Rulz of the Road.html
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Rulz
of The Road (Running Etiquette)
What follows
are simple pointers about the do's and don'ts of road racing
that will help make you a more courteous runner and in some cases
avoid a severe chewing out at the finish....
This is a list
in progress describing the most common matters of course courtesy
in no particular order as they happen.... |
1. Headphones,
walkmans, portable CD's on GRC road races. Don't use
them in official GRC races. Our insurance does not cover mishaps
where use of these items are involved.
Traffic on Guam has gotten very intense over the years, even
at the very early hours in which we usually run. You need to
be able to hear what comes whizzing beside or from behind you
or nipping at your heels. You just never know....
2. Passing
Runners in the Finishing Chute. Don't
try this one even in the last two to three feet before the chute.
Violating this one will really rile the officials. It is one
of the cardinal rules and a basic courtesy.
If no one is anywhere near
the chute and you want to sprint, fine. If you are coming up
on someone and there are about 20 yards left and you want to
pass, fine! But if there are finishers lazily jaunting through
the last few feet before the chute and you want to sprint
around them, don't!!!
3. Going
through the Finish Chute if you didn't register. This one is guaranteed to raise the ire
of the most mild-mannered GRC race official.
4. Don't
go through the chute a second time. You would think this one is obvious, but it usually
happens when someone has finished early and they go back on the
course to run it in with a slower friend...and just happen to
go through the finishing chute with the friend. The officials,
not knowing what's going on, click the timer for two people and
it makes a mess of the whole listing of finishers' times.If you go back and run the
race to the finish a second time with a slower friend, make sure
you separate from them about 50 feet before the finishing chute
and detour off to the side well away from the chute to avoid
creating any confusion.
5. Race
Chasing & Assisting on the Course. This is the practice of having a friend, who is
not running, drive the course and follow the runner's progress,
provide fluids and other assistance along the course.On some races through the
year, e.g., the Hit Radio 100 Hafa Marathon, the Guam Marathon
and the PIC 10K, this practice is a violation of the rules and
will result in a DQ (disqualification). Be sure you know about
these matters so your help doesn't hurt. On such races you can
give special fluids only at the designated water stops.The main reason this practice
is discouraged is that it results in putting more automobiles
on the race course. More cars on the course increases safety
concerns for all runners. On races other than those where it
is cause for disqualification, please exercise caution and travel
at appropriately slow speeds. When parking on the shoulder to
await your running friend and pulling back on the roadway, please
look out for other runners on the course. Thank you!
6. Pack
Running. This practice is very dangerous on Guam's
roads because the roads here have virtually no "shoulders"
in many places. During races, running five abreast or in large
packs and taking up an entire lane is something we strongly discourage. (When a whole
lane is coned off or if the entire roadway has been closed by
the police for the race, this is no problem, but in all other
circumstances avoid bunching up.)
The second problem associated
with pack running is when large packs are all bunched up and
going at a leisurely pace and make it impossible for other runners
to safely pass. Some runners are trying to race or get a personal
best and creating such an obstruction is extremely discourteous.
Let's keep it at most two side-by side and exercise caution and
courtesy.