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Rulz
of The Road (Running Etiquette)
This is a list in progress describing the most common matters of course courtesy in no particular order as they happen.... |
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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 most 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 with this 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.
