DNF means did not finish. I stopped at 42 km of a 50 km race, at the second-last checkpoint, and I think it was the right call.
What went wrong
- I started too fast because I felt good. Everyone feels good at 5 km.
- I ate too little in the first three hours.
- I ignored a hot spot on my heel until it was a blister.
What I changed
I now eat something every 45 minutes from the start, set a pace limit for the first hour, and stop to fix my feet at the first sign of rubbing.
The next race, I finished. Slowly.