Running Events - Sportsmanship?

[bmccasland]

Seems like the race organizers should be riding herd on the early finishers. What are they supposed to do after they finish? If it was me, I'd want to get back to my car, or at least somewhere to get cleaned up and into clean clothes. If walking is the only way to get to their cars after the race, then why begrudge them walking back?

[witeowl]

Also, don't a lot of early finishers walk back so they can run in again with a friend (stepping out again before the chute)?

I don't interpret what you describe as showboating. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think they're just living in their own heads after the race and aren't thinking about anything but recovery.

Also, how far away is the start from the finish? Do they have any alternative path to get back to their vehicles, as bmccasland pointed out? If the start and finish are that far apart, or a if preferred a path back to the start isn't clearly marked, what else are they to do?

[Deborajen]

The course is a loop which stops and starts next to a big parking lot for our city's biggest mall. The parking lot has plenty of area closed off for participants and spectators, plus it has displays and a band -- They're not hurting for space in the parking lot. The people walking back are mostly walking in front yards of private homes. They're walking away from their cars, space to stretch, etc. The only thing they're walking towards is a few more trees, but there are still some trees and some shade in the parking lot, and it's early in the morning when it's fairly cool.

I looked at this year's route map and it's completely different, so I wouldn't be surprised if property owners complained about all of the walking in their yards. They might have even gotten complaints about what I'm mentioning, too. I guess it's hard to picture it all if you haven't seen it.

[witeowl]

Yeah, if the issue is mainly that they're walking in people's yards, then that's just plain rude, not just poor sportsmanship. But if they're doing exactly what you describe in a place where they don't trample gardenias and tulips, then I don't see a problem with it for reasons given earlier. Do you?