Run/walking (how not to annoy other runners)

[roxymama]

I agree, but only on shorter races/runs. Really long runs/races have long stretches with little/no entertainment. Even when running trails through the beautiful countryside, I need my music to get me through those "blah" zones.

My longest run to date for a race is a 5k (longer in training), so I would agree that I would want that music for the longer races....which is basically my 2016 schedule...EEP!

 

[GreatLakes]

I know it's not the best option for people to get through long races if they love music as motivation....but I think my two best runs were when I went without music. I still had my earbud in for my pace updates. But I just was so aware of my surroundings, breathing, just everything. And weirdly my race flew by faster somehow.
I really suggest everyone try it at least once even if just in a local 5k.
I am also a run through the water stop person. I like to wait to the end tables as it gives me a chance to move over and I like to make eye contact and point at the volunteer I will be getting water from...so I don't bumble it. I'm still pretty terrible about getting it all in my mouth but I'll learn.

I was a run/walker when I started with couch 2 5k and what worked best for me was to not be a slave to your intervals. If you need a minute more of running to get in a non-congested area, or 10 more seconds, etc...allow yourself that and add impromptu things like that into your training.

I became a much better, and safer, runner when I ditched the headphones. I don't listen to music on any run from 800 meter intervals to full marathons.

 

[IamTrike]

If I'm running with people I'll usually just run and talk with them. It's great because it forces me to maintain a conversational pace. (That works well for long runs, but isn't great for speedwork) . When I'm running solo I usually listen to something. Unless I'm on a treadmill I only put an earbud in one ear. I want to make sure that I can hear my surroundings. I run on a lot of greenway's with bikers so I constantly listen for "on your left/right" to make sure I stay out of their way.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I became a much better, and safer, runner when I ditched the headphones. I don't listen to music on any run from 800 meter intervals to full marathons.

I learn to run with a single ear bud in for safety.

As for making you a better runner - I wish it was that easy for me. I have different playlists with different song cadences based on my goal for a particular run. Choosing the right playlist allows me to run at a given pace with no thought. So music makes me a better runner. Without music I have to actually pay attention to my pace, which makes me think about my running, and I am a MUCH better runner when I am on auto-pilot.

All about finding what works for you.

 

[ExportedMolson]

Whatever you do don't physically grab someone to move them out of your way

I'll add that if you are the runner behind and someone veers towards your path, don't fear using your hands. From my experience, a simple light touch on the side or back is usually enough to gather someone's attention and stop a collision.

I agree, but only on shorter races/runs. Really long runs/races have long stretches with little/no entertainment. Even when running trails through the beautiful countryside, I need my music to get me through those "blah" zones.

I'm old school, I never use headphones. I just listen to the voices, I mean music, in my head.

 

[cavepig]

I'll add that if you are the runner behind and someone veers towards your path, don't fear using your hands. From my experience, a simple light touch on the side or back is usually enough to gather someone's attention and stop a collision.

I have to disagree, no touching, if you are behind someone & think they'll veer into you then change your course or don't follow so close, do not touch me, period, if you put your hands up as warning fine, but don't touch me. Only time is when there's unavoidable jostling at the start and I get bumped, that I can live with as people can't help it. Sorry.

 

[wilkeliza]

My thing at Disney races is you get so jam packed that music or not I don't know if you are talking to me or the 5 other people also at the bottle neck. I could have understood her being upset if it was just me and her in the course area but it was the stretch at boardwalk where you go towards yacht club. She did not want to stop her intervals (which I totally understand) but also didn't realize there was no way we could fit more people through until the bottle neck cleared up.

 

[IamTrike]

I'll add that if you are the runner behind and someone veers towards your path, don't fear using your hands. From my experience, a simple light touch on the side or back is usually enough to gather someone's attention and stop a collision.

I have to disagree, no touching, if you are behind someone & think they'll veer into you then change your course or don't follow so close, do not touch me, period, if you put your hands up as warning fine, but don't touch me. Only time is when there's unavoidable jostling at the start and I get bumped, that I can live with as people can't help it. Sorry.

I read back and forth over these two posts. If hypothetically I was running and it looked like someone was going to run into me from the side because they weren't paying attention I'd likely put my hands up instinctively. I might touch you but it would be because you ran into my hands.

That being said I've done 8 different challenge weekends at Disney and both the NY and Chicago marathons. So I've probably done 15-20 very crowded races and never once have I had a situation where that's come up. I think the general rule would be to not touch other runners.

To me this all seems a little farf etched though. I'm 6'2, have a decent amount of mass and am usually wearing something brightly colored so I'm not easily missed. If I were petite I might feel differently about people accidentally running into me.

 

[cavepig]

I read back and forth over these two posts. If hypothetically I was running and it looked like someone was going to run into me from the side because they weren't paying attention I'd likely put my hands up instinctively. I might touch you but it would be because you ran into my hands.

