Runner's Etiquette

[lukacseven]

What are some things for new runners/walkers to be aware of? What are some things that bother you that commonly occur during races? Post your questions comments on running etiquette here...

Something that came to mind when responding to another post that compelled me to create this forum topic: Pet peev #1 - When large groups of people walk in a line and block the course. Please, if you are walking with friends and talking, do not line up across 4-5 people and create a barricade to block runners behind you from passing. Some of the course points narrow down and you don't need all your friends to stretch from one end to the other. Be especially aware of this early on when the race is more congested and runners are looking to pass.

 

[joel_maxwell]

One of my pet peeves is when runners dont look behind them before getting out of their line to move to one side of the course. Act just like you are driving a vehicle.

Before passing someone, changing "lanes" so to speak or head to the side of the road for what ever reason, look over your shoulder and make sure a runner isn't a step behind you to your right or left and you are going to cut them off. Especially if you are like me and wear headphones.

 

[DisneyRunner]

I ran a half marathon in June with someone who has run the ironman. I call her a professional. A few things upset her. First was, ladies running three wide on a country road and couldn't hear the warning about approaching cars, because they had ears buds in. Secondly, was spectators standing in the path of runners giving high fives.

 

[lukacseven]

All of the Philadelphia races have terrible crowd control - there's always spectators out in the middle of the course. I don't mind them high-fiving on the side or the road, but when they start to creep onto the course, it becomes a safety concern.

Another element of Philly races that is really bad is the finish line areas. Spectators are allowed into the finish line area, so as a runner, as soon as you cross the finish line you have some 300 lb. cop screaming at you to keep moving while you have spectators with strollers in the food line and going towards the finish line to greet people coming in. I guess I should have added spectator etiquette as part of the discussion. At the Broad Street Run you actually had to stop a few hundred feet short of the finish line and wait 2-3 minutes so you can walk across the timing mat, because it was so congested.

 

[MCC1]

Do not stop when you come to hydration tables, grab your cup & run beyond the tables and then pull to the side and stop if you need to in order to drink, sure slow up if you need to, but stopping or walking is a major no no. On a somewhat related note, I had a clown at a 1/2 in CT last year actually double back on me right after the tables because he recognized someone volunteering and just had to go talk to them...things did not go well for him.

Also, especially on courses where the roads are not closed, if you must have tunes, keep them at a reasonable volume - same race, had a guy in the middle of the road in his own world with a car creeping on heels, the rest of us were in one lane...got his attention, he thanked us and all went well.

And finally, if you have kids, do NOT let them line up on the starting line because you think it will be a cute picture in the paper...they will run 100 yards at full sprint, and then cause a dangerous situation for the rest of us when they crap out and get plowed over.:hammer: (on a related note - keep your kids out of the finishing chute, follow Disney's lead, kids or anyone who did not run the race, do not belong in the final straight jogging in holding hands with M or D while people are kicking it in:brick.

 

[dreamfinder]

And finally, if you have kids, do NOT let them line up on the starting line because you think it will be a cute picture in the paper...they will run 100 yards at full sprint, and then cause a dangerous situation for the rest of us when they crap out and get plowed over.:hammer: (on a related note - keep your kids out of the finishing chute, follow Disney's lead, kids or anyone who did not run the race, do not belong in the final straight jogging in holding hands with M or D while people are kicking it in:brick.

98% of the time I agree with you. They take up the front, people trip all over their heels, and then they slow way the heck down. That other 2% though, damn those kids are good. Can't say I have ever seen people cutting in to run the last 100 yards though.

 

[joel_maxwell]

Do not stop when you come to hydration tables, grab your cup & run beyond the tables and then pull to the side and stop if you need to in order to drink, sure slow up if you need to, but stopping or walking is a major no no. On a somewhat related note, I had a clown at a 1/2 in CT last year actually double back on me right after the tables because he recognized someone volunteering and just had to go talk to them...things did not go well for him.

