8/9/11
7 miles speedwork
*1000m, 2000m, 1000m, 1000m – all done at 10K pace (7:30-7:40) with less than 400m rest interval. I loved doing intervals at 10K pace. What a treat compared to 5K pace! My breathing felt smooth and controlled.
When you go out for a run, do you generally keep a respectable distance between you and the runner in front of you? I always do and treat it like I would driving – I don’t generally drive up someone’s ass so why would I run up someone’s ass? I thought this was plain and simple running etiquette but I’m not so sure after this weekend. (Note: I’m not talking races, just training runs).
Situation 1 (Friday’s long run)
I was on my first mile and I could hear feet slapping and breath sounds coming closer. I was expecting the sounds to pass me but they just hung around…for awhile. I immediately start to get annoyed for 2 reasons: (1) if I can hear you breathing, you are way too close and either need to pass me or back off; (2) I start to get a little nervous when it’s a male and I’m running by myself – you should never run that close to a female running alone! I finally decided to slow down and let him pass. Thankfully he diverged onto another part of the trail.
Situation 2 (Sunday’s ugly tempo run)
There was a guy ahead of me for a few miles (I was keeping my distance behind him). He started to slow down and I decided to pass him. As I pass him he speeds up (errrrr!), as I slow down he slows down. I dig deep (remember the run was ugly) and pick up the pace to try to get rid of him. Not surprisingly, he keeps up with me. THEN he tells me that he is not being creepy, it’s just that I’m keeping a good pace for him!! I shoot him a weak smile and try to ignore him. I “paced him” for another mile until he took off in another direction. He was being creepy in my book.
So what gives? Did both these guys break running etiquette? I think so.
Do you keep a respectable distance behind other runners?
