Race Etiquette

Options
24

Replies

  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Options
    I thought this thread was going to be about when you can use black slang as a white person.
  • m16shane
    m16shane Posts: 393 Member
    Options
    We did a zombie run and about got run over
  • K_Serz
    K_Serz Posts: 1,299 Member
    Options
    I thought this thread was going to be about when you can use black slang as a white person.

    So wait, during mud runs, why arent people more offended then?
  • TheDoctorDana
    TheDoctorDana Posts: 595 Member
    Options
    The women who have their little darlings in their strollers, who line up near the front or middle of the pack. yes, you may run faster than me, but for goodness sake, stay towards the back for every bodies safety. You can pass the slower people as the pack thins out.

    I run with a jogging stroller. Calling me a woman is kind of an insult, just to let you know.

    I always start at the very back whenever I have my jogging stroller, or as I call it death-mobile. I don't care about winning or anything else, just my time. Racing though the crowd at the start is an extra challenge. They don't expect some fat guy pushing a stroller popping a wheelie two screaming kids to go faster flying by you.


    1. You're not a woman
    2. You start at the back

    Conclusion, she wasn't talking about you, no need to be insulted :flowerforyou:
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,232 Member
    Options
    The women who have their little darlings in their strollers, who line up near the front or middle of the pack. yes, you may run faster than me, but for goodness sake, stay towards the back for every bodies safety. You can pass the slower people as the pack thins out.

    I run with a jogging stroller. Calling me a woman is kind of an insult, just to let you know.

    I always start at the very back whenever I have my jogging stroller, or as I call it death-mobile. I don't care about winning or anything else, just my time. Racing though the crowd at the start is an extra challenge. They don't expect some fat guy pushing a stroller popping a wheelie two screaming kids to go faster flying by you.

    There's a dude that runs a local 5 mile race, pushing a jogging stroller with 2 kids in it. He comes in first or second overall every year. Serious props to a dude who can run sub-6 min miles pushing a jogging stroller.
  • nurse_shell74
    nurse_shell74 Posts: 41 Member
    Options
    Thank you for this tidbit.....I will definitely be lining up in the very back when do my first race.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    Options
    My one gripe, and this will probably get me lynched, is that the wheelchair competitors start at the front. They're three feet lower down than everyone else and going slower, in a crowded pack you often don't see them until you're a yard behind them, it strikes me as very dangerous for both the runners and the chair racers. I've had to suddenly leap sideways when one has suddenly appeared in front of me before and collide with another oncoming runner.

    This is a tough one because the faster chair racers are a LOT faster than even the fastest runners. Start all the chair after the runners and they would be mowing people down from behind. I think given the circumstances, it's safer to have the runners overtake the slower chairs than the other way around.

    Fair enough, I hadn't realised that. Because they start at the front the fastest ones must've disappeared before I've even got near the start line, so I only notice the ones that are slow and hazardous!

    Men's Wheelchair Marathon World Record is 1:21:39, so more than 20 minutes faster than the WR for running.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
    Options
    I find most runners to be very polite and considerate of each other. However, one etiquette breach continues to annoy.

    At the start of the race, everyone gathers at the start line. Logically, the fast runners should gather at the front, the slow runners and walkers at the back, right? So it never fails that the first 5 minutes of any race are spent precariously dodging around people who line up towards the front and either run very slowly or start walking within a minute! I’m basically a middle of the pack runner and line up accordingly.

    Here's one, I ran a tri on saturday. At 7:05a all men are to hit the water for the wave start. At 7:10a the women start. At about 7:03a women start pushing to the edge of the water line to be first. Then ***** about getting pushed out of the way as guys have to push through them to hit the water so we can start our race.

    Eh, big deal. It's part of the fun.
  • johnna1212
    johnna1212 Posts: 43 Member
    Options
    Ok, so you're men who run with jogging strollers. Sorry your insulted, but if you have a stroller stay towards the back. It's a safety issue. If you are fast you will probably pass me in no time.
  • thenoxus1
    thenoxus1 Posts: 56 Member
    Options
    I also find it annoying..but it's a part of running and always will be. Get over it, or get in line early and lead the line. My gun time and chip time weren't significantly far off this last weekend in a 1600 runner race where I was forced in the middle of the pack.
  • JoelleAnn78
    JoelleAnn78 Posts: 1,492 Member
    Options
    I am far more annoyed with the people who aren't even there for the race, however, they feel it is their right to exercise while the race is going on and will not move out of the way.

    Happens every single time I have ever tried to go around Back Bay in Portland, Maine. I've only done one race (but several 5K walks) and it never fails.

