The dreaded DNF; when should a runner call it quits during a race?

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The dreaded DNF; when should a runner call it quits during a race?

If you are an avid runner, and had been training for a race for a while, you want to make a good time during the race but more importantly, you want to finish.

Sometimes, we need to call if quits even though all of that training and hours have been logged in prior to race day.

When you are all warmed up and in the middle of the race, the focus is on completion.   If you are having unusual pain, or a health problem that can be more serious, it may be time to bag it. Finishing a race, only to be hospitalized or realize an injury that can take months to recover from makes little sense.

Runners World offers some great advice on when to quit.  Here is there article on the 5 times when you should consider not completing a race.

5 Times When It’s Actually Smart to Call It Quits
Accepting a DNF is never easy. But in some cases, it’s your smartest choice.

BY ALEXA TUCKER NOV 28, 2018

When it comes to races, there’s not much more disappointing than the dreaded DNF next to your name. After all the time and energy you’ve spent training for a race, the decision to drop out early because you’re not feeling great can be an agonizing one.

Unfortunately, there’s not always a clear-cut answer to whether or not you need to call it quits. After all, some discomfort is expected when you’re logging long distances. But how can you tell if you’re actually putting yourself at risk by plugging along?

“That’s the million-dollar question—people have to know their bodies and know what is discomfort from the race itself versus what’s a potential injury [or condition],” says exercise physiologist and running coach Jason Karp, Ph.D., author of The Inner Runner.

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