Drafting (Read 1194 times)

Ok I just ran a 10K race this morning and had my first taste of being used. I've read about this before but never experienced it first hand. Over a very windy bridge this guy decides to draft off of me. I tried moving further to the side and speeding up but I wasn't strong enough to shake him. He then goes and sprints away after we get down to the other side. How unmanly of you! Vent over. I know it is all just race tactics but I'm not feelin' very enthused right now. It was a bad race anyway and I'm lickin' my wounds.

I think if you should be upset with anyone it should be yourself. If you were a stronger runner he wouldnt have left you in the dust. just sayin'

I can not even count the number of times that I've been used thus. Or that I've used that sort of a tactic. Slowing down sometimes work, but I usually try to find a good spot to pick up the pace when they might not notice right away and leave them behind then. It's a trick finding a place where it won't make you work harder than you need to. Most times I just ignore them and let 'em take the short advantage.

Other than you letting it bother you psychologically by feeling "used", how did his tactic affect your race? Too bad about the bad race. We have all had them. But, if the drafter contributed to the "badness" of your race, it's your fault for leting it get to you, not his for using a normal, accepted race tactic.

I know yer right. Just caught me by surprise and frankly I've never drafted off of anyone and have always thought it was kind of only for the "elite" people up front who really gave a carp! As far as the other ideas go...I did think about slowing down but I was trying to catch the woman up ahead and I figured that I would be giving up this goal at a critical moment. Didn't matter anyway because I didn't catch her. Interesting comments, all.

It happens. If you're the better runner it won't matter.

Raced last Sun. - quite windy - some guy actually encouraged me to draft - I didn't even get his gesture at first but wondered what prompted his act ... my grunts of exertion perhaps? It was great & I only hope I can be of assistance to someone one day who is in need of a few minutes less torture!

Raced last Sun. - quite windy - some guy actually encouraged me to draft - I didn't even get his gesture at first but wondered what prompted his act ... my grunts of exertion perhaps? It was great & I only hope I can be of assistance to someone one day who is in need of a few minutes less torture!

I assume for the people who really know what they are doing, they take turns drafting off each other. In the end helping both.

Hanging on someone's heels for mile after mile to let the other person(s) deal with a headwind for you, while not against the rules, is really poor sportsmanship.

Is it really? I had no idea. If I ever approach the kind of speed where I'm actually racing someone, I guess I'll have to learn this stuff.

How unmanly of you!

I can't resist asking: how exactly was this "unmanly?" I can see why you'd call it annoying or frustrating or a whole bunch of other adjectives ... but "unmanly" I don't get. Should men not draft behind female competitors? I'm honestly curious. Should he have been gallant and offered to let you draft behind him ... because you're a girl? Seems to me he paid you a compliment: he treated you just like any other competitor. That's actually one of the many things I love about running - the other runners are just other runners. They lose all the labels and become just other competitors. If I were a woman, and some guy treated me differently on a race course because of it, I'd be pissed. So what's the "manly" thing to do? Do tell.