Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
IGNORANT SLOWER RUNNERS
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
I can see that, although I can also see why they pack the numbers in - it all comes down to funding and sponsorship at the end of the day.
I was just hacked off at the needless bitching. Little Nemo is a case in point - not a matter of bad manners, simply inexperience.
So we're back 'round to the question implicit in the original post, which is how to correct the situation? How can we engender good behaviour and relieve people of their ignorance?
Is it not incumbent upon race organisers to do their best to find an answer?
Hi Muttley
I did that at my first race, but i was able to do so because i knew my pace and estimated finish time.
Aren't some organised by "event management companies", so need to make a profit?
You can still ask if you don't know that, LWJ. Most of us will know roughly how long it takes us to do our regular route and roughly how far it is. If someone does 4 miles or so in 40-odd mins, for example, and doesn't know where the equivalent pace group is at the start, it's easy enough to just ask.
As for race organizers, I've got the instructions for my next 10K and they request me to try and work out where to start and warn me that it is a race and there might be some jostling as we get away. Seems fair enough to me.
I always read the pre-race info - especially for 209 events
A serious runer wave then a charity wave?
For bigger events...
Just throwing out ideas here...
Running events on TV - either elite or will be huge and therefore contain a massive range of runners- same goes for almost every other sport. Big events that cost a fortune to run because they close half of central london - ditto. Events organised by charities themselves - obviously.
Personally I refuse to raise money above and beyond the entry fee for running - so am definitely not a charity runner, and while slow, I take it seriously. But I've just entered the Barts 10K - run by a charity; Cross the Bay - run by a charity. Charities are actually organising events - which are as good as and sometimes equal to other organising bodies such as running clubs and for-profits.
PS - I apologise for any spelling mistakes - I've just moved to a mac.
Rachel - I don't dispute there are plenty of races out there (although quite a few have fallen by the wayside in recent years, including some classics such as London-Brighton, or the "Poly" Marathon).
The point I was making which is to say that as a mid-pack runner I feel that I have been "sidelined" by the big events.
May I refer you to my previous post, which I extract below:-
Again - as a newbie and an inexperienced runner, I don't feel that anybody is slating me, nor any inexperienced/slower runner. I don't think that there has been any bitching - needless or otherwise.
Nor did I read any posts having a go at people wearing the wrong gear - the only reference was the OP's comment below, which again, I think is fair, reasonable and politely put (even if missing a "not" from the last clause
)
We're all in agreement, and, as Chocolate Moose said,
Sprint's solution is great. Maybe a new thread, "How do we convince organisers to adopt this strategy"If more and more serious runners avoid FLM, maybe the running world of GB at least would take notice.
I'd never want to stray away from club events for more than one or two runs a season, I prefer the more low keys events actually.
I have to disagree slightly Mutley. Entry for some of the big events is so far in advance that some of the people have absolutely no idea of how long it takes. How often do you hear people who have " thought it would be a good idea to do this run or that for charity" enter before even starting training.
Mr Bump - I do see your point but I also disagree slightly in that the reason people want to run the london marathon is because its the london marathon with the elite/ charity/ club runners - if it was simply elite/ club runners, then actually it wouldn't be the London Marathon. I wonder whether NYM has the same cricitisms over there.
I think the variety of races has made running more accessible, more egalitarian - for a middle of the pack runner like me to be in the same race as Mo is pretty impressive. I don't know of any other sports where all standards can compete on the same day in the same event.
On the other hand there are not many sports that will al;ow you to stroll around, making not much visible effort, starting in the wrong zone, getting in the way of other competitors, dressed as a shopping trolley or something equally as bizzare.
On the same day as pros.
I think a lot of the serious runners stayed away from the Manchester 10k. I finished in the top 10% and only got round in 47mins whereas in other races, which have a lot more club runners, Im in the middle pack. That shows that this race is mostly full of charity runners and people newer to the sport. Not a criticism just an observation.
I dont think the organisers of this race will look upon this race as a failure because of this. Infact, Quite the opposite as next year its moving to a ballot from first come first serve.
"Entry for some of the big events is so far in advance that some of the people have absolutely no idea of how long it takes. How often do you hear people who have " thought it would be a good idea to do this run or that for charity" enter before even starting training."
When you arrive on the day at the start line, you don't know how long it will take you to get round or where to position yourself. So you ask someone. If you're unsure of whom, ask a marshal. I mean, how hard is that?
I agree with Muttley, and would add, if you don't know how long it will take you (surely you have trained and have some idea how long you took, no?), then start at the back. That really isn't a dififcult concept. at least that way, if you are going to be slow, you're in the right place, and if not then at least you are going to a) know where to start next time, and b) be able to get past the others who started at the back as the race goes on. Incidentally, a first race is always a PB so that shouldn't be an issue, and it will then give a target for next time.
