Pet peeves – those things that for whatever reason really annoy us, often disproportionately to the actual level of inconvenience it causes. We all have them, some of us more than others. When Patty, April and I chose “running pet peeves” as our Tuesdays on the Run topic, I thought to myself “I really only have one”. But as I thought about it more, I found more and more things that annoy me. Thankfully, running mellows me out, so I tend to not get too bent out of shape about things.
- Dogs, especially those with invisible fences – my parents’ neighborhood is full of these. I’ll be running along and a dog will come flying at me. I never know if they are going to stop at their yard or attack me. One can only hope that the heart rate spike provides some benefit LOL.
- Space hogs – It always amazes me in a busy urban area how many people walk in a way that blocks a whole sidewalk. And don’t get me started on races where people walk or run 3-4 abreast. Ugh.
- A misbehaving Garmin – I don’t mind running electronics free, but when I want to use my Garmin (for either pace or distance) and it won’t catch a satellite or catches it and drops it, I’m not someone you want to be around. I have, in fact, thrown in the towel on a run when Garmin was acting up too badly.
- Bushes growing over the sidewalk – it amazes me how many people allow their shrubs to take up large portions of the sidewalk. I joke that I’m going to start running with clippers and just trim bushes as I run.
- Businesses that don’t shovel their snow – Virginia is often right on the melt line, temperature wise, so we have a LOT of ice when people don’t shovel. The Golds Gym near me is the absolute worst offender. I have never ever seen them shovel their sidewalk and it’s on a road where it’s not safe to run in the street.
- Trash day – I get it. People need to have their trash picked up. But the combination of the smell, the cans that are often in the middle of the sidewalk, and the trash trucks that aren’t good at sharing the road, make me a really crabby runner on trash day.
- Crappy beer at races – Does Michelob ultra really have to be the beer of choice? You can’t at least give me Sam Adams???
- Races that don’t allow bib transfers – I get why races don’t give refunds. I understand why they don’t like when people run with other people’s bibs. But in the age of electronics, I don’t get why transferring isn’t allowed at many races. I don’t even mind a small fee to transfer.
- Races that make it difficult for runners from out of town to get their bibs – Some races make it super hard by not allowing for someone else to pick up a bib or offering morning of pickup. I know many race directors will make exceptions to the rules, but why make it hard on the runners who aren’t local? We are the ones who are really bringing money to the local economy!
- Crazy expensive race pictures – I’ve gotten free pictures from some races and reasonably priced ones from others, so I know it can be done. There’s got to be a point where they’d make more by offering cheaper pictures (especially digital) and selling to more people than the current high prices that prevent many of us from purchasing.
Whew! I had no idea I was so grumpy about running LOL. Thankfully, none of them really make me that angry – it’s more a mild annoyance.
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#8 definitely.
#3 really? I never bag a run. Ever. Unless I’m hurt. I have wanted to throw & stomp on my Garmin a few times, although so far with my vivoactive not so much.
#2 definitely, too.
NUMBER SIX.
texas HEAT.
walkers too.
#ew #EW
Yes!
Our city/county is horrible at shoveling snow. I always think about people who have to use the sidewalk-bus riders, kids, those in wheel chairs-what are the suppose to do uugh! Same thing with trees and shrubs! I am not running a steeplechase or obstacle course-why and I ducking and jumping over trees and shrubs!
Bib Transfers-yeah what’s up with that!!
#7 totally agree–nothing like a GOOD cold beer at the end of a race
#6 trash day is the worst–especially when it’s 90+ degrees outside and humid!
Great post!
A big YES to all of these – and I had to laugh at #6 cause it is one of my big ones too and I can’t believe I forgot to include it on my list! I keep saying I need to switch up my runs so I can avoid trash day.
Oh man, #8 and #9 drive me crazy too! I was just looking at a race that polled it’s runners iver the years and found they’d rather have free race photos than a shirt. So that’s what they offer (you can still buy the shirt if you want too).
Oh, I don’t know which of these to agree with you most on. They are ALL annoying! I’ve heard that bib transfer rules are sort of like the over-selling that airlines do – they count on a certain number of no-shows so they limit transfers ….
Totally agree on the bib transferring!! I don’t understand why more can’t do that. And the race photos? Don’t get me started!
So hear you on most of these. Some days it takes my Garmin over 5 minutes to connect!! what the heck! And side walk hogs – ugh.
I hate when my Garmin doesn’t find a signal right aways. Sometimes I am not patient and just start running and it can be a mile down the road that it finally starts. That’s funny that you say about that beer. That is what rock n roll races always have at their finish line. They did this wkend in VA beach.
We’re in 2015 and bib transfers should be allowed. If they charged an extra fee, that’s extra money for the race, and it should be lenient. People can get injured right up until race day.
I agree with a lot of these. Especially expensive race photos, it’s ridiculous! I would buy if it was reasonably priced for sure. And bib transfers. Agreed I will even pay a small fee to transfer but let me transfer and recoup some money.
Dogs! I hate dogs while I am running and their owners just let them lunge right at you. I am a biker but bikers who don’t let you know they are coming is also annoying and rude.
The cost of race photos at some races drives me nuts! That’s one of the many reasons why like PR races – free race photos included in your race registration!
All of these make me so mad. I have experienced all (except the beer one.)
Yes to all except #5 – we don’t get snow – and #7 – we don’t have beer at our races.
OMG Yes to 1, 2, 9, and 10!!!!! Especially 1 and 2! Gah!
Good thing running mellows most of us out, otherwise people would think runners were a cranky bunch! Lol!
Trash day is no joke!! I realize people have to put their trash out, and that it’s not their fault that it smells, but it is the worst!!! Especially with the heat we have been having.
It amazes me how much stinkier some people’s garbage is than others. I dread trash day. I swear there are dead bodies in some of those cans.
Haha, I agree on the crappy beer at races. One triathlon I did was serving fat tire (one of my favorites), although one of the felow athletes didn’t realize what I was asking for and thought I was saying I had a FLAT tire…he told me “that sucks” and I thought he meant the beer. It was pretty funny once we realized the misunderstanding!
#1 and #3! We have sooo many dogs around here and they all want to pretend they are going to attack. And my Garmin misbehaves a lot…what’s that all about anyway?! Nice rant…we all need it every once in a while! Just found the link up too, btw! Look forward to linking up soon!
I’ve actually thought about running with clippers too! Especially this time of year when the bushes are all overgrown.
I agree with every one of these. Grumpy old lady here.
Space hogs are usually my biggest, daily pet peeve! This morning I had to work my way around several people taking up the whole sidewalk because they insisted on the middle.