DNF is a strategic/business/health decision, especially professionals, members of teams, etc., so I can understand doing so. But I can't rationalize why it would ever be preferable. DFL > DNF >DNS > never tried.
As a two time OT qualifier with a DNF and DNS to my name, injured going in both times, I would far and away prefer DNF to DFL. It's not even close. If I was going in healthy I would much rather blow up to the point of DNFing than struggle home DFL. My DNF was the "Barnicle" year so I could have struggled home well ahead of him but I'd rather not finish to finish and take the toll on my body of running 26.2 miles injured, especially given the heat that year.
If you're going in injured, but can physically run, the OT course is pretty much always set up so you can do a loop and then drop at the finish line somewhere in the range of 8-10 miles.
If only people who ever finished DFL buy the T-shirt, there won't be many buyers on LRC
Rojo could have just created the next classic running shirt, akin to Stop Pre.
The meaning of this shirt could mean so many different things, depending on the wearer or reader of shirt.
1. slow runners who take pride in the fact that they still put everything they can into running
2. A fast runner who wants to go show up to a race trying to troll knowing he’s about to smoke everyone
3. The slackers of the world who people frown upon for willfully not performing to their natural potential, yet they are still in the game because they haven’t quit
The list could go on.
The shirt has a specific enough meaning for the reader to make the interpretation for him/herself but also piques interest and possibly a conversation for clarification.
It's the effing Olympic Trials. DFL is not acceptable. If you're losing contact with the second to last runner, throw in a surge, beat the living hell out of him, and save one last, desperate surge to outrun the cops who are waiting for you at the finish line.
Dennis Young has published a really great in-depth article where he's interviewed 16 of the men/women who have been DFL at the Olympic Marathon Trials. He's also talked to many who were DNF like LetsRun's own Weldon Johnson.
Early on the piece has the line:
Dennis Young wrote:
But to most, DNF (Did Not Finish) is preferable to DFL. Certainly that’s the case at the U.S. Olympic Trials, maybe the world’s most brutal marathon.
What do you think? Is DNF preferrable to DFL?
I don't really agree. I think Weldon would have preferred to have finished but if you are an elite and injured there is no real reason to finish if you think it's going to get worse.
Kurt Angle won an Olympic gold medal with a broking freaking neck and runners quit like it’s nothing. What about honor? In boxing there’s a saying go down on your shield. Runners quit at the first sign of adversity. Unless you’re significantly injured or your life is in jeopardy finish what you started. Do it for those who can’t you big babies.
This is dumb as f***. It's the olympic trials. Getting there is itself an accomplishment and someone has to get last.
I'd also rather get last in the 15 heats at the trials than drop out.
But this has reminded me of something I was curious about trials weekend so maybe someone will have an answer in this threat speaking of DNFs -- would Fauble staying in the race and finishing way way back with scrubs have lowered his world ranking and therefore made it less likely the 3rd place finisher would make the olympics?
Felt like no one was talking about it, but seems like he maybe did everyone a solid by dropping out vs finishign in a bad spot?
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