It may seem simple, but some runners can be completely oblivious that anyone else is around them. Get these 4 basic running etiquette principles right and avoid becoming the brunt of someone else’s irritation.
Warn before passing. If you’re approaching someone from behind, alert them to your presence with a cough or verbal heads-up like ‘Good morning!’ or ‘Passing on your right!’
Don’t run more than two abreast. It’s not okay to take up the width of the path or shoulder. When cars approach, proceed to single file.
Look before you expel. If you need to spit, blow, or hawk, first make sure the area around you is clear of others.
Move over, then stop. To avoid collisions, move off to the side before stopping at a water station, to tie your shoe, or to take a walk break.
Do you think that there’s another thing runners should consider? Add your advice below.
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I would like to add in there, especially during races, don’t overtake a runner only to run in front of them at a slower pace!
And spitting without warning is a big No No! Please aim your spit to the side of the road, and not on my shoe. Gross
I agree with this, I’ve never had a need to spit and I don’t see why other people have to but if they do they should at least look around before they do it.
i agree with the comments above, worse still when they have i-pod / ear phones and cannot hear you shouting “coming through” and then give you this “look” when you pass them. Why can’t i-pod’s just be banned for any race longer than 10km ?
A friendly request to walkers: in races with a large field (more than about 800 people), please can you try and line up at the back, behind the runners, at the start of the race? It is frustrating for runners wanting to try for a PB to have to weave around and through groups of walkers when the gun goes off at the start of a race, many times having to slow down to a walk when it becomes impossible to pass. Thank you! :)
I agree, I’m also tired of fat people always walking slowly in groups so I can’t pass. It’s supposed to be a race, if they aren’t competing they shouldn’t be there.
Hi Scott. I suspect that you are trying to stir the pot, but in case you are serious can you at least try to change your perception of walkers or who is a ‘real runner’? I am a running member of Run Walk for Life, and have a huge respect for the walkers, some of whom are fat, some are older people, some have health issues, but the majority are trying very hard to improve their lives despite those limitations. For example, we have a member who is 72 yrs old and after nearly 40 yrs of running he was told to stop running 10 yrs ago because of chronic problems with his achilles tendon, and is now a walker. During his running years he completed 18 Comrades Marathons, and achieved 6 silver medals. Would you say that he ‘shouldn’t be there’?. As an older runner (53 yrs) I can say that I still run credible times and I pass many, many much younger people. Although I was a member of a mainstream running club since 1993, I recently switched to RWFL because I wanted a less competitive environment and to experience more from running than chasing PBs. Nevertheless, I still consider myself to be ‘a real runner’.
A very fair comment.
Great comment. Not everybody is there to break the sound barrier…
Most runners have a very good etiquette and good behavior durint the training runs at roads, in parks or whereever they do their training sessions. The problem is very often people with dogs who don’t pay atention to a runner coming up behind or in front of them. The path is occupied by a dog, the lead and the dogowner. Otherwise it’s a dog without a lead running after you trying to bite your ass, barking and jumping. Many times I have recieved brusiers on my back after jumping dogs. When you react you get a angry eye from the dogowner or a oral lesson in stupidity.
then you got all those people walaking together 3, 4 or as many the width of the path allow. Even you make noises or warn them when you oming up behind, they are not that willing to give you space. They consider the situation like the runner could take a turn arond them in the wood or out in the car traffic.
Then I think the car drivers often are very observant and respectful against runners. Those are my experiences form the region where I come from.
I don’t see why ipods should be banned.its personal choice.its better than people yap yap yap the whole time in your ears talking the whole time how bad this program is or what they did the past week.who cares!
If you don’t want anybody to talk to you then go run on a treadmill in the gym.
@Scott: what a selfish and arrogant reply. So only extroverts are allowed to enjoy road racing? Some of us don’t care for your idle chit chat and prefer to focus on the inner battle of getting through a race. People are different, and have different motivations for doing races. Live with it.
Sorry about all the spelling mistakes… I must have sticky coffee in my keyboard…
The biggest problem with ipods are on the trails. People don’t here you when you say “passing right!” and on a trail this can be very frustrating! Leave the ipods at home on the trails!
