Running Pet Peeves - Running San Francisco Marathon 2009 First 1/2
I've been running for many many years now and got into long distance
running 4 years ago. Just love outdoor running and use treadmill for
speed workouts and hills. Treadmill is a very predictable environment
and allows you to focus on particular aspects of training. Most of my
workouts are in the neighborhood
and I generally try to run on business trips. As much as I enjoy
running, I have my share of pet peeves experienced over these past
years.
- Leashed dog who are wandering multiple feet away from the
owners and certainly all the unleashed dogs chasing/barking people in
public areas.
- Abreast walkers on the trail not willing to give up way for
the
runners coming behind. They just look behind and continue walking at 2
miles/hour.
- All the more weird, walkers abreast on the trail not
willing to give up way for runners coming from front.
- Group runners who run abreast, love to chat and don't yield
to other runners.
- Hikers who move to right when you say "right" coming from
behind ... ouch!
- Drivers yapping on their phone, not paying any attention to
oncoming traffic and especially to pedestrian/walkers/runners.
- Another similar one, drivers unwilling to yield on
unprotected right turn for walkers/runners with right of way.
- In races, runners (more like fast walkers) who sign up for
Wave 1 and 2 where as they should really be Wave 6 or 7. They just
cause extra traffic for faster runners.
- In races again, right before or after the start the runners
who take a deviation start peeing off anywhere they like ... yuck! Have
seen it all the times in early morning races, especially San Francisco
Marathon. I think one of the San Francisco Marathon photographers
should shoot each runner's photo who is spoiling the bay with their
dump and then publish them.
- Walkers/runners who just stop to fix a shoe lace or itch or
something else without bothering to check if there is somebody coming
fast behind them.
- Runners who expect a return "hello/hi" from you when you
are totally focused on getting that last stretch completed.
I've experienced each one of them multiple times. I think the world
will be a better place for runners, and in general, if we try to avoid
these.
Anyway, feel free to add yours!
I'm expressing these peeves in the last days before 2009 San Francisco
Marathon and will see if the world is slightly better in the race. I'll
be running the first half over the Golden Gate Bridge and will see ya
there. And as evident from the last point above, I don't like talking
when running so we'll talk before/after the race :)
Technorati: running runsfm peeves
Posted
by Arun Gupta in Running |

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The worst I have seen so far on the running trail was a woman rollerblading while pushing a jogging stroller and holding a dog on a leash. I can guarantee that someone was hurt at some point.
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Posted by Endurance Junkies on July 21, 2009 at 06:05 PM PDT #
Great list! :)
How about the people that show up to the starting line wearing trash bags, who then just take them off & throw them to the side (where they blow into the bay at the SF Marathon...)
Posted by Dave on July 30, 2009 at 08:11 PM PDT #
Yeah, that too!
I saw quite a few of those this time unfortunately :(
Posted by Arun Gupta on July 31, 2009 at 09:58 AM PDT #
How about when walkers decide that they are going to start in Wave 1 of the race instead of somewhere at the back!
Posted by Tajal Patel on November 04, 2009 at 10:04 AM PST #