Rant About Track Etiquette
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i really hope that one day, my life is so incredibly stress free that my biggest problem is the people on my running path.
You can try to belittle my annoyance all you want, but it doesn't invalidate it. Common courtesy and basic situational awareness would solve literally all of this. At least try not to put words in my mouth -- I never said it was my biggest problem. I said it happens nearly every single time I go to the track, and with so few people there, it is completely avoidable and very rude for other people to put themselves in my path when I'm in the middle of a workout. God forbid I make a thread to vent my frustration over something lest I divert attention away from any larger problems xP.
And for whoever did the pool analogy, no, that's stupid. Me going backwards in lane 8 doesn't affect you going forward in lanes 1-7 in any way. Going horizontally in a pool with vertical lanes would cut across everybody else's space.0 -
I don't care how heavily or lightly populated the track is, there is track etiquette, and judging by your posts, you have very little understanding of it. It also appears that you are lacking in civility, which goes a long way.
If you insist on running clockwise (otherwise known as "the wrong way"), you do it in the outside lane. Your argument that you need to balance it out because of the curves is invalid because I doubt your running fast enough to create any type of lateral load. If you were pumping out 6 minute miles, that would be another thing.
If you ARE the fastest runner/walker on the track, you take the inside lane. If someone faster than you comes out, you move out a lane. Simple.
If you are doing intervals, do the fast repeats on the inside lane and move out a lane (or two) for your recovery sections.
If someone is oblivious to these points of etiquette, ask them to move out a lane or two. I had to do that recently with two very nice ladies who came to the track and starting walking on the inside lane were I was running 400m repeats. I simply said "Would you ladies mind moving out to lane two? I'm running these fast laps and I don't want them to last any longer than they have to." The told me that wasn't an issue and moved to lane 3. I thanked them. This may be the most important part.0 -
I don't care how heavily or lightly populated the track is, there is track etiquette, and judging by your posts, you have very little understanding of it. It also appears that you are lacking in civility, which goes a long way.
If you insist on running clockwise (otherwise known as "the wrong way"), you do it in the outside lane. Your argument that you need to balance it out because of the curves is invalid because I doubt your running fast enough to create any type of lateral load. If you were pumping out 6 minute miles, that would be another thing.
If you ARE the fastest runner/walker on the track, you take the inside lane. If someone faster than you comes out, you move out a lane. Simple.
If you are doing intervals, do the fast repeats on the inside lane and move out a lane (or two) for your recovery sections.
If someone is oblivious to these points of etiquette, ask them to move out a lane or two. I had to do that recently with two very nice ladies who came to the track and starting walking on the inside lane were I was running 400m repeats. I simply said "Would you ladies mind moving out to lane two? I'm running these fast laps and I don't want them to last any longer than they have to." The told me that wasn't an issue and moved to lane 3. I thanked them. This may be the most important part.
Those are the basic track rules I was referring to, actually, and nobody knows/follows them except other runners. Other runners aren't the people using the track when I go. Regardless, I usually put myself in lane 3, 4, or 5, which is where I'd belong. I have no desire to run the less even inside lanes.
You can say whatever you want about lateral load, but I looked into that specifically because I was running all one way and it hurt one knee more than the other one. The suggestion was to alternate running one way with the other so I put equal wear and tear on both knees, and it's eliminated that problem, so I'm sticking with it.0 -
So uh, as you can see, I don't have much patience for people who don't give consideration to others while using the track. I don't really see it as an incredibly difficult thing to give others, especially those working out harder/faster than you are, their space. Do you guys deal with anything like this, or am I the only one who feels like a grumpalump after leaving the track many days? xD
So... you're a douche nozzle, and apparently proud of it. Nice.
I'd love to have a guy running the wrong direction and not getting out of my way. I like body to body contact, a lot.
