Do runners throw temper tantrums?? (Read 903 times)

Like that? Not while running. Although, I will say, I was kinda mean and dirty during XC races. At districts, this kid kept trying to spike the backs of my legs, and the usual flipping mud at him wasn't working. I happened to notice that everyone in front of me was suddenly veering left or right around a rather solidly built square wooden lamppost. I waited till the last second, duck around the post, and heard a satisfying THUD!!! followed by a groan. The people behind me found it amusing, too. In my defense, if the guy hadn't been so intent on trying to put his 1/4" spikes through my calves, he would've seen the post. Oh, and I did once see someone get shoulder tackled into an electrified cow fence.

I think that runners are a better breed of people in the sportsmanship area, from what I've seen at least.

I'd agree with that...though maybe we're a bit biased! I think we're generally too tired to get aggressive or into much trouble! k

I have never seen a runner take off their shoes and heave them into traffic.

Hey, next time I am ready to retire a pair I will do this and have my hubby get it on video! k

In terms of sportsmanship, I've done small races, and big races. I don't know that I've ever seen a fight break out at a race. I also don't recall ever having heard or seen anything done to another runner that was anything more than friendly or talking smack. Except for those instances, and that was HS cross country. Totally different animal than most races. I have never met any of the Kenyan runners, but from what I've heard, they're all pretty decent guys to a fault. Very gracious, friendly people. I don't think you get anywhere near the level of primadonnas you get in other professional sports, nor do you get the level of unsportsman-like conduct from participants OR spectators that other sports seem to have. I think it's a culture of the sport. Most runners (except those track prisses, they're just a bunch of elitist pricks) are pretty laid back, and have much greater levels of patience.

(except those track prisses, they're just a bunch of elitist pricks)

Hey! No I've definitely never seen that kind of thing in running. I think the frustration that builds in team sports is much, much greater than in individual sports and there are more big emotional ups and downs to go with it. That, and you get big discrepancies in skill level when you play in the sort of amateur adult leagues and this can just increase the frustration levels. It's basically why I stopped playing team sports shortly after college. I'm all set with some knucklehead wanting to drop the gloves with me in a stupid men's hockey/soccer/rugby (pick your sport) game. I've got to be at work in the morning and I don't mean cutting lawns.

I usually have a great time playing soccer. For the most part I have only had good experiences with the game, until last night. Part of the problem in last night's game was there were too many different ages playing. The league really needs to keep them split. I'm quickly learning that soccer isn't just for fun for all that play. Some of those players are out for blood, and to me that seems a little extreme for a recreational sport. I had one not so nice experience with running. It was only a comment that was made about me when I was passing a father and his daughter. It was my 2nd 5k that I had ever run in and my husband and I ran it together. I made the mistake of chatting at first and quickly ran out of energy, so I slowed down. My husband kept going, since he kept his thoughts to himself while I babbled on and he had all his energy. Well, after I regained some strength and refocused, I sped up to catch my husband (or try to). When I did so, I went past a father and his 12 year old (I'm guessing her age) daughter, who had passed me not too long before. I then heard him chuckle and say to his daughter, "that is what you are NOT supposed to do, she'll never finish the race". I was annoyed that he didn't wait until I was past them more. I guess he was trying to educate his daughter. Well, what ever he was trying to do all it did was make me push harder to be sure they didn't pass me. And, they didn't. I felt like death at the end of the race but they didn't pass me. I didn't catch up with my husband . He beat me by about a minute. Other than that I have had only GREAT experiences with other runners. My friend Holly, who is on my soccer team is also a runner (we are doing Broad Street together)...she loves soccer so far, this is her first session. But, we both agree that we don't take chances of injury. Our steps out on that field are never without care. We don't want to risk our running!

Thanks, BP. I'm now an instrument of justice. Cool..... I will say I get frustrated in some races, especially at the start. But I don't think I've ever pushed or elbowed somebody, or intentionally cut anyone off.