The Running Thread - 2018

[GreatLakes]

For those of you that don't like putting holes in your tech shirts with pins I always wear by racing bib on my shorts instead of shirt. I rarely wear a shirt in a race but even in the winter I will pin my bib to my shorts instead. I find it much more comfortable personally.

QOTD: Lets discuss race spectators! What you love about them and what you hate about them?

I appreciate them being out there even when they yell inane things or tell you "you are almost there" when geography tells you that is false.

The only think I can say I hate is when they get in the way. If they try to cross the course when there isn't an obvious gap or they are in the street blocking a tangent but hate is a bit strong, more an annoyance.

 

[PrincessV]

QOTD: Lets discuss race spectators! What you love about them and what you hate about them?

ATTQOTD: Love every spectator for simply giving up their time to be out there! I've done my share of spectating and it can be more exhausting than running. There is not a single thing I hate about them.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

ATTQOTD - I have run marathons with almost no spectators along the course, and it is painful. So I guess that I appreciate every spectator. IMO, it is the spectators along the course that make some races better than others.

 

[Miranda]

For those of you that don't like putting holes in your tech shirts with pins I always wear by racing bib on my shorts instead of shirt. I rarely wear a shirt in a race but even in the winter I will pin my bib to my shorts instead. I find it much more comfortable personally.

I'm even less likely to put pins through my Sparkle Skirts than my shirts!! Before I got my RaceDots, I did pin my bib a couple of times to my pants during winter races, although that was harder to make adjustments without taking my pants off.

 

[SarahDisney]

ATTQOTD: I like high five-ing kids. Also ... people who give out chocolate (although I skipped that stop last time I saw it ... stupid Sarah). I don't particularly like celebrity-inspired signs, because I don't particularly care about celebrities.
I appreciate spectators for sure, but I've run races without them too and I can survive. But when there are random strangers out there cheering you on, it makes the experience even more special.

Re: bibs - for the last year or so I've been using the bib toggles on my belt. I'm using the belt without the bib toggles today, and I took safety pins when I picked up my bib this morning ... it's gonna be interesting to see if I can remember how to use safety pins to put my bib on. I was never very good at it. I'm going to put on my bib in front of the mirror in the bathroom at work (we have a full-length mirror in the bathroom) - I'm not waiting until I get to the race to put this thing. No mirrors at the race.

 

[KaitlynJ]

ATTQOTD: I really love everything about spectators. I haven't had any of the issues mentioned above with smoking (although cigarette smoke has never bothered me), getting in the way, etc. I love a good hilarious sign (my favorite at Disney Princess was a super attractive guy with a sign that said "Free kiss at the finish line if you PR" lol), I absolutely love kids giving high fives, I love the signs that you tap (like with mushroom power-ups). My last race was a 5K that I walked in my boot (I'm recovering from a tibial stress reaction - don't worry, my ortho and PT approved the 5K) and the number of moms who shouted that they were proud of me and I was doing an awesome job made me want to cry.

I've never spectated a race before because I have serious FOMO and I know that if I did, I would just feel bummed that I wasn't running it. But maybe I should try sometime!

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: I love spectators! They distract me from how far I still have to go or how hot it is, or etc. But I don't like the people that tell me to run when I am walking! Like "don't stop running now!" or "this is a race not a walk!" I run intervals and I know lots of people don't get that concept but it works for me and keeps me running and running races. End rant, sorry!

 

[KaitlynJ]

ATTQOTD: I love spectators! They distract me from how far I still have to go or how hot it is, or etc. But I don't like the people that tell me to run when I am walking! Like "don't stop running now!" or "this is a race not a walk!" I run intervals and I know lots of people don't get that concept but it works for me and keeps me running and running races. End rant, sorry!

This would drive me crazy. A blogger I follow used to walk half marathons before she started running and she wrote once that race photographers would always do this to her - they'd shout at her to pretend that she was running for the photo. Which is just silly, she WASN'T RUNNING IT. Why would she want a photo that made it look like she was? Walking a half marathon is still an achievement to be proud of!

 

[KSellers88]

ATTQOTD: Little kids are my favorite spectators. I just love how in awe they look and giving them high fives. So stinking adorable!

 

[TheHamm]

ATTQOTD: I love spectators, and my favorite have been a drum line and people who sat in the front lawn with speakers playing music. I do have to contain my snark for spectators who yell "you're almost there!' my definition of almost is significantly different than theirs. I would prefer 'You have finished 82%!'

 

[GreatLakes]

I do have to contain my snark for spectators who yell "you're almost there!' my definition of almost is significantly different than theirs. I would prefer 'You have finished 82%!'

I'm "almost there" when I can see the finish line or enter the finish line barriers, whichever comes first.

 

[rteetz]

QOTD: Lets discuss race spectators! What you love about them and what you hate about them?

