Marathon Etiquette (Read 2088 times)


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    Still not sure what I'm supposed to do if someone behind me yells Track!

     

    I've never heard anyone use 'track' except at the track. I do workouts Wednesday mornings wih a group that ranges from really really fast to pokey (me). I pride myself on having excellent track etiquette - stay out of the way of the faster folks, move way outside for recovery, don't bug the coach with personnel questions. There are a few fast guys who don't say track as they come up. I don't know if they are being extra polite, are annoyed that I exist, or what. But they'll veer right to go around me. I feel bad - I don't want to be in their way - but if I move right when I hear them coming, I end up crashing into them stepping around me. They're not guys I know - I need to figure out who they are I guess.

      I ran track in high school - 100, 200, and 400.  I had a lane.  I stayed in it and I liked it that way.  Unless I was running the mile relay whereupon I totally. freaked. out.  Smile

       

      Like SRLopez said.  It just seems rather ridiculous for us mid-packers doing 8:00 miles and the like to draft.  Although, at shorter races, sometimes I am competing for an AG award.

       

      So, it seems like the proper protocol is to ask and then speak up if you're doing all the work (or punch them in the throat).

      Try running the 800m or longer. Smile

       

      The pace doesn't seem to matter to me, unless someone's just out there lollygagging.  But if we're all trying to run our best ... ?

       

      And I don't get the "I'm doing all the work" part.  You'd be doing all that work anyway.  I can see not wanting to be some random dude's domestique for miles and miles in a marathon, though.  But a mile or two in a HM?  If the drafter isn't clipping your heels, who cares?

      "I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."

      -- Dick LeBeau

      dpschumacher


      3 months til Masters

        When running a marathon on a 2 wide track (Petit Ice Center) it becomes appropriate to say track so slow people can get out of the way of faster people.

         

        When I used to run on the track there was one young woman I wanted to punch in the throat - She new I was there and trying to run a speed workout - just like she was, but would walk her recoveries in the 1st lane. 

         

        At petit it's enough to slow you down 6 min over 10 miles.

        2023 Goals

        Marathon Sub 2:37 (CIM) 2:41:18

        10k Sub 35:00 (Victory 10k 34:19)

        5k Sub 16:00 (Hot Dash 5k in March (16:48), Brian Kraft in May (16:20), Twilight 5000 in July and August (16:20/16:25 Both heat index 102-103F)

        Sub 1:16 Half Marathon  City of Lakes Half Marathon 1:15:47)

        Sub 56:30 in 10 mile (Twin Cities 10 mile, Canceled due to weather, 56:35 as a workout)

         

        2024 Goals

        Sub 2:37 Marathon

        Sub 1:15 Half

        Sub 34 10k

        Sub 16 5k

         

         

        Julia1971


          Try running the 800m or longer. Smile

           

          The pace doesn't seem to matter to me, unless someone's just out there lollygagging.  But if we're all trying to run our best ... ?

           

          And I don't get the "I'm doing all the work" part.  You'd be doing all that work anyway.  I can see not wanting to be some random dude's domestique for miles and miles in a marathon, though.  But a mile or two in a HM?  If the drafter isn't clipping your heels, who cares?

           

          I was ribbing you because you said "track".  A lot of (most?) track events are run in lanes.  I know this is a distance running board for the most part, but...  wev...

           

          The thread was about etiquette and I commented that it annoyed me.  It shows that not everyone appreciates drafting.  (If you'd like more intel on my annoyances, PM me and we can become friends on Facebook and you can get a more complete picture.  Fair warning: it's mostly bus riding etiquette.)  Note in the aforementioned reference I didn't stop running, cry, body check the dude, or punch him in the throat...  I noticed it and it bugged.  I finished 5th overall and 1st in AG.  I got a gift certificate and bought running bling.

          AmoresPerros


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            I ran track in high school - 100, 200, and 400.  I had a lane.  I stayed in it and I liked it that way.

             

            Smile

             

             

            We just need bigger tracks so we can run everything fully laned. 

             

            A nice 1000m track, or 1500m track, would be fun.

             

            So would a 5000m track.

             

            Hm. Those would be some awesome staggers, too.

             

             

            By the way, how often do they run 4x200 fully laned? Every track seems to have the markings for it, but, do they use them?

            It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

            Julia1971


              Smile

               

               

              We just need bigger tracks so we can run everything fully laned. 

               

              A nice 1000m track, or 1500m track, would be fun.

               

              So would a 5000m track.

               

              Hm. Those would be some awesome staggers, too.

               

               

              By the way, how often do they run 4x200 fully laned? Every track seems to have the markings for it, but, do they use them?

               

              That would be my dream - lanes and runners with little turn signals on their bums.  I suppose people would still ride in the "blind spot".  (Sigh).

               

              I don't think I ever ran 4x200.  The most chaotic races I ever ran were 4x100m hurdles relay and "distance medley" (where I ran the 400 for my team)...  I hated track, though.  I've erased most of it from my memory.  Although...  Fact: my only real running injury has been spraining my wrist breaking my fall when my trail leg hit a hurdle.

              AmoresPerros


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                That would be my dream - lanes and runners with little turn signals on their bums.  I suppose people would still ride in the "blind spot".  (Sigh).

                 

                 

                This would be pretty entertaining. Everyone would be blinking "left turn" all the time.

                 

                I don't think I ever ran 4x200.  The most chaotic races I ever ran were 4x100m hurdles relay and "distance medley" (where I ran the 400 for my team)...  I hated track, though.  I've erased most of it from my memory.  Although...  Fact: my only real running injury has been spraining my wrist breaking my fall when my trail leg hit a hurdle.

