Honesty of the long-distance runner!

BeepBeep67

http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/12/19/inenglish/1355928581_856388.html

What would you do?
Win at all costs?
Is it the responsibility of the athlete to know the course and the finish?
Would it make a difference if it was a club mate or the difference between a medal or not?

TRR

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Is it the responsibility of the athlete to know the course and the finish?

Yes, but I'm well know for being a prick Running isn't just physical, it's also mental so if the guy hadn't the kop on to know where the finish was screw him

EauRouge79

Nice story, would like to think that I would stop but doubt that I would in the heat of battle!!!

statss

Good counter balance to that XC end line video I saw here recently with the 2nd place guy barging into the first place guy

RacoonQueen

One of our girls was winning and misjudged where the finish line would be in Belfast and ended up second I think. I'd say I'd run past them...

Enduro

In hill running it is a long standing tradition to try and call back anyone who has taken the wrong route (and you'll usually only spot them going wrong from behind). Long may it continue!

I do think different types of races have different traditions / unwritten rules.

If I went down injured / did anything stupid w.r.t. the finish line in a track race I wouldn't expect any competitors to help or care. But in a hill race its much more normal for everyone to look after each other. In ultra distance off road races it usually written into the rules that you have to assist other runners.

nerraw1111

This happens all the time at IMRA races. You give a roar to tell the person they are going wrong but you keep running. Creates a nice atmosphere. I’ve yet to see anyone not call someone back.

I think there was a couple of occasions where someone went wrong very close to the finish line but the runner in second place held off crossing the line first or jogged in with them.

10 metres from the line with a big lead and going wrong, let them win. But if you were on his heels, well that’s breaking under pressure.

theboyblunder

I might start calling back runners who are going the right way

MrCreosote

Run past him and feel pretty smug about it. It's his own fault for not knowing the route.

It's not like the tortoise stopped before the line, woke up the hare and said "there you go old chap, you are faster than me after all".

Yup- run past. I'd probably do a little dance and make sucker gestures to him when I crossed the line too.