    Perhaps you were unaware there was a race happening :huh: -- the hoard of runners should have been enough of a clue. Either abandon ship or MOVE OVER! Holy cow. Now I'm all irritated...... :grumble:
  • bokchoybaby
    bokchoybaby Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    Ok, so you're men who run with jogging strollers. Sorry your insulted, but if you have a stroller stay towards the back. It's a safety issue. If you are fast you will probably pass me in no time.
    Maybe it's because I do not (and may never since I like runs being me time) own a jogging stroller and I've yet to do a race so I have no personal observations, but I'm lost as to why you think jogging strollers pose a safety issue that would require runners with strollers to start in the back regardless of the runner's speed.
  • TyTy76
    TyTy76 Posts: 1,761 Member
    Options
    Ok, so you're men who run with jogging strollers. Sorry your insulted, but if you have a stroller stay towards the back. It's a safety issue. If you are fast you will probably pass me in no time.

    If he is going to pass you, then he should start ahead of you. YOU pose a safety risk to him..
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    Options
    I did a 5k in May (not a distance I like to race, but i needed at time), and 5 minutes before the start, a knot of high school kids muscled their way to the front. They all talked about the times they wanted to run, and some should have been there, but some were hoping for sub 30 times....Then they started joking about how they were going to get run over. I was so super annoyed. It was a real "get off my lawn" moment. Anyway, I had to dodge stupid teens for the first 30 seconds of the race.

    So yeah, race etiquette.
  • smiffy645
    smiffy645 Posts: 167 Member
    Options
    Hell is other people.
    Jean-Paul Sartre
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,983 Member
    Options
    It wouldn't be as bad if the slower people would stay out of the way to the side. I did a color run this weekend and was at the very front of the second wave. About half the race slaloming around walkers. And if you want to walk with your friends, don't do it side by side and block the whole width of the course.

    Seriously, if you are going to walk the whole thing, how about not pushing to get to the front. You are certainly not in any hurry...
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Options
    They used to announce at the beginning of mass participation races that if you need to slow down or walk you should move to the left. That was really helpful. Don't know why they dropped that.

    I am the race director for a local race and its still part of my spiel. Not that everyone listens. Lol.

    Headphones - if you wear 'em make sure you can still hear what's going on around you, like other runners who may be trying to overtake you and, especially, course Marshall's. we had two go off course last race, both were wearing headphones and did not hear the course Marshall thing to stop/redirect them.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Options
    It wouldn't be as bad if the slower people would stay out of the way to the side. I did a color run this weekend and was at the very front of the second wave. About half the race slaloming around walkers. And if you want to walk with your friends, don't do it side by side and block the whole width of the course.

    Seriously, if you are going to walk the whole thing, how about not pushing to get to the front. You are certainly not in any hurry...

    This.

    I know that there will be walkers- but the ones that REALLY REALLY REALLY annoy me are the ones that chit chat side by side 4 abreast in the middle of the road.

    I get it- you are there to have fun- but at least for the first 1/4-1/2 mile- GET OUT OF THE MOTHERTRUCKINGWAY.

    MOVE OVER.

    SCOOT OVER.

    the ones with the kids? they bother me too. I've never had an issue with strollers- usually they are pushed by dads- or tenacious women- fine whatever- but your brat is scampering about in zig zag lines? it's really annoying.
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
    Options
    I have participated in races pushing a stroller, and try to position myself towards the back, gauging the other people in the back to see if I can figure out who the walkers are and starting ahead of them (or actually chatting with them to find out). I don’t run with the stroller with time goals in mind, so I’m okay with slowing down or walking if I get jammed up

    Also, I do understand lining up at the beginning for race rookies who don’t know any better, your first few races can be intimidating (I still get nervous, which I imagine is part of the allure). Plus, it may be unclear how the bib-chip timing works, so there is anxiety about the run time being affected by starting in the middle or back. But a lot of times the impeders are decked from head to toe with the latest running gear and wearing a t-shirt from another race they ran in the past, so I don’t think they can plead ignorance as a defense!

    As far as people walking or running in a line together and blocking the paths of others, that just seems to be prevalent everywhere. People seem to be less aware of their surroundings, staggering around obviously while on their cell phones, blocking entrances and aisles while daydreaming or chatting with others, walking into your path and nearly colliding with you without an “excuse me”, etc. I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised that this also happens during races!
  • PlanetoftheAtheists
    PlanetoftheAtheists Posts: 112
    Options
    i-do-what-i-want-10-19.gif

Categories