Let's liven this place up...IPods, Yes or No (Read 979 times)

LOL.. That made me laugh

I'm sure every runner wearing headphones thinks they can hear just fine, but it's like all those people driving erratically on their cell phones don't realize what is going on either. I can't count the number of times I was in a race where I had to pass slower runners we were lapping and they were oblivious to yells to clear a path. Or a couple women who jumped out of their skin on paths at night because I passed after making plenty of noise they didn't hear because of their headphones. I'm fine with people wearing them, but they do cause problems in races. I would never wear them on roads either because I've logged a LOT of miles and can think of many occasions where less than perfect awareness could have been being hit by a car. I have recently started wearing them when I am forced to run on the treadmill at work. They do make that more tolerable. I don't have to worry about other runners or getting hit by a car there and it does help make the time tolerable.

I can't figure out how to copy & paste it here - but that is the Best. Smiley. Ever.

I guess what I just don't get is why someone believes that another runner must move out of their way when being passed.... Everyone has the right to be in the space they currently occupy, no one has a "right" to make another runner move out of their way ...

Actually you are wrong. The race director and the people he delegates as race officals or road marshals have the right to move or direct you during the race. We also have the right to put the fast runners in the front of the start, and to move slower runners like you to the back of the start. This is to give each of the competitive runners a fair start without you obstructing them. You may have paid the same entry fee but you don't get a right to stand in the first rows of the start. It is, after all, a race. Putting you further back also means the FRB don't run you down. You don't have a 'right of way', you are sharing the race course with about a zillion other people. You all have to work on keeping clear of each other. The etiquette of racing says that you DO make way for a faster runner, you do move aside when you hear some one behind you say "On Your Left" or words to that affect. You may be surprised to learn that failing to do so is against the rules. It is un-sportsman like to block another runner, even when they are overtaking. You can actively block them by stepping in front of them, or passively block them, by failing to move aside when they ask to come through. Either way it is un-sportsman like conduct and can get you disqualified. So no, you don't have a 'right' or 'right of way' or 'right to block'. When some one faster comes up behind make room and let them pass. This is not a Macy's Sale.

So the thousand other threads that have chewed this topic till the flavor's gone not enough for you? If you're just trying to alleviate your boredom you'd be better occupied throwing some meat to the lions that didn't start rotting a while back.

Discussions like these are something that I don't miss about Cool Running. Tom