WITH 42.145km down and just 50 metres away from a silver medal, Sumiko Tan collapsed to her knees, struggled but failed to get up, and was eventually stretchered off by medics.
Barring the collapse, the physical education teacher, 25, would have finished second in the Singapore women's category at the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore two Sundays ago. She would have posted a personal best 3hr 21min and be $5,000 richer. She would not have ended up with skinned knees and a chipped tooth.
Tan allowed herself to mourn and cry for a few days, but also analysed her race objectively.
The good: paced well, showed potential to excel. To do: check on and improve health and diet.
'I'm disappointed, but I will pluck up the energy to train harder for the next race,' she declared. 'Nothing puts me down. One failure does not deem me a total failure.'
Tan, who will compete in the 5km and 10km track events at the Asean University Games in Chiangmai this week, is moving on and staying positive. Are you?
If your race stank and you are in a funk, follow these tips from David Lim, two-time Everest expedition leader and motivational coach, and Edgar Tham, sports and performance psychologist, to find your stride again.
Mourn, but don't dwell on it
'Recognise that it is human to feel sorry for yourself for doing badly,' says Lim. You could even be angry. Whatever the case, Tham says to give yourself time to vent and examine your feelings and emotions honestly. Just do not dwell on what cannot be undone. Lim suggests asking yourself some questions, such as 'How long do you want to feel sorry for?' and 'What can I learn from this to make me perform better?', to focus the mind on moving on.
Analyse, analyse, analyse
It may be painful to relive the details of the race, but try to pinpoint what went wrong. Did you start too fast? Was your hydration sufficient? 'Resilient athletes look at sub-par performances as valuable data to improve the next time,' says Lim. There are different parts to the goal achievement process, says Tham, and you should pick out the positives. For example, having the discipline to stick to a training programme, or running a good first half of the race.
Buddy up
Surround yourself with positive people and talk to your friends who have been through something similar, says Lim. Studies at the University of California have shown that having someone to relate challenges and issues with helps create a more balanced approach to a goal and consistency in performance.
Don't rush back in
You may be eager to make up for your poor result right away, but your body and mind may not be ready. Many experts suggest resting one day for each mile (1.6km) raced - 26 days for a marathon - before competing again. 'Mentally, it's worthwhile to have a change of scenery and activity, and a break from running until you want to start again,' says Lim.
Be realistic
To avoid falling into a funk after a poor race in the future, set a reasonable goal based on your fitness and capability, says Tham. Or, set a series of progressively higher goals over a longer period of time. 'This means that you need to think long-term and not just for one race,' he says. 'This way, it reduces the 'do-or-die' mentality and reduces unnecessary stress.'
Avoid making emotional decisions
Give yourself time to cool down and think before acting rashly - as a certain running legend recently proved at last month's New York Marathon. 'My announcement in New York was my first reaction after a disappointing race,' tweeted Haile Gebrselassie, who decided to retire after dropping out at the 25km mark due to a knee injury, only to un-retire one week later. 'When my knee is better again I will start focussing (sic) on my next race.'
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