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Racing: Who annoys you most?

If you ran Broad Street yesterday, you're probably sore. If you were in the middle of the pack you're probably feeling something else too: annoyed.

If you ran Broad Street yesterday, you're probably sore. If you were in the middle of the pack you're probably feeling something else too: annoyed.

Broad Street is a big, huge, wonderful event, but it's also a crowded one, and in any crowd, you get people who don't always think about others around them. I didn't run Broad Street this year, but I did last year, after which I wrote about Precious Snowflake Syndrome.

In April, when I ran the Cherry Blossom 10-Mile run, the third largest 10 miler in the country, I saw a lot of the same things repeated. Here are the top four bad runner habits that you might have experienced in the race this year:

1. Race selfies. I get it if you want to take a picture as you wait to start the race, or after the finish with your medal (I do that too - I do!). But taking a selfie during the race means that you are not paying attention to the course or the people around you. I nearly slammed into someone who took a selfie while crossing the starting line - yes the starting line - of Cherry Blossom. Running isn't pretty. There's a reason race photos - taken by the pros - are so bad. Trying to make the sport look perfect for social in a race setting is dangerous, and rude too.

2. Walking on the course. There is nothing wrong with walking during a race. I've done it many times. But there is something wrong with walking on a crowded course when you're right next to an empty sidewalk. I clipped a duo who did this in Cherry Blossom and had no qualms telling her to get onto the open sidewalk right next to them if they were going to walk. So if you need to stop, get off the road to do it.

3. Using your phone as a boom box. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: No one wants to hear your mix, especially when it's coming out of something strapped to your arm. Listening to music during a race is a personal decision (it's technically banned by some races, but no one really enforces it unless you're trying to win a prize). So keep your musical tastes to yourself too.

4. Runners starting in the wrong corral. I was in the light blue corral for Cherry Blossom, and stood next to a woman at the start who said, "purple's close enough to blue, right? I'll start here." No, purple is not close enough to light blue. If you're assigned blue, start in blue. If you're assigned purple, start in purple. Race organizers make corrals for a reason, especially for big races like Cherry Blossom or Broad Street. Starting in a corral too fast for you means you're going to trip up other runners. It's not going to give you a race advantage, either. It could push you to start too fast, and then you'll hurt at the end of the race.

So, if you ran Broad Street this year, what annoyed you most? Take our poll above or tell us in the comments below.

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