CBJA.
I wouldn't expect you take offence at this thread, because it's not aimed at slow/inexperienced runners per se. It's aimed at people who don't understand race etiquette and start in the wrong position, thereby obstructing faster runners.
You've already misquoted my position several times on this thread; when (once again) my point has always been that the nature of these races is that they attract runners of all standards and abilities; and this is what makes running acessible to all. Again, these races attract corporate sponsorship and finding because of this mass particpation and wouldn't exist on anywhere near that scale without the charity/fun runners. Unfortunately, due to their lack of experience (and rarely bad manners) they might misjudge their ability and realistically you have to expect this.
In my opinion, a lot of fun runners really don't know how fast they're going to be and this is why they then end up in the wrong position, not because they are selfish or bad mannered. This can work both ways - in my last 5K race a new runner (not wearing wearing correct running gear - shock - horror!!) started way back and finished in 21 mins - a reasonable time by anyone's standards I think.
Melodra - I was not making fun of someone wearing non running trainers - I was actually, in all seriousness amazed that someone would think it was fine to run 10K in them - that has nothing to do with inexperience, first time race, etc, that has to do with being very very very naive.
Would I play amateur football in a pair of trainers or proper studded football boots
Would I play golf with set of clubs or just try and hack my way round with one club
Why there are allowances for running just because it's for charity / or there have never run a race before, I do not understand
Rather embarrassingly - I have played football in a pair of trainers rather than football boots and have also hacked my way around a golf course in Scotland using one club (up with boyfriend and we borrowed two clubs on an off-chance - the other club was too high for me )- oddly enough the local golf club was pleased i played rather than sat in the clubroom.
If I had to fork out for renting an entire kit - I probably wouldn't have had a go.
I have also ridden horses in jeans and trainers - and to a reasonably high standard.
Every day, someone on this forum asks about trainers - why as a first timer would I know to go to a proper running shop and not just the local JJB sports. JJB sports sell fashion trainers but also pretend to sell trainers for running - and their assistants believe they are trained to do so.
More importantly, why would I shell out 80+ pounds on something I may not be sure I will continue to do - I played football for a couple of months as part of a local 5 a side - had I continued, I might have shelled out but actually I didn't. I only invested in a proper pair of running shoes after I had done my first race.
One club to tee of and putt with ? sounds like it was pitch and putt at the best
5 a side you wouldn't be wearing studs would you, any old trainers are fine
Pretty obvious typing running shoes into the internet to get the basics types of running shoe - most forum trainer posts are which make ie Asics Gel Nimbus or if I over pronounce, etc
'I have also ridden horses in jeans and trainers - and to a reasonably high standard. ' - Well done........
All,
I have read this thread and felt I had to say something. Why do the slower runners go toward the front, could be ignorance, but let me give you another theory.
Runners like myself, who are relatively new and who are finding joy in taking up a sport that they are always challenged with, despite being slowish, have over the past few years established our pace and have set a resonable set of PBs. I am always hoping for that perfect race and bringing my PB down at the same time, Its not going to be dramatic any more, just a few seconds on whatever distance attempted. Some races that have no pens or slots, only do Gun to finish timing, or chip timing that only records at the finish line. Hence, if I start quite a way back, then I can loose my PB attempt before even crossing the start line as this can take upto 5 mins!
I know this is a bit chicken and egg, and if race equitte eutopia exsisted then we would all be happy, but surely the organisers should cater for all standards whatever our ability or personal goals may be. Its fair that we all have a chance to achieve our personal PBs, this is not just the rights of the faster more gifted runners.
In essence if its Start and finish chip timing then all what you say is true, but if the organisers dont provide this service then its effectively a free for all.
Just a thought.
Chris, I know nothing about golf and tbh wouldn't have a clue what clubs I needed to play with.I wouldn't bother shelling out any money on them though unless I knew it was something I wanted to take up regularly.
One-off fun runners probs won't even know about proper running shoes, let alone what type of running shoe they should have. Yes, it is naive to serious runners who take the sport seriously, but not really to people who aren't runners and tbh I don't think running one-off 10K in normal trainers would actually kill anyone when you think how minimal racer trainers are anyway. And let me pre-empt you CJBA, I'm not now saying correct running shoes aren't important!!!!!!
Rachel, I totally agree!
When i decided to do the BUPA race i didnt have ne idea how long it would take me.
so put in some random time ~1hour. When i started training i realised i could do it in a lot quicker than that and when i got to the race day I was stuck in the 8th wave. There was no option for me to move up into a wave that was of a similar pace. as soon as the marshals saw your number you were ushered into the corresponding pen.
I'm sure there were a lot of "slower runners" out there who thought I was rude, weaving in and out of them and squeezing through gaps.