You start at a stark refusal to run properly on a track, and then take the express train to derp town from there. Good job. Here's an idea, go build your own track, or learn to play nice with others.0 -
I'm with Carson on this one. Maybe I'm lucky, but in all the tracks I go to, even the HS track there are posted rules/track etiquette. And to be quite honest, it doesn't matter if you're the first one there.
If you're going the wrong way, it's still the wrong way. Most people I've seen even with out the rules, they know that and move aside. Yes there are the clueless people, but you just move around them. You don't like it, tough.
If you were running the same way, I would somewhat agree with you about just knocking people over, lord knows I've thought about it, but given that you're running clockwise, against traffic, then you need to adapt. If your knees are that bad, they you need to go see a doctor and get that medically checked out. You don't just get to change the rules because you think you're a special snowflake. If you really want that type of consideration get a doctor's note and work with the owner of the land/track.0 -
Op thanks for bringing this up. I'm the kindest person to be around but when an eighty year old with a cane gets in my lane 1 when I'm timing my fast run, I go crazy mad. There are 8 comfy lanes, hello? It's so annoying, I go out of my skin.
Must suck to be that wound up.
I'm sure there are many wonderful private options available.0 -
I'm glad that some people understand the frustration of having to deal with people who can't think outside their own bubbles and be courteous to others.
Anyone find this comment from the OP to be deliciously ironic and hilarious?0 -
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I love how you start your rant by saying that you ignore the first point of track courtesy - running counter clockwise. That's like admitting to driving on the wrong side of the road and then complaining about all the idiots driving straight at you. You lost all credibility before your rant even started.0
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yes we must move for people or we trip over them..tis life..get over it..there are bigger fish to fry0
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Do you stop to talk to these terrible folks about how they are ruining your day, or do you continue with the passive-aggressive behaviour and hope they read your mind?0
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I'm glad that some people understand the frustration of having to deal with people who can't think outside their own bubbles and be courteous to others.
Anyone find this comment from the OP to be deliciously ironic and hilarious?
That, and the reference to "common courtesy", which they are clearly not offering themselves.
Obladi oblada...0 -
I jog this 3 1/2 mile stretch this summer and I have had some pet peeves myself. Once I slowed to power walk and a women was barking "coming behind you, I am going fast"...I was all the way to the right...why did she not do like everyone else (like I do when I go faster then the right most person)...go around. I hear you about families taking up whole space...I should not have to push through anyone when I am jogging. But for the most part I am pretty happy that people are pretty courteous.Otherwise I try to go with the "zen" of being in our walking/jogging0
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"I googled track etiquette....... and then I chose to ignore everything I read. Now I try to bully old people and small women pushing strollers because in my mind it makes me a bad *kitten*"0
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I jog this 3 1/2 mile stretch this summer and I have had some pet peeves myself. Once I slowed to power walk and a women was barking "coming behind you, I am going fast"...I was all the way to the right...why did she not do like everyone else (like I do when I go faster then the right most person)...go around. I hear you about families taking up whole space...I should not have to push through anyone when I am jogging. But for the most part I am pretty happy that people are pretty courteous. Always has to be someone who ruins the "zen" of being in our walking/jogging
A woman annoyed you by letting you know she was coming up behind you? SMDH.0 -
It sucks enough to deal with these people when I'm out in other public places like the store buying groceries and waiting in line to pay bills, etc, but it's a lot worse when I'm actually exerting a lot of physical effort and feeling all sweaty and gross and I have to dodge people who can't get it together.
Op you do realize the track is a public place right?0 -
...I've also seen this one family there where the parents walk the track and let their kid kick his soccer ball back and forth all the lanes in front of people running instead of having him stay in the middle on the football field. I've almost tripped over him or the ball like 5 times from him cutting me off
That would annoy me. So rude.
I run on trails cross-country. There are only two things that bother me, but neither one makes me angry. I don't dwell on it, since most people are awesome, but this thread made me think of them.