Also, especially on courses where the roads are not closed, if you must have tunes, keep them at a reasonable volume - same race, had a guy in the middle of the road in his own world with a car creeping on heels, the rest of us were in one lane...got his attention, he thanked us and all went well.

And finally, if you have kids, do NOT let them line up on the starting line because you think it will be a cute picture in the paper...they will run 100 yards at full sprint, and then cause a dangerous situation for the rest of us when they crap out and get plowed over.:hammer: (on a related note - keep your kids out of the finishing chute, follow Disney's lead, kids or anyone who did not run the race, do not belong in the final straight jogging in holding hands with M or D while people are kicking it in:brick.

I hate when you make eye contact with a person working the water areas. He sees you, you make your way over and start to get close enough to reach out and grab that cup of goodness and then BAM, somebody cuts you off to get that last cup of fluids. If you want any, you will have to turn around and back track for 10 yards.

I would be the first one to step all over junior too. That would make me so mad. You train for 3+ months for something and then that situation presents itself. I dont think so.

 

[Donald Duck]

watch where you spit...I wish I had wiper blades on my shades sometimes.

And please, dont wait for the starting horn / or gun to attach your D-tag to your shoe...why should everyone have to trip over you and your unprepared self???

 

[joel_maxwell]

watch where you spit...I wish I had wiper blades on my shades sometimes.

And please, dont wait for the starting horn / or gun to attach your D-tag to your shoe...why should everyone have to trip over you and your unprepared self???

Yikes.

Also, remember to double knot if you have normal shoe strings. Dont want to waste pace and precious seconds retying shoes strings

 

[Phonedave]

Yikes.

Also, remember to double knot if you have normal shoe strings. Dont want to waste pace and precious seconds retying shoes strings

I have never had mine come undone. I don't understand what the problem is. All the stay-tie laces and such. I got them for my oldest daughter because she cant walk across the room without her shoes coming untied, but I have never had a problem with normal laces.


-dave

 

[Phonedave]

watch where you spit...I wish I had wiper blades on my shades sometimes.

And please, dont wait for the starting horn / or gun to attach your D-tag to your shoe...why should everyone have to trip over you and your unprepared self???

And clear your nose. Please, not onto me :hurl:

-dave

 

[joel_maxwell]

I have never had mine come undone. I don't understand what the problem is. All the stay-tie laces and such. I got them for my oldest daughter because she cant walk across the room without her shoes coming untied, but I have never had a problem with normal laces.


-dave

I havent ever had a problem either... granted I do double knot just in case, but I have seen people countless times on the side of the road, race course etc fixing a shoe lace that came untied.

 

[stlbobby]

It's funny most of these same things could be said to the clueless guests walking around WDW.:ROFLOL:

 

[sweetpee_1993]

watch where you spit...I wish I had wiper blades on my shades sometimes.

And please, dont wait for the starting horn / or gun to attach your D-tag to your shoe...why should everyone have to trip over you and your unprepared self???

And clear your nose. Please, not onto me :hurl:

-dave

Okay. I have never done any sort of event so this thread has been quite interesting to me. Everything stated thus far has been things that either I've read about in my book so I know how things should flow or common sense as a human being would never allow me to go there. But that's for stuff that I control whether or not I do. When it comes to being the victim of other runners' poor thought process (or lack there of), I haven't thought about that. The tripping over people I sorta expect. I would never, ever have thought about this one, tho. Seriously? People will just randomly spit (or worse!) off to the side & not down without consideration to proximity of other runners?! Holy freakin' heck! Now that's the first thing I've heard that would make me think maybe I should stick to running for me and not in an event. Seriously. If I get hit with someone else's spit or snot rocket I don't think I'd be okay. I believe I'd be pretty dang un-magical. I'm not kidding. I had 3 older brothers when I grew up. I've been spat & snotted upon. I don't handle that well. The last time I was spat on the spitter got whacked with a telephone (the old kind with the big hand set similar to the really old rotary types). It was not a pretty thing. I do believe this is where I'd freakin' lose control. Does this really happen?????

