Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Runner Pet Peeves

RUNNER PET PEEVES

Loud Breather

At some of our local races, we have a very Loud Breather.  He sounds like a freight train.  Even over my music with earphones in, I can hear him -- chug-a, chug-a, chug-a.  It messes up my cadence and I end up sprinting just to get away.  That's not a good idea at the start of a race.



This bib was atrocious (and it's folded up at the bottom). 
Close Runner

And then there are Close Runners.  People, it's a small race and there is plenty of room to spread out.  Why do you feel the need to be within my personal zone?  Hey, I'm slinging sweat like a ditch digger here.  You might want to back off.


Bib Failure

Please race directors, don't make your bibs so big and stiff that they feel cumbersome.  I don't want to feel like I'm eating lobster.  I'm short waisted, so if your stiff paper bib takes up my entire midsection, it's very aggravating.  That snap, crackle and pop gets to me after 2 hours or so.
 

Whiny Winners

And then there are the Whiny Winners.  They'll kick my butt down the street and then tell me about how SLOW they were, what hurts, how tired they are, how sick they've been, yada yada.  I get it.  My body hurts too.  But if I'm lucky enough to run faster than someone, I'm not going to tell them how awful I just ran.  It's disrespectful. You should keep that to yourself, act like you did your best, and accept your award gracefully.  Then, you can go home and blog about how bad you were.  {Wink-Wink}
 

What's one of your Runner Pet Peeves?

I'm joining the Tuesdays on the Run link up! 

Thanks to our hosts:
 Ericka @ MCM Mama Runs,
 Patty @ My no-guilt life!


32 comments:

  1. One of my biggest fear is being the loud breather... I've actually held my breath so I don't sound loud... & almost passed out. haha

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    1. No, don't hold your breath! Nobody could ever be as loud as this guy.

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  2. Oh goodness! Yes to all of the above! There was a woman breathing with this funky groan at a turkey trot one year and I swear I did my darndest to shake her. I called her the telltale heart.

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    1. Those weird noises are quite disturbing. At least motivating to get away!

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  3. I may be the loud breather...oh no! and yes I hate when they complain about their 7 min mile pace

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    1. You could NEVER be this loud. None of us are ever 100% satisfied with our performance, but I think you shouldn't harp on it.

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  4. Um, since most everyone IS faster than me for reals, as they say, I have to admit I get tired of people complaining about their 9 or 10 minute pace. You have no idea how I wish that was my easy pace! I've no idea why I am so slow.

    And I post my paces on IG & FB to make y'all feel better. And show people that you can be slow but still really be a runner.

    Ok, moving on.

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    1. Runners are runners whether at 6:00 or 12:00 (or whatever) pace. You shouldn't sell yourself short.

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  5. Whiny winners are the worst! I suspect I may be the loud breather some times. :) I'm careful about not hanging out too close behind other groups for that reason. I either fall back or try to work around them!

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    1. I huff and puff pretty loudly too, especially at toward the end. But this guy is freaky with his breathing!

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  6. Hmm, I never thought about the "whiny winners"...lol I think I know a few of those. I totally agree with the bib thing. I got a short body too!

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    1. Nobody seems to mind a large bib but me. So, I'm glad to know I'm not alone. I like the small ones that have a more cloth-like feel.

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  7. I try to just remember that "whiny winners" have different goals than me, and although I wish I could be as fast as them and think they should appreciate it, I try to ignore it. I also think that I may be a loud breather. Haha, I hope I'm not. And the close runner thing....it's as bad as someone getting on the treadmill next to me when the entire gym is empty...

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    1. I do wish the fast runners would appreciate their times! I never understood the treadmill thing either. There is a whole line of them, and someone jumps right beside you? Spread out.

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  8. Ha! I guess my pet peeve is runners (and walkers) who don't follow the "stay right" rule on trails, and then I end up playing chicken with them. I always win because I'm on the correct side of the trail and am NOT moving over to accommodate their ignorance of trail rules.

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    1. Nobody wants to play chicken while running! LOL. I don't have to worry too much about that where I run, thankfully.

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  9. Oh, I worry that I fall under #1 at the end of a hard race - I definitely am gasping for air as I push to the finish line ....

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    1. No way Coco that you could make the noise this guy does. It's freaky. I huff and puff audibly, especially toward the end.

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  10. I am totally the loud breather! Well, I guess it depends on the distance I'm racing. But if it is a 5K or a sprint tri I'm a freight train! I'm always amazed at how quiet everyone else is! How do you get the oxygen?!?

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    1. Oh, believe me, I'm not quiet either. I'm amazed that people can run with their mouths closed. No way could I ever get enough oxygen doing that. Nobody could be as loud as this guy. It's freaky.

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  11. I'm a loud breather! I don't hear myself, because I listen to music, but people stare at me when I go by and I realize that I'm scaring them! LOL!

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    1. I'm definitely not a quiet breather and I CAN sometimes hear myself over my music. But this guy is weird. Loud doesn't even describe it. It's almost as if he is trying to yell while exhaling? Like tennis players!

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  12. I truly love it that there are so many people of all abilities participating in races- whether they are walking or running. It is frustrating to be stuck behind a group of walkers in the middle of the road, though, Perhaps I need to seed myself in the crowd better.

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    1. I applaud anyone who is participating! But, it is very frustrating to have walkers start in the front. I have dealt with that in many half marathons. It's bad race etiquette.

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  13. Ditto on most! Loud breathing doesn't bother me too much unless they are doing it on purpose to be weird, or because they didn't train. When I hear it if it goes on longer than a few seconds I can't help but wonder if they even trained to be running:)

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    1. At first I thought this guy was ready to keel over. I've learned over the years, it's his normal thing. Think tennis player yelling on exhale...that's him.

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  14. Ha you are so right especially the loud breather! I do have one! It happened last year at the Tupelo run. A couple of guys ran past me and another girl. They were about 10 or so feet in front of us and we were going up a hill and one of them passed gas! OMG I could have died! I don't know if it was intentional or accidental but it happened!

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    1. The fart has happened to me. At Mercedes an old dude kept bombing everybody and laughing with his running partner about it. I had to get out of there!

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  15. OMG!!! the last time I ran in a group run there was this man, he was breathing like he had emphysema (sp), pnuemonia, bronchitis, COPD, the croup, all wrapped up into one. He was right besides me and I wanted to bad to just put him out of his misery. My pet peeve is spitters, it is nasty, and disrespectful to do while running. If you have to spit, I totaly understand, but step off to the side of the road for Christ's sake. Have a great day.

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    1. Argh! Thanks for reminding me about the loogie. That should have been at the top of my list. I have such fear that a large nasty, green loogie is going to land on me! I would throw up.

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  16. funny! Lately I am disturbed by all the farting and snoring in my yoga class, there I said it! YIKES!

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    1. Snoring in yoga class? Farting, I can see happening...LOL.

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