Sunday 11 May 2008

Race blunders

After reading Davie Bell's blog and giggling at his drama of turning up at the Highland Fling (53 mile trail race) without his trail shoes. Oh and turning up at last year's Great Scottish Run without his shorts, I wondered if anyone else has some comedy moments from racing and training?

My comedy moment (well, it's only funny now) happened during last year's Paris Marathon. As the temperatures hit 30 degrees as I was severely over-heating. At one of the water stops, I grabbed a bottle of water and proceeded to pour the contents all over me. Only to discover I was pouring a clear energy drink all over me. Yes, liquid sugar. Doh! The stewards were staring at me in total disbelief. I had to complete the remaining miles feeling like a real-life jelly baby.

13 comments:

Subversive Runner said...

Debs, for comedy moments in races I refer you to mine and Darrel's attendance at the Hastings Half Marathon, detailed on my blog. Never before have I felt such a dick (maybe overstating my case there. I probably have).

D

Marco Consani said...

My comedy moment was at the end of one of my first races.
I really had issues with my knees when I first started running and at the the end of this half marathon my knees were sore and slightly swollen. Going to the first aid tent I got an ice pack from them, put it on my knee and wondered over to a grass area.
By now I was feeling very thirsty and for some unknown reason thought that an ice pack actually contained water. I burst the ice pack and attempted to drink the contents.
Lets just say that the burning sensation from my throat taught me that whatever chemical they use is not fit for human consumption. For the rest of the day I had the worst sore throat imaginable..

Marco

Thomas said...

A couple of years ago I went far too fast in the first half and hit the wall in the last stages of the Cologne Marathon. I remember I had that name tag on my race number and the thousands of spectators saw me beeing in trouble and cheered me on "Thomas go on, you can do it" stuff like that etc. In scorching heat with 5k to go I grabbed a plastic cup filled with coke with one hand and another cup with clear water with the other hand. The plan was to refresh myself with the water and pour that over my face and neck. Then to drink the coke. But since my brain was not working properly anymore at that stage I confused the right with the left hand. No, you do not guess what happened next. That's what happened: First I drank the water! And then I poured that Coke into my face! Coke in eyes and nose. It took a while and a lot of water until I could actually see again...

Harvey said...

Hey,

Caroline once chose the moment we were half way to Newcastle for the Great North Run before announcing that she didn't have her race number with her. Hence us returning home to get her number before returning back to Newcastle. She only survived because her Dad was driving and not me! I'd have killed her!!

The real joke though... The Great North Run! Totally over rated.

ianbeattie1 said...

I feel a myRace article coming on! Let me know if you want any photos of me wearing something silly :)

Subversive Runner said...

Phew!!! I'm in good company here!!!!

Debs M-C said...

Could definitely make an amusing feature for MyRace, Ian. Possibly something for next year.

I'm covering WHWR for the Sept/Oct edition and then putting something together on ultra running in Scotland for the Nov/Dec. Mmm I wonder who I could feature....?

allybea said...

Noooooooo! He doesn't need any more publicity!!!!! How about a feature on the backup teams? They're the real stars ;)

Debs M-C said...

I've got to earn my socks!

Marco Consani said...

Hey did anyone tell Ian that Debbie and I had a picture in Runners World? :-)

allybea said...

Ssshhh!

Stephen Mulrine said...

Would you be surprised to learn that Marion from our club entered the Auld Toon 10K when she was actually trying to enter the Troon 10K? I think she said she had idly wondered to herself whether Dunfermline was near Troon when the confirmation e-mail arrived.

Rachel Jayne Stevenson/Rogers said...

Not remotely surprised! I just hope she wasn't wearing her 6 inch spikes :-))