What is it like: being the slow runner and finishing last

But in autumn, we really ran last on one of the halves, it was an interesting experience. And I realized one thing: turtles are much more important to the popularization of amateur running than fast guys. Passers-by look at fast runners and think: "Oh, athletes!" (Same as aliens). They look at us: "What kind of aunts are these who can barely knit? I can, too, easily"?

If you're running a three-hour marathon and a morning 10-kilometer run is considered your warm-up, you can skip these notes. This is an inside look from a person for whom preparation for a half marathon takes at least ten weeks, and one can only dream of improving speed results. Yes, there are such people in the amateur running community too.

Maybe you are familiar with me and my running history. I've been running regularly, 3-4 times a week year-round, for over six years now, but I'm still a very slow turtle. The reasons are simple: lack of running data, age, excess weight.

Of course, I don't just run at a relaxed pace. I am engaged in OFP, SBU, a little strength training, I do intervals, short accelerations, I run up a hill without it, this is the base. At the same time, I don't like the beauty of nature, I need to make an effort on myself, strain to become a little stronger (not only physically).

I do it without fanaticism, I haven't started running very regularly and faster over the years, but I definitely feel better. I train on my own, my daughter helps a lot with this - coach Yulia plays (runs), and I started running with her light hand. I know that her example inspired not only me.

Many slow runners have one "sick" topic - participation in competitions. When I started running, I didn't even think of competing with anyone. And then I tried it, I liked it and I can't imagine my running life without it.

A slow runner who has never run a race imagines a scary picture of him running slower than everyone else and finishing last to the cheers of the fans.

I have such experience. In the fall of this year, the whole family (three generations, three runners, the rest in the support group) went to the half-marathon in Rivne. This is a small local race organized by the town's running club. I would like to note that everything is well organized, there was even a track closure, hydration points.

Club members are young and fast. And here I came. The time limit for completing a complex track with |slides|

I ran last for the whole race, far behind the rest of the participants - this was my usual half-marathon race pace. I don't know if she decided to take such an adventure alone, but her daughter was running next to her (it was a training run for her at a low heart rate), and in the last kilometers, our son, who had already finished, joined us. Without their support, I would have had a harder time.

I was cheered on by everyone—the organizers, the fans, the other runners, our family support group, the police who followed us. It was fun! The only minus is that they drank all the water at the hydration stations, but we had it with us. I am an experienced runner and I remember the races in Kyiv when the water ran out quickly and the slower runners did not have enough. Then the organizers corrected themselves (we did not remain silent and spoke in defense of the turtles), and now there is enough water for everyone at all major races.

When I got to my first international race (it was a half marathon in Paris), I was amazed by the number of participants with a completely unsportsmanlike appearance. They ran slower than me, but at the same time they were happy and having fun. They came here not for a sports result, but for pleasure. It turns out that you can also run like that.