Tuesday Topics: What are your running or race pet peeves?

It’s Tuesday again and time to link up with  Kookyrunner and Zenaida  for Tuesday Topics about all things running and workout related. Today we’re talking about our running and race pet peeves. Oh how fun, because come on, we all have them.

Running Pet Peeves

+ Cars turning right at a red light or rolling through a stop sign without yielding to pedestrians/runners. HELLO! I’ve been cut off multiple times this way and now always expect it rather than assuming that people will make a full stop before proceeding into the intersection.

+ Runners who don’t acknowledge other runners. When I am out for my run, I see a ton of other runners (and (dog) walkers!) and I always try to make eye contact and acknowledge them in some way (a smile, a hello, a wave, or a head nod). Some people just ignore me and I just don’t understand what’s so hard about being nice. 

+ People who take up the whole path or side walk. Some of them even see you coming, but instead of stepping aside, they stay right where they are in the middle of the path looking at their phones and make me step into the street gutter. I mean, really?!

+ Runners that make sudden stops without a shoulder check or moving to the side. It’s not hard, people.

+ When people ask me about my next marathon. I have yet to run my first marathon, so I am always a bit baffled (not really offended, but confused) when I talk about my next HALF marathon and then people say “so, when is your next marathon”? There is a 13.1 mile difference between the two, just sayin’. 

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Race Pet Peeves

+ Slow runners/walkers at the front of the race. Even if the race is coraled,  if the slower runners/walkers line up at the front of their coral, they slow everybody down. It’s just a fact and if it’s a big race, it’ll take a while for crowds to disperse. 

+ When people drop their paper cups on the ground when they pass the water station. I get it, ain’t nobody got time during a race, but just dropping your (half-full) paper cup on the ground is not only rude, but dangerous, because it makes the ground very slippery.

+ Inconsistent pacers. I know, I should be appreciative that there are people who volunteer to be pacers at all (and I am!), but I’ve experienced a few times (when I  tried to hang with a pace group) that the pacing was very inconsistent and hard for me to keep up with.  I don’t know if pacers are “supposed to run” a steady pace throughout the race, but starting out slow and then speeding up when the hills start is not a way to keep your group together. 

+ When runners cut corners or cut you off.  Don’t cut someone off on a tight corner or when you’re weaving around people. You might trip them up.

Tell me about your running/race pet peeves? Are they different or pretty much the same? 

  1. Total agreement!! I did a half marathon a year ago, and tried to hang with the 2:00 pacers for awhile. Eventually, I lost them near the half way mark. I later learned they finished around 1:55…what the WHAT!?! So, yeah…the pacers aren’t always spot-on, so I don’t try to run with them for the duration of a race.

  2. Just happened last weekend: I was jogging when a cyclist behind me shouted “on your left” (I really appreciate these call outs)! I was passed by a huge group of bicyclists but some of them came so close that I was forced onto the grass area and lost my momentum. WTF?

    1. Ugh. That’s scary. I mean, nice that they yelled in advance, but damn.

  3. I’ve noticed that the friendliness of runners varies by locale. Personally I’ve found runners in the South always acknowledge me while the least friendly runners are on the coasts. Cars rolling through stops is so dangerous and so wrong. I came this close to getting hit by a guy who was turning right but was so busy looking left, he never looked to his right. Ugh.

    1. That’s an interesting observation… I’ll pay attention when I run in different places.

  4. Even though I don’t run anymore I agree with some of these, especially runners not acknowledging other runners. We’re all out here doing our best can you at least give a little wave? Is that too much to ask?

    1. People should wave more in general ;)

  5. I’ve learned to just roll with the whole so how long is THIS half type of questions, LOL. At least they’re showing some interest!

    Nodding my head at all the rest.

    1. Ha, true. I guess it’s good if they’re not bored with the running talk… ;)

  6. “When people drop their paper cups on the ground when they pass the water station”

    Thanks for the warning! ;)

    “Runners who don’t acknowledge other runners”

    Well, I appreciate the runners who do acknowledge me but when I hit Mile 10 or 11 I have other things to focus on…like putting my feet in front of the other without tripping….ha….lol
    So, I get it, and I don’t mind if people don’t do it.

    When I go for a run it is usually when 70% of the people are still asleep. I do not have to share my running trails with other than a few cars and some raccoons, deer, rabbits or skunks. :)

    1. Good luck for your race!!! Enjoy every mile! :)

  7. Driver that do the whole ‘rolling stop’ thing really irritate me too! I’m always so hyper vigilant about make sure cars see me when I’m running because i know drivers don’t pay close enough attention.

    I hate when I’m out on my long run on Saturdays and I’ll see other runners and say Hi and they say nothing back. Some even just stare directly at me and still say nothing. It’s so damn rude!

    1. Yeah, I am super-vigilant around cars too.

  8. People who have their dogs on super long leashes and let them lunge at you as you run by!

  9. A lot of people do not understand that marathon is a specific distance. I think they think that any long race is a marathon. I remember my mom referred to a half marathon as a marathon in my early days of running and i was like – ‘no no no! It’s not a marathon!’ She has since learned the difference 2 of her daughters have ran marathons. ;)

    I did most of my runs on dedicated running/walking paths when I was a runner. My biggest pet peeve was people who took up the whole dang path. We go for walks with our stroller on the running path and we are very cognizant of approaching runners and I will go in front or behind Phil so we don’t take up the whole path. I also did not like it when people had dogs on long leashes. It is very dangerous for runners if you don’t control your dog. Lastly, I did not like it when people had small children on a bike or some sort of ride on toy and did not move them off the path when a runner was approaching. That is also super dangerous as kids don’t know to stay out of the way of a runner. There have been times when i felt like the child was playing ‘chicken’ with me as I was approaching!

    In races, my biggest pet peeve was people who didn’t line up with the right pace bracket. You have a good idea of your pace if you’ve been training so don’t line up with a significantly faster pace!!

    1. That’s a good point – I think you’re right that non-runners might not be familiar with the specific distances!

      I agree on the race brackets… since your time is recorded when you cross the start line, it doesn’t really “matter” to get to the front… so just do everyone a favor and sign up for YOUR race bracket.

  10. I’ve had my share of drivers not yielding while out on a run. Sometimes I wait for them to turn instead of them hitting me. :-) Sometimes I don’t acknowledge other runners. I am so focused on my run or in my own zone that no one matters. Oops. Sorry it took me so long to read your post. Thanks for linking up!

    1. I always try to make eye contact with drivers.

  11. I’ve never done a 10km race never mind half marathon and this makes me nervous. I worry about getting injured because of someone else’s negligence or selfishness hence I stick to the treadmill. I’ve found road running enjoyable but constantly have to watch for cars, selfish people running alongside each other meaning I must run in the gutter or people who see a runner but aimlessly stroll along “don’t worry I’ll run AROUND you”.

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