In the April issue of Runner’s World, there is a short article titled, Annoying? Who Us? It was way too funny not to share.
As a runner, I know I am guilty of annoying quite a few of my family members, co-workers, friends, Facebook acquaintances, etc. especially during marathon season.
But honestly, I don’t care. Some people may think my running behavior is an obsession. Some people may think I am addicted to running. But these people who are annoyed are not runners. Running is my passion and only other runners can truly understand.
My favorite part about the article in Runner’s World is about running stickers. To my readers who are runners: Do you have a running sticker on your car? How many do you have? What do they say… 26.2, 13.1, runner girl, ultra marathon? The article compared a runner with a lot of running stickers to a crazy cat lady. This made me laugh out loud, because it is so true. I have one sticker on my car, 26.2, but there are some runners who have their whole bumper covered. And although, you may be the runner who has 10 running stickers on your car, we get it running is your passion- while this may annoy others it doesn’t bother me at all. Just like a crazy cat lady who has 10 cats, you just love your stickers.
However, what annoys me and what I think is the ultimate running offense is being a stuck up runner. I have written about this before, but just because you run an ultra marathon doesn’t mean you are more fit then someone who runs half marathons or full marathons.
People run different distances for different reasons. I also get annoyed when runners put down 5ks, fun runs, tough mudders, Ragnar relays. I have heard some runners, put these races down saying, “that’s not really running.” Races like these can help get more people running races. A fun run 5k may be someone’s first race. Running this race, may help them fall in love with running, making them ready to try a longer distance. Although, I have yet to try a tough mudder, races like these are totally different than a road race or trail race. But having races like a tough mudder gives the running community more race variety. Race variety and how diverse the running community has become is one of the reasons I love this sport.
As a runner, all I do is run, and when I’m not running, I’m talking about running. This is the annoying offense I’m guilty of. I have great conversations and connect well with other runners. But for those who don’t run, I am hoping to inspire and share as much knowledge as I can.
Now at the salon, a lot of my other co-workers have gotten the runner’s bug. I hear my co-workers Katie and Marlene talking about running as much as I do. Katie just completed her first 5k and Marlene set a new PR on her second 5k. This makes me smile! I love that more and more people are becoming runners. Us runners may sound annoying sometimes, but we mean well. We are passionate people, just trying to inspire, seek answers to our running questions, and trying to share our very own running experiences.
That is all…
What are you guilty of? What annoys you?
I won’t drink leading up to a big race so I’m the cranky sober guy 🙂
Haha! That is funny! I think the sober guy is a better than being the hung over runner. My running buddy and I would always do long runs on Sunday, during marathon training. She would always be hung over from going out the night before. I always had to share my water from my camel bak with her, and eventually I bought her a head band which said “training… Hung over.”
So agree with this! Stuck up runners are the worst. I’m sure plenty of non-runners find my running chats annoying so I try really hard not to sound like I’m trying to convert them… except I am because running is awesome. Hmm.