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Runetiquette is a set of rules of behavior for running safely and with respect toward others.
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They apply to both solo and group running and even if your running partner is your dog.
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Don’t forget them especially in the race: respect starts, decelerate at water stations, avoid questions about others’ time indelicately.
Ichecked and the word “runetiquette” seems not to exist, so we patent it. Seriously, what does it mean? It originates from “running+etiquette” and is a set of rules of behavior for running safely and in a way that respects everyone else, not just runners.
On Popsugar they have collected the most important ones and we gladly share them.
General rules
Which way to go and how to overtake: it is a good rule of thumb to occupy the lane furthest to the right of the curb (when it exists) or the side of the road. “Lane” means an imaginary space, i.e., more generally, “keep to the right.” When you have to overtake do it on the left, and if you love precision you can do it the way it is used on athletic fields, that is, warning verbally that you are doing it with a “To the left!” If you are the one about to be overtaken, still keep to the right and do not swerve so as to encroach on the passing lane.
If you pass someone, it is always polite to say hello, even with a nod or a raise of the hand.
Watch out for distractions: running with music or listening to podcasts can be very enjoyable (it is indeed) but it should never keep you from being alert and hearing environmental noises. You may not notice sirens, cars approaching up behind you, or danger signals in general. Never isolate yourself acoustically, in short.
Group run
It is helpful to remember that a “group” can also be defined as a pair of people. If you run with a friend always remember that if you do it side by side, you are taking up the space of two people, that is, you are taking it away from one who is perhaps coming in the opposite direction or obstructing your path. In this case just run in single row-you will still be able to talk.
If the group is larger, it is difficult not to take up space even in width, but one should still remember that the road is for everybody. If the group is really large, the only solution is to divide it into smaller subgroups, perhaps according to the average pace.
Does running with dogs counts as a group? In a sense, yes, although in this case the single-row formation is mandatory. In any case, if you run with your beloved dog the leash should be kept short so that he does not give him a chance to stray too far from you and the control you have over him. Always remember that, in any case, in open spaces it is good practice to keep dogs on a leash. In all cases, dog owners are responsible for the actions they take and the damage they cause to people or property, whether as a result of provoked reactions or the animal’s own behavior.
In competition
Starts at races are organized to create homogeneous groups by pace. The aim is to make a critical moment in the competition, during which many people are moving at the same time, as smooth as possible. If competitors were randomly shuffled, those with a faster pace would find themselves held back by those with a slower pace, triggering a chain reaction down to the last rows. This is to say: respect the wave you belong to!
Do not stop suddenly at water stations but decelerate gradually so that those behind you know what your intentions are. When you start off, don’t throw the container you drank from on the ground but look for a trash can-you’ll avoid littering the road and scattering items that might get in the way of other runners, and by setting a good example, you’ll push others to hit the ground running as well.
Asking for race performance done by others can be considered indelicate, partly because it forces people to expose themselves when they may not feel like it (or when the race perhaps did not go as they hoped). There is a more elegant way to do this and that is to ask a generic “How did it go?” Doing so gives people the freedom to tell you their time or not. Assuming it is then such an important detail.