I never seem to think about manners as it pertains to racing until the first few miles of a race. Off days, practice runs, even group runs….the thought never crosses my mind. It’s not until those first few miles of a race that I always think I need to write these rules down so that everyone knows what is appropriate and best for the racing field. So here is my take on proper racing etiquette.
1. Don’t jump corrals.
Corrals are set up for a reason. They have a purpose. And you should be honest when submitting your anticipated finish time. By jumping corrals or putting a faster finish time than you can do; you are hurting those runners that worked hard to get into that corral. You will slow the race field down. The beginning of a race is crowded to begin with so it makes it more difficult to have to navigate around slower runners.
2. Don’t spit in the crowds.
Yes, I have felt spit on me on more than one occasion. Despite what you think of your accuracy, there is always a wind or crowd factor. If you need to spit, move to the edge and spit on sidewalk and ensure no one else is coming up next to you.
3. Watch the elbows.
Why people run with really wide elbows I’ll never know. But they do. In that case, be cautious of the people around you. Don’t try to pass a herd of tightly packed runners with wide elbows. Yeah, it hurts to get hit in the chest with your bony elbow.
Girls Just Want to Run 