QT: Being Considerate of Other Runners Doesn’t Happen by Accident

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There is little doubt about the fact that I love me some Walt Disney World.

When you walk in the front gates, there is just something magical about being there.

Don’t worry, I’m not saying that everything at Walt Disney World is perfect all the time.

It’s not.

And one of the things that frustrates me most at Walt Disney World are the other guests.

Being More Considerate Goes a Long Way

My biggest frustration with other guests at Disney is the lack of simply failing to be considerate of others.

It’s almost like there is a thought that since I paid a bajillion dollars to bring my family to Walt Disney World for vacation, so I can do whatever I want while I’m here.

Of course, that loses sight of the fact that everyone else paid a bajillion dollars to bring their families to the park that day as well…

I can’t stand when people just stop in the middle of the walkway.

Because usually it’s not just one person that stops. It’s almost always an entire family that stops in the middle of the walkway as they try to figure out where they want to go next.

And the icing on the cake is that the family that stops almost always has a wheelchair, a double stroller, or both helping them block the flow of others even more.

Now, before you think I’m sounding awfully pretentious here, I want to make two things clear.

One, I don’t think that the people that randomly stop in the worst places on Disney property are doing so to try and get in the way of everyone else at the park that day.

And two, I’m fully aware that I’ve done this to other people more times than I can count.

The reason it happens is simple: we forget that what we do impacts those around us.

Or, to put it another way, we fail to consider how our actions will impact those around us.

Runners Can be Just as Bad

I wish it wasn’t true, but runners are often just as inconsiderate with their words and actions as people on vacation at Disney World.

How so?

The Things We Say

We’ve all heard that sticks and stones can break our bones but words will never hurt us.

And we all know that, in fact, words definitely can hurt. Oftentimes worse that sticks or stones…

When any of us have a bad day, we tend to complain a little bit about it.

It’s natural, right?

But I think sometimes we fail to consider how the words we are saying are impacting others.

When we bitch and complain about how miserable those miles were and how slow we were that day, how do think that makes someone that can’t run nearly as far or fast feel?

Or when the person that is bummed with how their run went hears someone say, either directly to them or under their breath, how happy they would be if they could run that far or that fast.

I think (hope?) that in either instance no malice was intended.

But if you don’t think about the people that are around you and how your words may make them feel, that is akin to parking your Double Bob in the middle of a congested Mainstreet USA.

Post-Race

One of the most overlooked aspects of a good race is having a good spread of food post-race.

No matter the distance, the food just tastes better after you finish a race.

I know I’ve been guilty of taking more than my fair share of food/drink after finishing a race.

I can’t be the only one, can I?

Too often we hear stories of our running brethren and sistren that finished a race shortly before the official cutoff time but have had literally zero choices when it comes to post-race refreshment.

The knee jerk reaction is to blame the race for not making sure to get enough bananas/oranges/cookies/whatever for everyone registered for the race.

But more often than not, the reason that not every runner is able to get the post-race items they earned AND paid for is because those that finished ahead of them took more than their allotment.

Were they (was I?) trying to be greedy or somehow conspiring against those that took longer to finish the race than I did?

But no matter the intention, taking six bananas, four cookies, and three bottles of water shows a severe lack of consideration for our fellow runners.

The next time you’re bellying up to the post-race spread, don’t forget about those that are still out there on the course.

We are All Inconsiderate Assholes

As I’ve alluded to a couple of times, I don’t think that most people are intentionally inconsiderate.

And when it comes to us within the running community, I’d wager that the number of inconsiderate assholes is even fewer and farther between.

Yet, whether we want to admit it or not, we have all been “that guy” at least once.

But being aware of the inconsiderate actions that we take is the first step toward no longer taking them.

Think about others.

Be considerate.

Try to recognize that the things you do, which may seem inconsequential at the moment, likely will impact others.

When in doubt…

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What is the Most Inconsiderate Thing You’ve Done While Running?
What is the Most Inconsiderate Thing that has Been Done to You During a Run?

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