Runners are generally pretty chill, right? All those endorphins make us happy people! But that doesn’t mean we don’t have some pet peeves related to our sport of choice.
As part of Kim and Zenaida’s Tuesday Topics link-up, I’m sharing a list of common runner’s pet peeves!
A spitter or a “farmer’s blow” during a race.
So gross!
This is even more disgusting during a pandemic.No one wants to be the recipient of your poorly time expectoration during a run. If you need to do that sort of thing, pull off to the side of the trail to ensure no one falls victim to your germs!
A “one-stepper” on a group run.
What is one-stepping? It means constantly running one step ahead of your running partners, regardless of the pace. Some people can’t grasp the concept of sharing the pace with others and force others to run their pace by always being one step ahead. Come on, just run with the group!
Having to use the bathroom on a run.
I think 99% of runners have had an emergency bathroom situation on a run; such a terrible experience. Not fun. Definitely a pet-peeve.
A locked porta-potty.
Yep, another pet peeve related to the bathroom. But we’ve all been there! There’s nothing worse than thinking you’re going to have a place to go up ahead, and then finding the porta-potty or bathroom locked…
Chafing.
Ugh, so painful when you get into the shower and discover chafing somewhere you did not expect- or even when you are expecting it, it’s the worst…
People who never train, but somehow crush your time in a race!
Argh. When you train hard and dedicate so much time to a goal, it can be de-moralizing when another person just heads out for a fun 5k and crushes your PR! But remember, we are only competing against ourselves, right?
People running more than two abreast on the trail.
Share the trail! We all need space, now more than ever. It’s not fair to other runners or walkers. Be courteous, please.
A dead Garmin.
I’m pretty consistent about charging my Garmin, but it has still died occasionally on a run and it’s very annoying! I’ve had times where I got up for an early run to find the battery dead, as it wasn’t fully plugged into the charger overnight. And if it’s not on Strava, did it even happen?
A few other Garmin related pet peeves: forgetting to restart your Garmin after a stoplight or bathroom stop, or your Garmin taking forever to find a satellite!
Getting told that running is bad for your knees….
So annoying. And untrue.
I know so many lifelong runners who are well into their 70’s, still with good healthy strong knees. I believe that you can run safely and healthily throughout your whole life. Just take rest when you need it, don’t build up too quickly, and be consistent. Keep showing up!
Being called a jogger, not a runner.
No matter your pace or distance, you are a runner!
Lining up inappropriately at a race.
i.e. toeing the line when you’re planning to run/walk the race, or doing the opposite – lining up with the 10 min/milers when you run 6 min/miles! Be honest.
Wearing your Boston Marathon jacket ALL. THE. TIME, no matter the elements.
This one is a little controversial, I know.
I have run Boston and I have a jacket; I completely understand that qualifying and running Boston is a commendable achievement, one that I personally had to really work to obtain! I get it. It’s okay to be proud. But there are some people that wear the jacket to cheer at EVERY race, no matter the weather, to make sure everyone knows that they ran Boston. We get it. You’re fast. You probably already mentioned it in conversation, you really don’t need to also always wear the jacket.
80 degrees and sunny? A Boston jacket sounds like a fantastic idea.
Say, let’s pair it with some jeans and try to make it casual. I’ve done it myself- see the evidence below.
Doesn’t make it right!
What did I miss?
What are some of your pet peeves as a runner? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to check out the other posts on Kim and Zenaida’s blogs!
Oh, a DEAD Garmin is the worst!
I was having such anxiety the other day on my long run. It was close to dying and I was pleading with it, “please not now, not now”. I think it heard me because it held up until the final kilometre. But so scary!
So glad the Garmin made it to the end! 🙂
Nearly every race that I looked at last fall had a specific rule about not spitting on the course. The two abreast thing was annoying before the pandemic and even more so now.
Our trails are relatively narrow, so two across is a full path!
You came up with a lot of great ones, and some I hadn’t heard before — like one stepper.
Garmin woes are never fun, although I don’t think I’ve ever had it die on me — but I have had it inexplicably turn itself off. Thankfully only once or twice.
I am kinda willing to let Boston runners have their moment of glory (whenever they want!). That is HARD!
I wrote a Pandemic related one because I feel as though I’ve written enough about the normal running pet peeves, LOL!
The pandemic specific one is a good mark of the times!
The “one-stepper” is SO annoying!! I’m convinced that those people just like to hear themselves talk, lol.
Speaking of the Boston Marathon jacket, I hate when people wear gear from the WMM races but they actually never ran the race! I find that to be do deceiving.
Ah, good point! I see that a lot!
I was put off running for so long because people told me it was bad for my knees! The one about people never training and then doing so well in a race reminds me of people at school who used to say they never studied and then ended up with 100% or A’s exam after exam! I became so suspicious of them in the end!
Ha, true! These people must be secretly training
Any unsolicited running advice is a peeve, for sure!
I don’t get the spitting and snotting. There’s got to be a better way! So damn gross.
Totally!!
I think you’ve hit on everything 😉 I have a co-worker who is a runner. Several years ago, she joined a running group (an hour away), and for the longest time every conversation (running-related or not) she name-dropped the group. It was kind of like your Boston jacket peeve…well, sort of LOL
Ha, that’s a funny story. Name dropping the run club 🙂
So many pet peeves, right? I agree with all of the above; I also have a pet peeve with runners who say they aren’t competitive but post their run times and splits for all to see. Come on, man!
Ha, so true!
Great examples!! A few more that come to mind:
“How many miles was your marathon?” – people referring to 5ks, etc as marathons.
“Born to Run” – I found the book interesting, but the science and rationale was selective and problematic, especially with respect to barefoot running efficiency and injury prevention. And it didn’t remotely inspire me to take up ultrarunning. 🙂
Runners with terrible form (hunched, arms flying, etc) that are somehow faster than you!
Runners that come to a sudden stop right in front of you to drink at water stations.
Thanks for reading and sharing some more pet peeves, Eric! Those are some good ones.
My Garmin is my pet peeve right now because it is misbehaving so. Luckily I know the mileage for the usual loops so I know about what I’ve run, but it’s going to swim with the fishies very soon.
And yes, share the path. you can really be apart from your BRF for ten seconds. It won’t kill you I swear
Sounds like it is time for you to upgrade that Garmin, my friend!
These are some good ones! I do find it super annoying when people run or walk with strollers or dogs across the trail with no care as to the other people on the trail.
Agree- I love dogs, but know to keep mine on a shorter leash on a shared trail!
Yes, for some reason the term “jogger” irks me… not sure why. I mean, why should I care… but I do.
i have a funny story about people lining up inappropriately at a race. At a Turkey Trot one year, someone who lined up in front of me (grr) decided, after the race started, that he needed to find his friend, and started running BACK TOWARD THE START LINE while the rest of us were trying to move forward. What in the world??? The guy next to me said “Now I’ve seen everything.” Ha ha…
That story is crazy- running back to the start- how annoying!
These are so many great ones!! I forgot about jogger. Yeah, that one definitely annoys me.
Thanks for linking up with us!
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