                 

                4x100 hurdles -- WTH?      Is that some freaky indoor thing, cause it sounds freaky, and I associate freaky events with indoor.

                 

                I have run distance medley; I don't call that freaky. Just uncommon.

                 

                Also, you have completely confirmed my opinion of what hurdles are for. Hurdles are for easing yourself into getting really injured -- once you're good at it, you can move into steeplechase for advanced destroying your body.

                It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                Julia1971


                  4x100 hurdles -- WTH?      Is that some freaky indoor thing, cause it sounds freaky, and I associate freaky events with indoor.

                   

                  I have run distance medley; I don't call that freaky. Just uncommon.

                   

                  Also, you have completely confirmed my opinion of what hurdles are for. Hurdles are for easing yourself into getting really injured -- once you're good at it, you can move into steeplechase for advanced destroying your body.

                   

                  It was outdoor and it was mayhem.  I think it was an invitational so there were only a few teams and they gave each team two lanes to do the relay.  Still, it was chaos.

                   

                  And, yeah, hurdles are funny.  You have to run them fearlessly and yet every week you see the carnage they leave behind.  330m hurdles actually ended up being my best event.  I had the fastest time in the county going in to trials for state but choked.  I hate track.  Smile

                  AmoresPerros


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                    4x100M hurdles would be better indoors. Have your first two teammates knock 'em all down, and then your last two people can really fly Smile

                     

                    Hurdle relay -- good heavens. What the heck is the passing zone like? Off to see what youtube has.

                    It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                    AmoresPerros


                    Options,Account, Forums

                      4x100M hurdles would be better indoors. Have your first two teammates knock 'em all down, and then your last two people can really fly Smile

                       

                      Hurdle relay -- good heavens. What the heck is the passing zone like? Off to see what youtube has.

                       

                      Hmm. Apparently you can run a hurdle shuttle relay back and forth over the same hurdles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPAi2y_fkxw

                       

                      I guess invisible people must be propping them back up when they get knocked down?

                       

                      (By invisible I mean off-camera -- although it is amazing anything escaped that super-professional videographer there.)

                       

                       

                      Hurdle shuttle relay is even more surprising than hurdle relay. And what is really astonishing is that apparently both are track events, not drinking contests, as one would naturally guess.

                      It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                      AmoresPerros


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                        And in this one you get to see one of the invisible people: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj_UDsOPJ8M

                        Looks like the same great videographer.

                        It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                        Julia1971


                          Hmm. Apparently you can run a hurdle shuttle relay back and forth over the same hurdles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPAi2y_fkxw

                           

                          I guess invisible people must be propping them back up when they get knocked down?

                           

                          (By invisible I mean off-camera -- although it is amazing anything escaped that super-professional videographer there.)

                           

                           

                          Hurdle shuttle relay is even more surprising than hurdle relay. And what is really astonishing is that apparently both are track events, not drinking contests, as one would naturally guess.

                           

                          I hate to be a hater but those ladies need to learn how to come out of blocks...  They all stood right up!  What's the point of having them?  Ugh.  Really, I tried to move on with my life and block this all out.  Please don't let anyone post about long jump/triple jump.  I will lose it.

                          xor


                            >> bus riding etiquette.

                             

                            Oh!

                             

                            Ok.

                             

                            If you are paying with cash or showing a transfer slip on a "pay as you leave" bus, please get your fare ready sometime BEFORE the bus is stopped and you are standing right next to the driver.  Or at least know what pocket your money/transfer is in.  You had all that time after you rang the bell...

                             

                            Julia1971


                              >> bus riding etiquette.

                               

                              Oh!

                               

                              Ok.

                               

                              If you are paying with cash or showing a transfer slip on a "pay as you leave" bus, please get your fare ready sometime BEFORE the bus is stopped and you are standing right next to the driver.  Or at least know what pocket your money/transfer is in.  You had all that time after you rang the bell...

                               

                              People who pay in change make me want to rage...  Really?  You're gonna make all of us wait while you plug $2.10 in what appears to be nickles into the machine?!  I just know they have a dollar or two. 


                              Oh roo roooo!

                                Regarding that "Track!" thing--my brother and I were in school at Carroll College in the early 80s.  I still remember running on that horrible little zillion-laps-to-the-mile indoor track in the dead of winter and my bro and his buddies would come roaring in to do THEIR workout.  I'd hear thundering hoofbeats coming up on me, someone would bellow "TRAAAAAAACK!" (which I understood to mean "get the hell out of the way or we will mow you down w/o a second thought") and I would move far right while they swept past me like a formation of fighter planes....

                                 

                                I still would interpret "Track" to mean "get the hell out of the way" but if I wasn't on an actual track, I'm not sure what I would do, probably try to assess quickly from where the threat emanated and then, yes, get the hell out of the way.  I am really good at getting the hell out of the way and often get annoyed at those who don't/won't get the hell out of the way (not that there are many folks who need to get the hell out of MY way, but I do encounter them once in a while...).

                                 

                                And the Petit Center!  Oy Vey!  I have only run there a few times, but yes, some major etiquette breaches can be seen.  Three or 4 people trying to run abreast on a 2-lane track?  Also, for most of the length of the track, you can walk just outside the outside lane w/no problem, but yet walkers insist on being IN the lane, which mystifies me.  Last weekend I ran 16 there myself, as it was icy outside and I had fallen the day before, mildly pulled something in my right thigh and wanted to take it easy.  I was running 4 laps and then walking 1 lap.  For the walked lap, yes, I got the hell out of the way by walking off the side of the outside lane.  It was not a problem, and as the track was pretty busy, I felt that was the considerate thing to do.  I saw other walkers, but all remained in the lane, which I guess is their right, but really, why insist in that situation?