Yesterday while pursuing my Facebook Groups, someone posted a news article about a race in Cincinnati.  Apparently it is the longest running road race starting 105 years ago.  It was probably a Turkey Trot before the phrase Turkey Trot even existed.   It’s grown to a large race of 15,000 now.   The race went according to plan, but then it veered off course.   Apparently, when people finished they plundered the post race snacks taking more than their fair share.   Taking so much that they had arm fulls.   Taking so much that those who finished near and at the end had nothing.   Taking so much that the there was no extra food to donate to local food banks.   It’s a sad day for runners.

Then the discussion turned to bad running post race behavior.   A few of the women told of times that they volunteered at races and people tried to loop around to get a second medal.   Really?   Really?   When one guy was called out on it, he said he wanted one to give it to his daughter as he promised her one.    Then give her yours!   My 8 year old coveted my Philly Marathon Medal.   Can’t really blame him either.   You know what?   I told him that when he is much older and I no longer want it (AKA I’m dead but I didn’t put it that way to him), he can have it or he could also run a marathon like Mama when he’s bigger.  One even mentioned a blogger (not me!) who bragged about taking more than her share of the bounty.

I will admit to taking an extra banana a time or two, but I have never taken so much that I couldn’t carry it.   It’s insane.   Let’s be honest.   If you can afford to pay for registration, your Garmin watch, and all the bells and whistles we love so much, you can also afford to buy your post race snack.   Come on people.  This is not your weekly grocery shopping trip.   Yes, many times a company will donate samples so it might not be costing the race anything.   That being said, those companies want EVERYONE to sample their product just not a select few.     It really boggles my mind.

The sad thing is that this type of behavior isn’t just post race.   You see it everywhere you go.   Everyone wants something for nothing.    The problem is that there really isn’t a free ride.  Yes, maybe it isn’t costing you anything; but that doesn’t make it free.   Someone, somewhere is paying for it.   There is no free lunch.    There is no free ride.    Everything comes with a cost and it is really time that the masses realize that.

I don’t know how to change this behavior that is so prevalent in our society/world anymore.   Except to say my favoirte slogan…….

It really is true.  If every person took it upon themselves to be a better person, to be the type of person that they would like other people to be, the world really would be a better place.

Now as far as Post Race activity goes, I hope that if you see someone being a total glutton, you call them out on it.   Usually it is best to do it in a joking manner and tone.   This way you get your point across, but you do it with a smile.   Most people when called out on bad behavior usually (not always, but usually) are embarrassed and realize they should behave better.

Have you seen this Post Race Behavior?

Have you called anyone out on it?

Are you part of the problem or solution?