:brick::hurl:

 

[joel_maxwell]

Okay. I have never done any sort of event so this thread has been quite interesting to me. Everything stated thus far has been things that either I've read about in my book so I know how things should flow or common sense as a human being would never allow me to go there. But that's for stuff that I control whether or not I do. When it comes to being the victim of other runners' poor thought process (or lack there of), I haven't thought about that. The tripping over people I sorta expect. I would never, ever have thought about this one, tho. Seriously? People will just randomly spit (or worse!) off to the side & not down without consideration to proximity of other runners?! Holy freakin' heck! Now that's the first thing I've heard that would make me think maybe I should stick to running for me and not in an event. Seriously. If I get hit with someone else's spit or snot rocket I don't think I'd be okay. I believe I'd be pretty dang un-magical. I'm not kidding. I had 3 older brothers when I grew up. I've been spat & snotted upon. I don't handle that well. The last time I was spat on the spitter got whacked with a telephone (the old kind with the big hand set similar to the really old rotary types). It was not a pretty thing. I do believe this is where I'd freakin' lose control. Does this really happen?????

:brick::hurl:

Might want to carry an old phone. Happens sometimes by others. I have done Olympic style jumps to get passed peoples spit right in front of me.

If I see some dude about to Farmer Ted his nose.... Ill go ahead and say that Im sorry if I cut someone off, but Im not getting downwind/down path of that little present.

 

[Phonedave]

Okay. I have never done any sort of event so this thread has been quite interesting to me. Everything stated thus far has been things that either I've read about in my book so I know how things should flow or common sense as a human being would never allow me to go there. But that's for stuff that I control whether or not I do. When it comes to being the victim of other runners' poor thought process (or lack there of), I haven't thought about that. The tripping over people I sorta expect. I would never, ever have thought about this one, tho. Seriously? People will just randomly spit (or worse!) off to the side & not down without consideration to proximity of other runners?! Holy freakin' heck! Now that's the first thing I've heard that would make me think maybe I should stick to running for me and not in an event. Seriously. If I get hit with someone else's spit or snot rocket I don't think I'd be okay. I believe I'd be pretty dang un-magical. I'm not kidding. I had 3 older brothers when I grew up. I've been spat & snotted upon. I don't handle that well. The last time I was spat on the spitter got whacked with a telephone (the old kind with the big hand set similar to the really old rotary types). It was not a pretty thing. I do believe this is where I'd freakin' lose control. Does this really happen?????

:brick::hurl:

It does happen. Sometimes it can be tough to know if someone is around you. I guess if you wear earbuds its even worse. It's not as if there is a hail of spit and snot rockets, but some people just don't seem to care.

-dave

 

[joel_maxwell]

It does happen. Sometimes it can be tough to know if someone is around you. I guess if you wear earbuds its even worse. It's not as if there is a hail of spit and snot rockets, but some people just don't seem to care.

-dave

In the winter I have to spit more then summer... weird, but if I do, Ill look over my sholder to make sure someone isnt right behind me. Then, ill lean over just a bit and spit in front of me. I hate it anyone steps in it, but to be honest, you walk or step in nastier stuff in the bathroom everyday. :lol:

I carry a small thing of tissue with me for the nose issues. *wink*

 

[WishIwasThere]

Quick question, sort of in the etiquette area. Are iPods allowed for the Disney races???

Didn't want to start a new thread for this and couldn't find any posts about it.

 

[Donald Duck]

Quick question, sort of in the etiquette area. Are iPods allowed for the Disney races???

Didn't want to start a new thread for this and couldn't find any posts about it.

I think WDW disourages it becuase there are anouncements made along the course.

 

[joel_maxwell]

I think WDW disourages it becuase there are anouncements made along the course.

I have heard this "announcement" comment before. Do you mean motivational announcements or "Attention Runners, you are sharing a highway know as Osceola Parkway with other vehicles, beware" or "Attention Runners, bib number 4721 just puked at mile marker 8, avoid that please"