to be raging at my local council duathlon

[Kleptronic]

I just took part in my local council run duathlon. It was 1.5k running, then 5k cycling, then 1.5k running.

I started the riding bit after some women runners and before others. I overtook 3 women cyclists. The people who overtook me were men. No women overtook me. I counted the laps in my head and when I got to 5 the marshals told me 1 more lap, which I did as I instantly doubted myself. I finished last. I cannot understand how that happened.

Now I know it's for fun and it shouldn't matter. Except it does to me. I am not a natural athlete. I have had to do Couch to 5K 4 times and this time thought, you know what Kleptronic, you always let it slide, sign up for something else to keep it going. AIBU to be upset there is no proving this and no redress and I did come home and cry about it? I know. Snowflake. First world problem. This was my first race with a pinned number and everything. I've been in the gym on the treadmill and the stationary bike training for it. I tried really, really hard.

I spoke to the marshals at the end and said, you made me do 6. They shrugged and said we only counted five. I left then. The thought of doing the final run, and them all cheering me on (as I was last, and still would be last, and people are kind and would have cheered me on), and me being incandescent with the burning injustice of it, I would have cried. Or raged. Or both. Then everyone there would have thought I was an arse, instead of just the two marshals.

I don't mind at all being last when I am last. God knows I have been last before. But I am upset that this happened, and I'm upset that I'm upset when it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, and it's the taking part that counts, and and argh. I need a kick up the arse please!

Well that sounds rubbish, have some .

Just tell yourself it was poorly organised and you got more race for your money than everyone who only did five laps? Then look for another race with chip timing which avoids this kind of thing. It’s obviously meant as a bit of fun but sounds like it was anything but for you. Just one of those things obviously but annoying and unfair - well done for getting out there anyway!

Not first world at all, I agree with you.

When you have trained hard your time is important to you and especially in your position where is made such a huge difference to your finishing position.

I was raging when my PB for the Glasgow half meant nothing as they had miscalculated the route by about 100 yards!

Thanks for the gin SwimmingKaren and for the support, I really appreciate it.

Sorry it happened to you too NickyNacky, I've just remembered, my colleague ran a Liverpool half last year and the same thing happened there only it was 200m short, people had PBs they were amazed by, so frustrating!

I think you need to keep in mind that you are doing this for yourself, no one else. So while it is annoying, were you happy with your time for 6 laps? That is all that matters.

(I've come literally last in a tri before, but I was actually pretty pleased with my times - it made no difference where I placed)

I did a 10k the other week and they added about 10-15 minutes to my time. Now, I wasn’t quick (it was muddy and in the dark and I’m slow anyway) but I’m annoyed that people can look it up and think how slow I was!

In fact I think I’m going to ask that they take down my time.

I did a 10k the other week and they added about 10-15 minutes to my time. Now, I wasn’t quick (it was muddy and in the dark and I’m slow anyway) but I’m annoyed that people can look it up and think how slow I was!

In fact I think I’m going to ask that they take down my time.

Fair point frenchknitting but if I took that to its logical conclusion I could just do it by myself always and beat my own times. I think there is an added frisson to running/competing with people which adds a psychological factor - I hoped this would spur me on, clearly not!

I don't know my time, you only get one at the end. Which I swerved. Like a big baby.

I'm with you thatwhichwecallarose that's not your time gerrit orf!