new hope!

ALWAYS HAVE FUN!!! Setting personal goals for times and places is great but none of that will matter if you aren’t having fun. Run races with family and friends and ask for a cheering squad at the finish. Racing should be a good time even if the finish isn’t what you hoped for. So, have fun!  There will always be another race to achieve your personal goal.

Unexpected finishes are not the end, they are the beginning!  The beginning of a new you with a mark on your belt of overcoming disappointment with TRIUMPH!  Stronger, smarter and more confident! 

Kate Laing is an experienced runner and the coordinator of Stroller Warriors Pearl Harbor. She is a navy wife and Mom of two boys. You can visit her personal blog at http://tipsfromthehomefront.com and follow her on twitter @tips_homefront.

To become a member of Stroller Warriors Pearl Harbor visit them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/495464447177584/?fref=ts.