Wannabes (Read 1171 times)

How often has this happened to you? You quietly run past someone and suddenly that person tries to play catch up. That's OK with me but all too often such people become pretty intrusive. Some get so close that I can hear their gasps. Others go a little ahead and park themselves right in the way. Once while running on a circular track one of these guys actually put his hands in the air after the first lap. I simply don't understand this. What's with these guys?

I was 13 miles into my first 20 miler I ever did as a long run and this guy I see start running about 200 yards ahead of me on a path starts running. I catch up to him pretty shortly and when I get level with him he starts to pick it up to keep up with me. Normally this would be okay except he sounded like some kind of weezing horse clopping and dying next to me. I could only handle this about half a mile before I had to just dust him to get rid of the horrible sound... it was the only time I wished I had been running w/ my ipod

Thx for this post. I thought it was just me that felt like this. A couple of weeks ago I passed someone - a rare occurance i must admit. I had been slowly catching up on her for a couple of k's or so. Then as soon as I passed her she sped up and basically ran on my shoulder for the next 3k's. I could hear her breathing down my neck. I was getting really peeved but couldn't work out why? I told myself not to get annoyed, it's no skin off my nose but in the end I turned round long before i had planned to. Call me anti social but I don't like people invading my space, even if it is on the footpath! Am I being mean spirited??

I dunno, I do understand where you guys are coming from, but at the same time....I think running is supposed to be fun, and those people are just playing. I know I've sped up on runs either to pass someone or prevent myself from being passed, just to push myself and/or alleviate some of the monotony. Sometimes it works, and sometimes I get dusted. No biggie, it is fun either way. I've never had someone get chatty or have breathing issues, and I could see where that could be a bit more annoying. But in the case of unspoken competition that just springs into life between two runners who happen to be running around the same pace at the same place....I think it is fun, and part of the pureness of running. I like it!

Well, duh... I think this girl may have had more on her mind than taking a walk break pal.

Oh - I thought so too - but then the thought of my wife hitting me with a frying pan made me keep on running.

That happened to me at a 5k last fall. I could barely run that far at that point, and I was DETERMINED to run the entire way. This girl in her 20s would be walking and then start running as I caught up to her. Sure enough, she did it at the finish line, too. So when I saw my running partner, I said, "Martha, I RAN THE ENTIRE WAY!" making sure the girl was within earshot. Made me feel better, at least

LOL

That doesn't normally happen to me but if it does I just mess around and enjoy it. I'll speed up a little then gap them then slow down so they get close to me again then speed up again.

LoL this happened to me again today on my 20 miler. A girl was turned right as I was running across a bridge and really started to ramp it up to catch up with me... I picked up the pace to punish this one cause I could tell that she wouldn't be able to keep it up. She made it about a quarter of a mile then completely blew up... People are just funny creatures.