Yeah I can’t spell either!
With regards to ipods – under most organisations rules (I think it may be iaaf) the wearing of them is normally banned in races – though not usually enforced. Denise, you might not want to hear people yapping away to you, but not having any spatial awareness is worse. People who run with earphones tend not to have any spatial awareness and have no idea what is going on around them.
Scott, I disagree with your statement and think it selfish… walkers have every right to be in any race as do all athletes. The race organisers aught to have a different starting pen or to start behind the runners; marshals should assist with separating the two groups and you can call out that runner coming through…
But walkers aren’t athletes, they should have their own competitions where everybody walks. Also, fat runners should be forced to start at the back, I’m tired of trying to run past them as they’re wobbling all over the road.
I agee about the walkers, but just let it be said that there is a difference between the serious walker that could ‘outwalk’ me on most good days and the casual walker that is totally just out for a leasurely stroll early im the morning. If you are that person and the 5 k you have decided to walk today starts with the 10k and the 21 k, for goodness sakes, please line up at the back so that others can get thru.
Another thing: pls don’t try to source me for your club on the last two kays of a half marathon. I dont feel like talking and i would join a club if i want to.
Most runners don’t realise what it entails to organise a race. Whether you have 200 serious runners or 1000 serious + casual runners, you still need the same number of water stations, marshalls and traffic control.
If you discourage everyone except the “serious” runners (how do you determine the seriousness and maybe for the slow fat runners, they are also trying for their PB, just much slower than your slowest run), there will be many less races and the ones that remain will require a much higher registration fees – to cover the logistics side of the race.
Why are we runners so intolerant?
There are people that are slow and will always be slow. It doesnt mean they don’t take their running seriously? Slow runners are still runners.
Also iPod users. Most are more aware than people that don’t wear them. Of course you get the occasional irresponsible unaware ones, but then there are also plenty amongst the non wearers. Most wear their earphones in only one ear and can hear perfectly well.
Some people like chatting, some like to socialise, some want to keep to themselves, some like to listen to music.
We need to accept others as they are, not what YOU think runners should be like.
Please. This world has enough bigoted egotistical, selfish, self righteous, judgmental people. Let us runners not be part of that group.
H Dreamdoc. Yes completely agree with you. I have no objection to runners and walkers in the same race but feel that walkers should line up behind the runners so as not to impede the runners at the start. Perhaps a possible solution is that runners and walkers are identified by means of an R or a W on their licences, and that at the start of a race the walkers start 5 mins behind the runners. That way the runners can get into their paces without the impediment of having to pass walkers, and the fast walkers can also have an opportunity to start in front of the slower walkers. It will also help to split up the very large fields and help to ease the congestion at the start. Having said that, I remember years ago when the Truworths Ladies 10 km race was on the calendar that there were seeding boards at the start. However, some walkers used to line up under the sub 40 and sub 50 seeding boards. The faster runners would just be getting into their stride when some walker would bend over in the middle of the road to tie her shoelaces or pick up a tissue…:)
I have to agree with Denise, i dont have a problem with ipods but i do have a problem with people yapping all the way, its so irritating! And also (slow) walkers who line up infront of runners. Just stand at the back it only makes sense to me.
Hi Leana. I don’t have an issue with iPods as such as long as they are not intrusive. Recently I ran the Koeberg 15 km race which is run in the Koeberg Nature Reserve. At around 11 kms I had a young woman in front of me who was listening to her iPod, but with a speaker in only one ear. The other speaker was left dangling and the music was extremely loud and irritating, and completely out of place in the context of a nature reserve where there were zebra, little bokkies and other wildlife besides runners. If I wanted to listen to Edgars music I would run in a mall…
Another thing that I feel runners should consider is the issue of toilets, especially toilets for the ladies where the queues are usually very long. I sometimes find myself standing in a long queue feeling stressed because there are only a few minutes left before the start of the race, and in that queue are runners who are running a race starting 15 – 30 mins later. I make a point to arrive early at races but sometimes there are so many runners, and so few toilets, that a long queue is inevitable. Can the runners who running a later race please allow the runners who are starting earlier and desperate to pee the opportunity to use the toilets first?