Back in early October, I made a promise to write several posts giving you a variety of running tips you could use for your upcoming marathons. I wrote the following “Race Preparation” articles: The Week Leading Up To Your Race, The Last Two Days Before The Race, Race Items Check List, and Race Recovery. Unfortunately, I had to rush out of town and never wrote about racing etiquette. I’m sure you’ve been holding your breath!
Back in March I wrote a similar post with both a light hearted and serious approach to Running Etiquette. Using your suggestions from that post, I’ve updated my list. Here goes!
- Be honest and line up according to your expected pace time. Don’t jump to a fast pace and then be in the way of faster runners while you slog along.
- If you’ve layered your clothing and plan to discard items shortly after the start of the race, run to the outside of the course so you don’t accidentally throw your clothes on someone.
- If you start with a water bottle and plan to discard it after the race starts, make sure you toss it clear of the crowd (preferable in a trash can) so it doesn’t trip someone.
- Don’t clog up the water stops. Grab your water or Gatorade and move on. Move over to the side of the course if you choose to stop. Do a shoulder check before merging back in with the other runners.
- Throw your empty cup near the other cups, or in a nearby trash can.
- Thank the water stop personnel and all volunteers along the race course.
- If you need to go to the bathroom and there’s no porta-potty near by, find a hidden spot behind some trees or bushes. Nobody wants to see your bare behind along the side of the road!
- If you need to stop or slow down for any reason, move to the side of the course.
- Enjoy the crowd and give back to them. Give a high five to those little kids that are holding their hands out. If you’re truly racing and can’t afford to slow down, nod or smile to people cheering you on by name.
- Only take “one serving” of GU or Power Gel handed out by the volunteers.
- Encourage other runners along the course if you see them struggling.
- Keep moving forward at the finish line, and thank the volunteers that are handing out Mylar blankets and medals.
- Don’t pig out in the post-race food tent. Be considerate of the runners that haven’t finished yet.
- Don’t complain to the volunteers! Be realistic about your complaints, and wait until after the race to email the race director.
- Questions:
- What racing etiquette rules am I missing?
- What is the most unsportsmanlike thing you’ve seen at a race?
- Who’s racing this weekend?
I’m not racing, but I’m volunteering at a race for the first time 🙂 I’m excited & nervous, and I’m not even the one running!! I’m glad I’m not doing water/Gatorade b/c I think I’d probably be super stressed about my ‘hand off’!
Good for you for giving back! 🙂
These are all great rules that runners should abide by while racing. I can’t think of anything you missed, except maybe to make sure you do a shoulder check/get over to the side before spitting or blowing your nose. I have been spit on before, which I guess would be the most unsportsmanlike thing I’ve seen/experienced at a race. I’m not racing this weekend, but next!!
These are great tips… I’m racing tomorrow and hope people follow them!
Glenn had another runner ask him for some of his water during our race two weeks ago. I don’t know that it was unsportsmanlike ~ but it was strange!!
Sounds more like the other runner was just desperate for water!
Ain’t that the truth! We all were! When Glenn came out to meet me at mile 23 he brought lots of water and Gatorade. I think he was everyone he met’s guardian angel!
I agree with Megan! Runners: do NOT stop dead in your tracks in the middle of a race! You are creating a hazard for those running behind you 🙂
At the end of my most recent marathon, I just stopped at the finish line as soon as the guy put a medal on me. I tried to move, but I was stuck with my hands on my knees. I took a few minutes then moved. Luckily, there was enough room for people to move around me. I felt terrible, but my body was not having it.
You get extra credit for your brain trying to tell your body to move. At least you weren’t standing there clueless to everyone around you!
Enjoy your last taper week, Meagan! You’re almost there!
That’s a really good list to remember. I’ve actually finished a race pretty slowly (when I went with a friend who isn’t really a runner and we walked most of it) and when we went to get some fruit or anything, there was literally ONE banana left – and we weren’t even the last people to finish. There were quite a few people behind us.
That’s just not right!
I know there’s been much debate about this since the Hong Kong marathon announcement, but…for goodness sake, THINK before you stop to take a picture. Carefully move to an out-of-the-way spot, THEN extract your camera and take your picture. Do not do this in the flow of runner traffic. Do not stop, turn around to face oncoming runners, and take a picture of your daughter/friends/spouse. DEFINITELY do not stop at the finish line to take a photo of yourself under the arch. [Whoops. Not that this is a hot-button issue for me, or anything….]
Also, I’m sorry to say it, but NO finish line food for spouses, kids, etc. It’s not the race’s job to provide for those people. Be considerate. Non-runners should bring their own snacks. [*ducks*]
And this is a post-race “etiquette”, specifically for Singaporeans (who are lovely people but can be terribly impatient). Wait at least 12 hours before posting on the Facebook page, “Where are our results?!?!?!” Doing so the moment you cross the Finish Line is rather annoying. If you’re confused about WHY it’s annoying, spend a day with a race director, and/or an hour learning how the timing system works, and why IMMEDIATE results posting to the internet is a relatively unreasonable request.
I think that’s it for me. Now I’m off to share this on RWH’s Facebook page. It’s important to help newbies learn the “rules”, before getting annoyed with them for not following them!
I agree with all of the above!! I had a girl stop dead in her tracks right in front of me at MCM….It was not pretty and I was so mad! If you know you need to stop…MOVE over! And my other pet peeve is Farmer’s blow!! Please, make sure there is no one within a 3 foot radius if you are going to blow a snot rocket!! I don’t need it slapping me in the face! Ok, off my soap box 🙂
Yeah, I’d probably get sick if I got hit in the face by a snot rocket! And then I’d have to stop in my tracks to bend over and throw up, and I’d be breaking rule #8!