I love some of the creative signs people have. I will take pictures of some of my favorite ones at times. I don’t really hate anything about spectators as I’ve never had a major issue with any. I also love free food.

 

[apdebord]

ATTQOTD: I like having spectators. Races at the beach can be annoying because people are there vacationing and "didn't know" there was a race happening and they cross the course, slowly. And there tend to be a lot of smokers on the sidewalk, which can be obnoxious. I loved all the spectators at Magic Kingdom during Princess, so I know the marathon will be amazing!

Some interesting things that I saw at Peachtree: I came up behind a woman running with a shirt that read, "I'm not quitting, I'm doing intervals!" which I thought was very cute. A woman held a sign up that read, "Only 1/4 of a mile left!" but she was at mile 5.75 and it was a 10K. Right before the turn onto 10th, I actually had some space to run and someone tried to cross the street in front of me and I yelled out, "NOPE!" and he got back on the sidewalk. Shocked that actually worked.

 

[Bree]

ATTQOTD: I have only experienced happy, considerate & good mannered spectators. I love reading the signs.

 

[jennamfeo]

ATTQOTD: I love spectators! They distract me from how far I still have to go or how hot it is, or etc. But I don't like the people that tell me to run when I am walking! Like "don't stop running now!" or "this is a race not a walk!" I run intervals and I know lots of people don't get that concept but it works for me and keeps me running and running races. End rant, sorry!

That's super annoying. I did a 5k this year where a lady who was doing intervals was consistently staying ahead of me. Meaning she was faster than my by doing intervals vs just running.

ATTQOTD: I love spectators, and my favorite have been a drum line and people who sat in the front lawn with speakers playing music. I do have to contain my snark for spectators who yell "you're almost there!' my definition of almost is significantly different than theirs. I would prefer 'You have finished 82%!'

There was a group of girls who were spectating a race I was in that had a sign with a progress bar and I saw them about 4-5 times during my half and they kept filling in the progress bar. It was awesome.

ATTQOTD: I love spectators. I love their signs. I love when the cheerleaders or high school band kids all line up during Disney races for a line of high fives. I love when people comment on my outfits. At the RnR AZ Half I was dressed up like a cactus and my shirt said free hugs. This little girl came up to me and then soon realized I was a cactus with pipe cleaners on my shirt that was actually kind of pokey and she was like "noooo she's a cactus!!!" It was hilarious.
I feel y'all on the "almost there" people. I did a local 5k and this lady was yelling either something about being halfway done or almost finished and I stopped and corrected her because a lot of these people did not look like runners and didn't need that in their head. She was like "well how far are you then?" My reply: "We just hit the first mile." Come onnnnn lady.
Any spectator that hands out food, booze, candy, etc. All definitely okay in my book. Speaking of, who handing out beer on the ramp at W&D last year?? I feel like it was someone from the boards but I was really new here.

 

[huskies90]

QOTD: Lets discuss race spectators! What you love about them and what you hate about them?

ATTQOTD: I always appreciate having people come out and cheer. Definitely helps to motivate. For the most part, I am in my own little world when running and pretty much tune everything out so I don't really notice or pay attention to signs or what people say. I would say the only thing that sorta annoys me is when people are banging really loud noise makers - like loud enough to hurt my ears.

 

[FFigawi]

I use RaceDots... I have never had a timing problem in the 2+ years that I've had them.

I love my Race Dots and have never had any problems with them either. I also like the plastic bib clips runDisney gave us during marathon weekend back in January. They worked pretty well too.

QOTD: Lets discuss race spectators! What you love about them and what you hate about them?

I love spectators! I laugh at their signs (the more tasteless and tacky, the better), high five the kids, and interact with them as much as I can. Wearing a red sparkle skirt tends to help with the interaction. Plus, they give me free booze and free food! How can you not like that?

 

[KaitlynJ]

ATTQOTD: I love spectators, and my favorite have been a drum line and people who sat in the front lawn with speakers playing music.

That reminds me of another favorite - a decent chunk of my first half marathon was through residential neighborhoods. About 4 miles in there was a family sitting on their lawn watching the race with a keg of beer and a sign that said "Free beer for quitters" Lol. I was running with a pace group and the pace leader actually asked them if he could have a beer, and they gave him one! Drinking a beer while running a race (much less pacing one!) is a serious skill. He was the best, I finished within 30 seconds of the promised pace and had some of the most even splits of any race I've ever run.

 

[cavepig]

I love spectators, the more cheering, signs, cowbells the better. I also love spectating & cheering for complete strangers myself. I've had my share of races where there are hardly any as well, it makes me really appreciate anyone who comes out.

 

[avondale]

ATTQOTD: Little kids are my favorite spectators. I just love how in awe they look and giving them high fives. So stinking adorable!

Totally agree. In one smaller race that I did, a couple of kids had set up a line of their stuffed animals to watch the race. So cute and funny!