Beginners and Beyond

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National anthem before races (Read 97 times)

Cyberic


    Question:

     

    In many RR, I notice people saying the race starts after the national anthem. Do they play the anthem before every single race? Is it like that in english speaking canadian provinces? I can't understand that. I understand it in an international competition, like the Olympics or World junior championships or whatever, but before a race, or even before a football game between two american teams... what's the point? They play them (canadian and american anthems) before NHL games too. I'm often one of the few who stays seated, and when i stand it's actually because I'm very tall and I'm actually glad to stand in those cramped seats. There are players from many many countries playing for the Montreal Canadiens... what do they care for the canadian national anthem?

     

    I'm actually very very glad to be living here. But to worship a song, or a flag for that matter...

     

    Weird subject on a running forum Big grin I actually expect some heat from more patriotic forumees. It's just another human behavorial thing I do not understand.

    Mattchiro


    Happy to be here.

      I'm with you 100%.  Also, 'God Bless America' needs to stop at every baseball game.

       

       

      Half PR:  1:34 (August, 2012)

       

      Marathon PR:  3:45 (October, 2012)

       

      Next race:  ???

       

      Next Marathon:  2015???

      happylily


        In smaller races in Quebec and the rest of Canada, they don't sing the anthem. In bigger ones they generally do (at least outside of Quebec. My guess is that if Quebec had a national anthem of its own, it would be sung and you'd probably get up...)

         

        My long opinion on the subject: part of what makes a society/culture is its traditions. Every year I try to go eat at a sugar shack, even though the food always tastes like shit, because it is a Quebecois tradition and I want to pass that feeling of belonging to that culture to my children.

         

        Where did the singing the anthems at sport events come from I do not know, but it's become a tradition. It does not hurt anyone, is not exclusive and no one forces you to get up. I like it for those reasons. I do not honor a flag, or a song, like you say, I honor a people, whether mine, or the American people, or whatever people in whatever country I happen to be in.

         

        So if I traveled with you to Spain, Eric, and we attended a corrida and the Spanish anthem was sung before the start, you'd stay on your chair while everybody else would get up? Really? I think I'd be slightly embarrassed to be with you... But it's a right you have, at least here, in North America.

        PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

        18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

        Zelanie


          I think it's regional.  I live in the Pacific NW, and the only race that's played the national anthem is the Portland marathon.  Never for smaller races.

          wcrunner2


          Are we there, yet?

            The Star Spangled Banner wasn't officially adopted as the US national anthem until 1931. It and other patriot songs were played at sporting events as early as the mid-19th century. While it may have been played at major league games earlier, it was definitely played at the games in the 1918 World Series toward the end of WW I. It became a standard to play it at MLB games during WW II. That it's playing has connections to two world wars should not be surprising since it's origins are the battle at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. Since then it has expanded to most professional sporting events in the US and many amateur events as well.

             2024 Races:

                  03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                  05/11 - D3 50K
                  05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                  06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

             

             

                 

            sheepla


              In smaller races in Quebec and the rest of Canada, they don't sing the anthem. In bigger ones they generally do (at least outside of Quebec. My guess is that if Quebec had a national anthem of its own, it would be sung and you'd probably get up...)

               

              My long opinion on the subject: part of what makes a society/culture is its traditions. Every year I try to go eat at a sugar shack, even though the food always tastes like shit, because it is a Quebecois tradition and I want to pass that feeling of belonging to that culture to my children.

               

              Where did the singing the anthems at sport events come from I do not know, but it's become a tradition. It does not hurt anyone, is not exclusive and no one forces you to get up. I like it for those reasons. I do not honor a flag, or a song, like you say, I honor a people, whether mine, or the American people, or whatever people in whatever country I happen to be in.

               

              So if I traveled with you to Spain, Eric, and we attended a corrida and the Spanish anthem was sung before the start, you'd stay on your chair while everybody else would get up? Really? I think I'd be slightly embarrassed to be with you... But it's a right you have, at least here, in North America.

              I agree with every word of this post!

              B-Plus


                They sing it at BMO marathon and rock n roll half here. I much prefer going to hockey games with 2 Canadian teams so i don't have to stand through the American one as well.

                Docket_Rocket


                  They do it in every race down here (Florida) but not in Puerto Rico.  We don't feel less patriotic when we race without it.  Maybe it is cultural like Z mentioned.

                  Damaris

                   

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                    Funny, I have no memory of the national anthem playing at any of my races. I'm sure they must've done it at least for the marathons, but I guess I had other things on my mind. And was already standing up.

                     

                    I don't see the point of it at races or sporting events in general, but have just come to expect it. And weird only in hindsight that we had to say the Pledge of Allegiance every single day at school, from K through 12. Even weirder that at schools in Texas, that is accompanied by the pledge to the Texas flag. Really.

                    Dave

                    Half Crazy K 2.0


                      It's played at the Baltimore marathon, but at the start of the marathon, so I've never been there for it.

                       

                      I've seen it sung at smaller races. Some cases it was races that supported the police or military. In another, it was a high school student who was a member of one of the charities the race benefited.

                       

                      I did gymnastics as a kid. Every meet followed the same script, you march in with your team, line up on the floor and the National Anthem is played.

                       

                      Being in the Baltimore area, people feel the need to put their own special spin on it. Gotta scream O really loud towards then end.  They feel the need to do this at football games too.

                      music_girl117


                        I'd say the national anthem is sung probably a little more than 50% of the races I've done (New Jersey).  I feel like it's more common in the summer races; maybe no one wants to stand around that much longer in the winter, haha.

                         

                        Dave, I grew up in Texas and never said a pledge to the Texas flag.  I didn't even know there was one.  But I grew up in a city (Austin) with many many people who recently moved there from other states , so maybe it's a more common practice in the more rural areas.  *shrug*

                        PRs:

                        5k - 22:53  (May 2015)

                        10k - 50:00 (unofficial; part of 20k race, March 2015); 50:33 (official; July 2016)

                        HM - 1:48:40  (Apr. 2015)

                        JerryInIL


                        Return To Racing

                          It's not very good running music.

                              

                             

                            Dave, I grew up in Texas and never said a pledge to the Texas flag.  I didn't even know there was one.  But I grew up in a city (Austin) with many many people who recently moved there from other states , so maybe it's a more common practice in the more rural areas.  *shrug*

                             

                            We were in Plano, a mega-suburb of Dallas. Lived there for 2 years, 10 years ago. We had a kid in elementary school at the time. I guess it varies by school district or something. Plano probably had more transplants than native Texans, so who knows. Maybe a more recent development. The area is way more conservative than Austin, if that makes a difference.

                            Dave

                            music_girl117


                               

                              We were in Plano, a mega-suburb of Dallas. Lived there for 2 years, 10 years ago. We had a kid in elementary school at the time. I guess it varies by school district or something. Plano probably had more transplants than native Texans, so who knows. Maybe a more recent development. The area is way more conservative than Austin, if that makes a difference.

                               

                              Huh, interesting.  Yeah, maybe it is a district-by-district decision.  I will have to ask some friends of mine who lived in other parts as well.

                              PRs:

                              5k - 22:53  (May 2015)

                              10k - 50:00 (unofficial; part of 20k race, March 2015); 50:33 (official; July 2016)

                              HM - 1:48:40  (Apr. 2015)


                              delicate flower

                                I only hear it at marathons and occasionally HM's.  I like when they play it simply because it gives a few minutes of silence to just relax, think about my race, and get mentally dialed in.  For this reason I wish every race played it.

                                <3

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