Seeing the DNS in the final standings sends some folks into spasms. “Did Not Finish” leaves a bit of a mark, no doubt. You didn’t finish the event for some reason. Possibly injury, mental block, GI tract breakdown or something else. The DNS — Did Not Start — could be for the same reasons. Or you were lazy that morning. Or the fish were biting. Perhaps both of the latter.
I’m cool with that. Depending on where you are in your run-bike-race-adventure journey, you may be, too.
In the last couple of years I’ve had a handful of DNFs that pissed me off to no end. At the 2022 Grand Viduta three-day stage race, I finished the first two days. The second day, though, the 25K, zapped me because I wasn’t smart about hydration, nutrition and electrolytes. I was going on the “Push on through!” and all that stupid crap. Your body needs to be fed and hydrated. It was a learning experience, but not finishing the third day still chaps my hide. In the 2023 event, the final one Running Lane was putting on, I made sure to eat, drink and be merry as I crossed the finish line the third day.
Last August at the In the Heat of the Night 50K near Jacksonville, my stupid balky ankle started acting up about 10 miles in. Grrrr. I finished the loop but had to drop. If you don’t drop from, say, the 50K to 25K, before the race, you get a DNF. Gah. I get it, but it sucked to have nada on the board after the effort. This summer, I’ll give it another go.
Such is life. DNFs happen, from small events to things like Western States or an Ironman. One thing that doesn’t bother me, though, is taking a DNS if my body says, “Yo, dude, not today.”
Zzzzzz Zzzzzz
DNS to me usually means “Definitely Needs Sleep.”
Sleep is one of the best ways to recover. Maybe the best way, for everything. Brain, muscles, everything. Good sleep makes a world of difference. Y’all know this. Our bodies can do wildly crazy things on little to no sleep, like completing a 200-mile trail event or an Ironman or just running several miles after being up for 24 or more hours. The weekend after the Rocket City Marathon, I found myself with the lung-harking epizootie flu thing going around. Got a ‘scrip for a Z-Pack and Prednisone.
Who knew that Prednisone might keep you up all night? I didn’t until at 4:30 a.m., wired like a TVA transmission line, I googled “does prenisone keep you awake.” Doh. And so with no sleep I togged out for a nice, quiet, chilly six or so miles in the ‘hood. Stayed up all day. Definitely slept like a rock that night.
Sleep is proven to be beneficial. Don’t ignore it.
DNS Isn’t Terrible
Some mornings we’ll wake up and just not wanna but know we needta, and we roll out for the deal. Run, swim, bike, walk, weights, a race or event, whatever it is. Yes, usually, maybe, we feel all happy afterward. Glad we got it done. But, yeah, damn, that 4:30 or 5 a.m. or whatever wakeup just didn’t hit right that morning.
And some mornings we wake up and just know, eh, not today. We won’t get the entry fee back, but that’s fine. Our friends will ask later what happened, and we can say “Needed to sleep more that morning.” And we roll over for more sleep.
There’s nothing wrong with that. Just like with walking if you’re a runner. There’s some big chunk of the run-ride-athlete community that still — STILL — thinks if you’re walking “when you should be running!” that you’re less-than. Or if you DNS or DNF that you’re less-than. Or if you’re cruising on your bike instead of maxing out that pedal-pumping power, you’re less-than.
Less than what? Their ego? Ehhh, $@*( that.
I’m not a big resolutions guy and never have been. I’ve seen too much fake crap and failure associated with resolutions. In today’s social media world, a lot of it is grossly magnified into a load of steaming bovine fecal expulsion. No one needs that BS in their life.
For 2025, I will enjoy the occasional DNS if my body says to do so. And I’m looking forward to having more fun with the trails and 5Ks and rides and volunteering and whatever else. Every day is a gift. Don’t take it for granted, and don’t worry about a DNS or DNF now and then.