The first is people who are stopping in the middle of the path (blocking it completely) to chat or who are moving slowly and refusing to step aside, thereby forcing me to stop my run and say "excuse me" or making me careen off the trail to pass them. This kind of disruption while running just kills my momentum and drains my energy. Thankfully, this is rarely a problem, as 9 out of 10 people politely step aside when they see someone moving faster than them and needing to get by.
The other is when I'm running up a hill (it's very hilly terrain where I run) and now and then someone will see me and start cheering for me to make it and then they say, "high-five" as I'm going by. I don't want to be rude, and I know they mean well, so I high-five them, but it really takes the wind out of my sails when this happens. Running uphill isn't easy, so having to exert extra effort to high-five people on my way up really takes it out of me. I appreciate that you think it's cool that I'm running uphill, but I'm giving it all I've got, and dealing with cheerleaders almost puts me over the edge. :laugh:0 -
No when I turned around to see who was yelling, she was actually waving me over like she wanted me to go on grass which was just so odd to me. Otherwise I would not have been irked. I was as far right as I could be without being on grass.0
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Hehe. So many people on here claim they hate working out in public because people yell mean things at them because they're fat. And now a complaint because random strangers are extremely supportive.
I give up0 -
I was trying to relate in a small way to this person who started this post. Why are people being so crazy rude on these posts anyways. I might stop going on these and stick to smaller friend blogs since people are not encouraging, they are more ill mannered and don't read full posts0
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No when I turned around to see who was yelling, she was actually waving me over like she wanted me to go on grass which was just so odd to me. Otherwise I would not have been irked. I was as far right as I could be without being on grass.
she wanted you to go on the grass?? that b!tch.0 -
I only use a track for sprint intervals. Do people really bring babies in strollers there? Seems like the worst place ever to take a kid. I notice that people break the speed rules all the time. Since I'm doing sprints, I will always take one of the inside lanes, and hate when I have to run around a jogger who should be in lane 8.
I actually forgot that one but yes it happens all the time. And they invariably want to be in lanes 1-3, even though those are the most worn down lanes due to heavy use. In point three of my original post, they were actually holding the baby's hands and walking him across all the lanes to the inner field, and many parents will show up and walk around the track all linked together like that.
I believe the parents might have formed a passive protest group. Against you knocking their children over...0 -
I am not seeing a lot of support on here. All I am saying is I try to say things to people to be productive and encouraging. I see mocking and joking at others expense on this post especially 90 percent of the posts. I saw same thing on the last post I saw. "Supportive" was the last thing I saw as a majority. I was just saying I was hoping more people would use the golden rule and show more kindness and encouragement. That being said. I will continue to support and give any info I have to people who ask for it.
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Hehe. So many people on here claim they hate working out in public because people yell mean things at them because they're fat. And now a complaint because random strangers are extremely supportive.
I give up
Really makes you wonder, don't it?0 -
You are the kind of person I would trip, totally on accident of course.0
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I am not seeing a lot of support on here. All I am saying is I try to say things to people to be productive and encouraging. I see mocking and joking at others expense on this post especially 90 percent of the posts. I saw same thing on the last post I saw. "Supportive" was the last thing I saw as a majority. I was just saying I was hoping more people would use the golden rule and show more kindness and encouragement. That being said. I will continue to support and give any info I have to people who ask for it.
You should start a thread about it. The people will come, I promise.0 -
Haha probably true:happy:0
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You should run with a sword in your hand that has some blood on it. I'm sure people will move out of your way and not be an annoyance.0
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Wow OP is your alias Sheldon Cooper?.... Pretty ridiculous complaint, heres a solution buy your own track and then set your own rules, in the mean time get off your high horse, its a public place go with the flow0
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Also most regular people at the track dont know "rules" this is where people tolerance comes in. And usually people with kids like to take their kids to the track cause its fenced in not cause they want to inconvience others. If going around people os such an inconvience for you go get on a tread mill
Eta: you obviously dont have kids0
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