I’d like to start this post off by saying that I do not have a problem with people passing me. I am not so proud that I think that I’m faster than everyone. Running is a popular sport/pastime in DC and people often pass me. Sometimes it’s someone who I don’t really think could pass me. But, I don’t really get bent out of shape about it. I just like to run.
That being said…I’m really not THAT slow either. I am trying to qualify for Boston, after all. Let’s give me SOME credit here.
Also, important to note, I have a serious issue with space when exercising. I blame my mom for this. It’s in my genes. I hate being too close to someone when there’s all this extra space. Like in yoga class, when someone puts their matt 3 inches away from mine when there could be 6 inches of space between us. It makes me antsy. Anxious. I instantly loathe that person. Obviously, this does wonders for my yoga practice.
The point of this story, my good friends?
The other day I was running. (I can hear your groans as I prolong this moment). I was doing a longer run, about 9 miles, so I wasn’t sprinting or going ridiculously fast. I didn’t have any water with me, so it’s not like I was properly fueling. I got to a nice pass along the Potomac (yes, I still have nightmares about my hour in those deathly waters) and was just enjoying a beautiful run on a beautiful day. I had noticed a pair of runners, a guy and girl, who were a little bit behind me, so I sped up a little to get some room between us.
After I had found my pace again, I was a bit surprised to see the girl come up from behind me to pass me. But, like I said, I am not really proud and didn’t really care. I waited for her to get out of my way.
She did NOT. Instead, she passed me and then got right in front of me, like DIRECTLY in front of me, and immediately slowed down. So that she was going about half a pace too slow for me.
OMG ROAD RAGE.
As soon as she did this, I realized that she had no real interest in passing me, she just wanted to get in front of me. Which a) pissed me off and b) made me paranoid about where the guy was, was he waiting behind me? Were they going to try to trap me and steal me as some sort of bizarre slave who would lick their running shoes clean?
So I had to kick it up and ran around her and kept my pace up for a lot longer to avoid them. I really don’t think they were malicious. But for goodness sake, who does that? In a race…I understand the space issues that come with racing. But in the middle of an open sidewalk, running path? With no one else around? Why in the world would that seem like a good idea?
People, please. If you’re going to pass someone, make sure you can commit to it and really pass them. It will make you a faster runner and a far more polite individual.
PS. Signed up for the 2011 London ballot for international runners. I hope I get in! The ballot closed in less than 24 hours, I’m so glad I signed up when I did! In October, I hope I’m writing a post about how I’ll be marathoning through London!
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