Race Etiquette - On which side do you pass oncoming runners?

Triathlon Forum
1

During the run leg of a recent triathlon, I had an encounter that is causing me to question everything I know.

A portion of the run course had a “lollipop” section, meaning that you run down a path (about the width of a single-lane road and about 100 yards long), go around a circle in a clockwise direction, and then return up that same path.

On my way back up the path after doing the circle, I passed a single oncoming runner on the right (like you would if you were driving on a road here in the USA). Second, I passed a group of 3 runners running side by side all the way to their left side of the path. I made eye contact with the runner furthest to their left, expecting him to acknowledge me and move over. Instead, he stared me down and ran me off the path. I sarcastically thanked him for sharing the road. Then, the person 20’ behind him stayed to his left as well, told me to go to the other side of the path, and called me a “cheeky boss” (I guess in response to my sarcastic comment).

For a moment, I thought, “Oops, maybe I missed a sign or an instruction in the athlete’s guide that we are supposed to stay left here”. But after thinking about it more, I’m convinced that it’s common knowledge that you pass oncoming traffic on the right, right?? Is this why I hate going to Costco? Because I don’t understand when you pass on the left or right?

I’m not posting to convince people, I’m posting to see if I’m crazy (and to avoid being a “cheeky boss” in the future). I thought the etiquette was that (i) you always pass oncoming runners on the right, and (ii) if there isn’t enough space, you defer to the runners that are further along in the race.

I admit, I can see some logic in the actions of the “left-side” runners under these circumstances, because passing on the left would mean that the runners never have to cross paths as they do the down, around, and back of the lollipop, but given the length of the “lollipop stick” and the low volume of the runners, I never doubted that we’d stay on the right.

Am I crazy? Regardless, if you’re reading this, sorry to the group of runners for my sarcastic comment. I’m usually more about high fives and comradery, but I was running uphill with leg cramps.

2

Pass on the right.

That said, I think the problem here is that the RD set up with course with a cross-over to go in and out of the lollipop. Was there a specific reason for this? Seems needlessly complicated and potentially dangerous.

3

It depends. On a MUP you keep right, because there are bikes and walkers. You treat it like a city street.

In a race it would depend on what side you enter and exit on and which direction you go around the “lollipop” as you describe it. If the loop goes clockwise and you entered the trail from the left and exit the trail to the right, than you would pass on the left (right arm to right arm) leaving and returning. If the loop goes count-clockwise and you entered the trail from the right and exit the trail to the left you would pass on the right (left arm to left arm) leaving and returning.

If you have to cross (I’ve been in several 5K that did this) then everyone has to be an adult about it, which it sounds like failed in your case.

The other cue is what side are the mile markers and water stops on?

4

If you have to cross (I’ve been in several 5K that did this) then everyone has to be an adult about it, which it sounds like failed in your case.

Ha agreed, and I admit I’m partly to blame.

5

Two things.

  1. A runner should always being running down the left side of the road facing on coming traffic and not running with traffic, so if the road is open to traffic, which I am guessing it was not then passing an on coming runner on the right would violate all proper traffic rules.
  2. If you went clockwise around the lollipop (like you said) then you should have been passing on coming runners on the left since they should have been on your right or as they are running all the way to their left. Clockwise means staying to the left. Now passing a runner going the same direction as you would be on the right, since traffic rules say you should stay as far left as you can get.

On a Side note: I am finding it insane how many people now days are running with traffic instead of against it (stupid and dangerous), and almost worse the number of people riding bikes against traffic (idiotic). I swear people are not being properly taught the simple rule of wheels go with traffic, feet go against traffic.

So to summarize you were wrong because on-coming runners should be passed on the left and runners going the same direction as you should be on the right.

6

Ive never thought about this but does it matter which country youre in? Driving in the left lane vs right lane and that carrying over to a race while passing oncoming runners?

