So I have a few pet peeves about race day running etiquette. And it’s not because I’m selfish or mean, I just want to have a great race, just like you! But when thoughtless runners do certain things, it takes the fun right out of it. Not to mention that some things are just downright dangerous!
At Reggae Marathon we start in the dark. Pitch dark only lit up by the Torches at the Start and the street lights. It is totally safe to run under these conditions as long as you stay on the road…smoothly paved, no potholes. When someone stops suddenly in front of you to take a Selfie, that is not only irritating, it is dangerous. So in the interest of safety and courtesy, here are some running etiquette tips for Reggae Marathon (and yes you can practice them in other races…other runners will thank you):
- Don’t Start at the Front if You Won’t Finish in the Front. Are you an 8 minute miler? 10 minutes? Then don’t start in front of a 6 minute miler. All you are going to do is hold her up and potentially cause a collision. It’s tempting to start toward the front too fast…trust me, the negative split is a fantasy. And remember…Reggae Marathon is timed by your chip: your time is tracked when you cross the timing mats.
- Don’t Stop and Walk in the Middle of the Course. I can’t stress enough how dangerous and discourteous this is. If you have to stop for whatever reason, move to the side, off course before you stop. Safer for you and the runners behind you.
- Don’t Race with Headphones. I am not a big fan of racing with headphones. You can’t hear the runners coming up behind you. Especially a problem at the aid stations and we have them at every mile.
- Don’t Use Your Smartphone as a Boombox. We all like music. I may not like yours and you may not like mine. We have music all along the entire Reggae Marathon course, about every mile. Run to that music…
- Don’t Use Your Smartphone Without Pulling Over. “Don’t stop in the middle of the course”. There is a high risk of injury and you’ll mess up somebody else’s race.
- Don’t Hold Hands While Walking or Running. Despite the fact that we’re in the Capital of Casual, Reggae Marathon is still a race. Blocking traffic affects all of us behind you.
For more running etiquette suggestions, this is a good source: Running Etiquette.
Until next time…
Reggae Marathon RunninGuy
