The LA Marathon is this Sunday and part of the route is 2 blocks from my house and utilizes parts of my long run course (Vets Grounds and San Vicente Blvd). The reason I use this route is; lack of traffic, ability to run mostly on asphalt/ grass/ dirt path), and mostly no lights/ intersection interruptions. In all I might be on 5 miles or so of the actual course at a time of the morning where if I do see any course runners they would most likely be the elites.
I would gladly do my long run on Sat but I work all day and Mon would not be feasible either. So, question is, if I am on part of the “official course” but not utilizing aid stations nor hitting the run chute am I a douchey run bandit? I’m douchey enough already. Thanks
Well if you are looking for approval from this forum you may want to reconsider your self-esteem. That’s a general statement. My personal opinion is that it is where I normally run and I don’t care what group has decided to run with me. Now, I may change that opinion if a kids of steel event were being run.
Well if you are looking for approval from this forum you may want to reconsider your self-esteem. That’s a general statement. My personal opinion is that it is where I normally run and I don’t care what group has decided to run with me. Now, I may change that opinion if a kids of steel event were being run.
Gone are the days where marathon was a ‘fringe’ activity, and it was actually welcomed to ‘bandit’ the Boston Marathon. Yup, I bandited it in college, and they even had supporters cheering the back of the pack handing out ‘unofficial back of the pack’ bibs. Of course, you started the race literally 2 miles behind everyone else, but it was a blast.
Now that marathon is clearly not a fringe activity where you’re happy to just get ANYBODY to participate, banditing is out. Running bits of the course if you live on it doesn’t really sound like banditing to me, but I’d personally wait until the race was over before getting back out there just to not confuse anyone or the officials.
If you’re going to “bandit” it… do it right and try to outrun the leader!
Or maybe do it early before they start. You can run in the middle of the road!
Unless he is an elite, it is unlikely that he can outrun the leaders, even if only doing 5 miles. They really do run very quickly, even at marathon pace.
I was in LA staying downtown for work the morning of the race last year. The roads were closed very early, so I just ran on empty roads until the race started, then got out of the way.