7

Ive never thought about this but does it matter which country youre in? Driving in the left lane vs right lane and that carrying over to a race while passing oncoming runners?

This. I noticed this when I was in Hawaii around the time of the Honolulu Marathon. Lots of oncoming Japanese runners appeared to be trying to run into me, but upon thinking about it more I believe it was their convention to always keep left. In general, I think it would make sense to follow the rules of the road in the country where you’re running.

8

Ive never thought about this but does it matter which country youre in? Driving in the left lane vs right lane and that carrying over to a race while passing oncoming runners?

I wondered the same thing. When the guy called me a “cheeky boss”, it didn’t sound like a common American insult, so I wondered if he was from a country where they drive on the left side.

9

“Cheeky” is a common British expression, so maybe they were from the other side of the pond. I agree that you should follow the rules of the road of the country you’re in, unless otherwise directed. During my last race, there was a busy section where we were told to keep left, due to the course design, with others coming at us on the right side of the path moving in the opposite direction. Behind me, a woman starts shouting “on your left” at me, wanting me to move over so she could pass. I did it, but mentioned as she passed that when you are running left, the fast lane is on the right, Just like of you were driving in the UK.

10

Ive never thought about this but does it matter which country youre in? Driving in the left lane vs right lane and that carrying over to a race while passing oncoming runners?

I wondered the same thing. When the guy called me a “cheeky boss”, it didn’t sound like a common American insult, so I wondered if he was from a country where they drive on the left side.

That might be it. I had a race recently where the run leg was within a section of a park and part of it was on a MUP and part of the road. On the road we ran against traffic (there was very little traffic since it was a sprint and started early) but on another section we ran with traffic. So we switched between passing somebody on their right shoulder to passing them on their left shoulder. No confusion. But your situation was with oncoming runners which we did not have.

11

I have done a couple of races where the run and the bike were both out and back on the same road (small races often can’t close a lot of roads). Regardless of direction, the runners stick to the shoulder, and the bikes take the middle. Of course, in your situation, three runners should have never been running abreast. I hate it when runners do that.

12

If he was from Scotland, it might have been ‘Cheeky Bass’. ‘Bass’ is a (shortened) colloquial version of a swear word in Glasgow; no prizes for guessing which.

Hope that makes you feel better :slight_smile:

13

Is this why I hate going to Costco?

I don’t have anything productive to add about the race scenario, but oh my god I cannot stand the complete lack of spatial awareness that Costco seems to bring out in people. I have to make my Costco trips in the middle of a weekday because otherwise I get way too frustrated and overwhelmed with all the people. Just keep right, pass left! If you’re moving, your eyes need to be pointed in the direction you’re moving! If you need to look around at something, come to a complete stop all the way to the right first! They should have a premium membership where you get to go in 30 minutes before they officially open for the day. I would gladly pay extra for that.

/rant

14

I wondered the same thing. When the guy called me a “cheeky boss”, it didn’t sound like a common American insult, so I wondered if he was from a country where they drive on the left side.

Whichever side of the road you drive on passing is always done towards the center of the road, slower traffic on the edges, faster in the middle.

15

Well in the US the rules of the road is when running stay left. So, if they were staying left they were following the US rules of the road. Now driving or biking is stay right.

16

If it’s a lollipop course layout, they should really have the lanes coned off and a clearly communicated direction of flow… So I would say that’s a failure by the race director. That said, you always will have sketchy people running sketchy ways. I experienced the same last weekend in an out and back run on a narrow grass portion beside the road where the bike course was. On the way out it was a non issue (I was off that section when the leader passed me on his way back), but on the way back, it was a huge issue with people all over the place, and some portions were too narrow for bi-directional traffic without stepping in some serious gopher holes… While certainly some people should have yielded to those on the way back, I put the blame on the race director more than the athletes, for not having it coned off, or volunteers telling people to keep to one side (or you know, selecting a less sketchy run course)…