That being said I've done 8 different challenge weekends at Disney and both the NY and Chicago marathons. So I've probably done 15-20 very crowded races and never once have I had a situation where that's come up. I think the general rule would be to not touch other runners.

To me this all seems a little farf etched though. I'm 6'2, have a decent amount of mass and am usually wearing something brightly colored so I'm not easily missed. If I were petite I might feel differently about people accidentally running into me.

yes, exactly, if I run into your hands it's my dumb fault as yes you are just protecting yourself from my dumbness in cutting over, but the lady at this years marathon grabbed my shoulders and 'moved' me to get by. Never had it happen before either, guess I got lucky, haha! I was running too, it's not like I wasn't moving.

 

[IamTrike]

yes, exactly, if I run into your hands it's my dumb fault as yes you are just protecting yourself from my dumbness in cutting over, but the lady at this years marathon grabbed my shoulders and 'moved' me to get by. Never had it happen before either, guess I got lucky, haha! I was running too, it's not like I wasn't moving.

Yeah I wouldn't take it kindly if I was running a straight line and someone forcibly moved me out of the way. I would probably pull in behind her and in a fairly mocking voice start yelling "PLEASE MOVE OUT OF THE WAY THIS LADY IS RUNNING", "MOVE OVER DON"T YOU KNOW WHO THIS LADY IS", "look out she's won't be able to take 875th place if you get in her way"

 

[ExportedMolson]

Maybe it comes form years and years of racing the 800 through 5000 on the track in tight packs where even the slightest movement from side to side can cause a collision. I don't see a light touch as an attack on your person or violation of personal space. I think of it the same as someone tapping your shoulder to say excuse me and get your attention at a party when approaching from behind. I am not condoning or talking about physically moving a runner out of my way or grabbing them. Honestly what happened to you on the course is uncalled for and unacceptable. A hand touch usually only happens on road races when I am approaching someone from behind and passing with enough space to comfortably go by and they move over or have to move over for whatever reason without a shoulder check. It can happen so fast and a slight hand check to say, 'hey I am here' while also altering my course and pace can be the difference between nothing and feet tangling and someone hitting the ground.

 

[IamTrike]

Maybe it comes form years and years of racing the 800 through 5000 on the track in tight packs where even the slightest movement from side to side can cause a collision. I don't see a light touch as an attack on your person or violation of personal space. I think of it the same as someone tapping your shoulder to say excuse me and get your attention at a party when approaching from behind. I am not condoning or talking about physically moving a runner out of my way or grabbing them. Honestly what happened to you on the course is uncalled for and unacceptable. A hand touch usually only happens on road races when I am approaching someone from behind and passing with enough space to comfortably go by and they move over or have to move over for whatever reason without a shoulder check. It can happen so fast and a slight hand check to say, 'hey I am here' while also altering my course and pace can be the difference between nothing and feet tangling and someone hitting the ground.

I think we are seeing two very different types of touches being discussed.

There is the "we are in close quarters and the touch is to make you aware of my presence" it's to keep both runners safe particularly in an environment where an audible call out might not being sufficient. I get that some people might not like to be touched, but in this case its an awareness/safety thing. In general I think most people's bias would be towards keeping people safe.

The other is physically pushing/ moving someone out of the way. This seems like a purely selfish move and I don't see anyone that would agree with this type of touch.

 

[ExportedMolson]

The other is physically pushing/ moving someone out of the way. This seems like a purely selfish move and I don't see anyone that would agree with this type of touch.

I recommend using your hands to avoid collisions and usually at a time when using your voice is not an option. I will go beyond saying physically moving someone is selfish, it is downright dangerous. Physically moving someone or grabbing them can create injuries in so many different ways, especially since you are not expecting or prepared for it. Leave that kind of touching for football players.

 

[IamTrike]

I recommend using your hands to avoid collisions and usually at a time when using your voice is not an option. I will go beyond saying physically moving someone is selfish, it is downright dangerous. Physically moving someone or grabbing them can create injuries in so many different ways, especially since you are not expecting or prepared for it. Leave that kind of touching for football players.

You're right. I understated how bad that is.

 

[Miranda]

Good point - I always do this, but new runners don't think about it. When trail running I simply call out, "coming up behind you" and pass on whatever side they vacate, but in races people are so focused on themselves (or their music) that they can't hear you until you get really close so you need to say something like, "passing on your left".

I felt bad... at W&D this weekend, in the backstage area of Studios when we were nearing the Osborne lights, I was kind of far to the left, pretty close to the curb. Someone coming up behind me said "passing on your left" like 2 or 3 times and my brain was so fuzzy, that since I was so close to the curb already, I kept trying to move to the left to get out of his way. Finally I was just like, "I'm sorry, I'm trying to get out of your way!" but he was at least nice about it and said "I know!"

Edit: I should add, I was actually running at this time, just not nearly as fast as he was.