Pollyanna gets peeved

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

bpeeved

I’m not Pollyanna, I freely admit that. I do try to give people the benefit of the doubt. I still seem to manage to collect a lot of things to get peeved about though.

Running out of ________ at the finish
There is nothing worse than giving a race your all, only to find volunteers breaking down the finish line before you’ve even crossed it. No food to replenish those calories you’ve burned.

Worst one ever: no medal! I don’t run for bling, but seriously, I earned that medal and I want it! Think it doesn’t happen? It sure does.

If there’s a time limit on a race and you don’t meet it, then it’s at least understandable. RDs have to pay to have roads open, cops available, and so forth.There are a lot of races with time limits that will still hold open that finish line, though.

These things happen even when runners come in within a time limit, and that is just inexcusable.

Weird food
Apparently a lot of runners complained about the clam chowder at the end of the Surftown Half recently, which was run on a warm day.

I can tell you from personal experience on a raw, cold, very nasty day, clam chowder after a half is the best thing ever. I can see how it might not seem appetizing if it’s a warm day.

ZOOM Annapolis had things like chicken salad in the lunch box they gave you at the finish. Talk about warm days! It was not at all appealing to me.

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Not enough portapotties
I don’t know what the equation is for portapotties, but oftentimes it seems broken. I almost always have to use one before a race. Some races are point to point, down a mountain, and the only way to get to the start is to be bussed.

Sometimes those buses get there really close to start time, and this is totally out of your control. Sure, most races are chip timed, so you can start whenever, but seriously, don’t you want to start when everyone else does?

I have definitely had races where I almost missed the start due to those sorts of circumstances, something I could not change. It was not a relaxed feeling. In one race, the RD actually encouraged runners to just go in the bushes. Thanks, but no thanks (same race they ran out of medals even though I wasn’t even BOTP).

Small wonder that race company is no longer in business.

Keeping with the potty theme . . .
I swear there is nothing worse than having real bathrooms right there — but not available for the runners to use. It just seems cruel.

And speaking of pet peeves
As much as I love my dogs, I’m beginning to think that races just aren’t the place for them. Even low key races.

I have been almost stepped on by dogs in races. I’ve had dogs suddenly swerve out in front of me. I’ve had dogs prevent me from being able to pass another runner. I’ve had dogs almost jump on me during a race.

Seriously, dogs in races are an accident waiting to happen, unless they’re service dogs.

What was the best post race food you ever had?

What was the worst post race food you ever had?

What peeves you — in running, or in life in general?

Want more running pet peeves? Check out these posts:

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Linking up with Zenaida Arroyo and Kim @ Kookyrunner

This week I am also joining up with Running on Happy, Suzlyfe, Crazy Running Girl, and Coach Debbie Runs each week for the Coaches’ Corner linkup

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23 thoughts on “Pollyanna gets peeved”

  1. Ha – I will share this story again about post-race food. When I did my first marathon in Reykjavik (on the roads, no one get excited about lava fields) I had been promised a giant pretzel at the end. And I was thinking of that knot of doughy bread and the SALT CRYSTALS on it, you know those big cube ones, oh yes. Such a hot day. The pretzel. Get to the end, am handed a limp, soggy, 5 inches or so of some bread. Salty-ish. Bit a bit off. Oh. Dropped it on the ground (sorry!). Saw about a million others with one bite off them lying abandoned!

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    1. Oh no! And how I love a big, soft pretzel too. I would’ve been crushed.

      So my story is a ran a half that was sponsored by a dairy farm. Fresh chocolate milk was promised at the end.

      Oddly enough, chocolate milk isn’t my thing. I think it’s just too sweet for me. But fresh . . . I wanted to at least try it.

      The race also offered free massages. While I had massage, they ran out of chocolate milk (should’ve sent Mr. Judy to get some, but you know how you don’t think about that stuff after a race).

      They allowed runners & the spectators alike to get some. I was not pleased, although quite frankly it was an awesome, really well organized race — except for that!

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  2. I had written this and deleted it.

    I figured most runners are going to say the same.

    Though I agree with what you wrote, as you mentioned recently, trying to look at the positive these days

    RD probably do the best they can. Don’t know the circumstances behind their decisions.

    Like chocolate milk and ice cream after a race. Not a deal breaker obviously.

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    1. I made a real effort to come up with things I hadn’t written about in previous pet peeve posts (although I didn’t reread them so not really sure).

      Well, for me, ice cream after a cold race wouldn’t be welcome. But most welcome after a hot one! I don’t think I’ve ever actually done a half that offered ice cream afterwards. That’s got to be hard to keep it cold for hours!

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  3. I could not agree more: Finishing a race to find they ran out of food or medals is the ultimate buzzkill. I really felt for the runners in Tokyo who missed the cutoff because the potty lines on the course were 15+ minutes long.

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  5. I think we all share the same annoyances 😉 Now, if we could just get all the offending peeps (and RDs) to read up on this, we’d all be much happier. One time, Dam to Dam 2018, it was raining like mad before the race, and the porta potty lines were enormous…I am convinced people were hiding out in them to stay dry. I’m a dog person as well, and I agree…as cute and friendly as they are, they are a bit of a hazard on a race course.

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  6. LOL yes I was one of those runners that didn’t appreciate the clam chowder at the end of the Surftown Half. I actually don”t like clam chowder anyway, but especially not after a race!

    I’ve been in the back of the pack at a few races and twice they ran out of food. Definitely not a good feeling to finish a half marathon and only have a banana available.

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    1. I don’t think I’ve ever actually run a half where they totally ran out of food, and quite frankly most of the time I just eat what I’ve brought with me.

      Still there’s nothing like feeling like you don’t matter. 😦

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    1. Ok, I may start nearer to the front than I should sometimes. In small, low key races normally. Because I do better chasing a rabbit. I also try to stay on the side, so I’m not in someone’s way.

      OTOH, I also have ended up behind slower than me runners when I do start where I ought to. Or walkers, of course. Not that there’s anything wrong with walkers, just leave us runners some room, right?

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  9. They ran out of heat wraps after the NYC Half. I eventually got one when I went into medical for a bandaid, but that was ridiculous. They also ran out of medals, but that one didn’t impact me personally.
    Chowder. No. Never. Not a thing
    But then again I rarely eat post race. Occasionally hot summer I love watermelon but bananas, bagels. Nope. Don’t work for me

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