The give and take in the Running World.

"It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it." Albert Einstein

So, last week I had one of those conversations that really annoyed the heck out of me and now I’m on a rant.

There was this woman that I’ve known over the past few years. We’re about the same age, live in the same neighborhood, and we’re both runners. We’ve run into each other on the streets and at a few local races. We’re about the same pace, she’s a little faster than me, but at times we’ve jogged together for a few blocks before going our separate running routes.

When we talked about running together on a more regular basis, I’ve invited her to join my buddies for our early morning runs, but she said it’s too early with getting her kids to school and all that. When we talked about training for this race and that race, and I told her about the training teams that our local running club (RRRC) and Sportsbackers offer to the Richmond running community. She’s said she’d check them out later. In short, we’re friendly to each other, but we’re not in the same circle of friends.

Well, last week, I happened to ask her about her Monument 10K plan, whether she’s going to run it or not. Back in December, we had talked about the Advanced 10K Training Team that meets in our neighborhood and I’m one of the volunteer coaches. Thus, I thought she’s going to run the race.

She said she’d accompany her kids in the 1Mile Kids’ Run. She said she’d run the Monument 10K course backwards (we both live near the turn-around point of the race) in years past. I said I’ve done that, too, ran the course backwards with my buddies, followed by a lawn party while cheering the runners and harassing our friends running the race. This was a few years ago when Monument 10K hosted the National Men’s 10K Championship and I didn’t want to miss the sight of Dan Browne and Alan Culpepper flying past my house, so I organized the run and party at our house.

But then she said something that surprised me, “Yeah, I never paid for any race. It’s just running on the streets that I usually run on anyway. I ran the Half Marathon last year. That was nice. Well, I ran it to support my friend…” she trailed off, probably when she saw my pained face, or when I cut her off, I wasn't sure which.

“ Oh no, [Shithead or insert her name here]! Please tell me you didn’t do that. Not the whole course!”

“Well, I didn’t take any water at the water stops or anything! I swear, I didn’t!”

“You know, that’s the least of the concerns. It’s the other liabilities. What if you tripped and fall and require medic? Who pays for that but the race’s insurance?”

“Well, yeah, I know. I know. That’s why I paid for the Riverrock, because I thought what if I got hurt on the trail, so I paid for that. That’s the only race I’d pay.”

At this point, I must have appeared menacing to her, as she inched away from me, but I wasn’t about to let her go easily.

“Well, that’s good of you [Shithead], but the race price is also to cover the street closing, street cleaning. You know we pay off-duty police officers to man the traffic, right? I mean, usually one and a half time the pay? It’s not the water stops that cost money. You know we call you “bandits” when you do this?”

“I know, I know. I just… anyway…”

Anyway, her work called her and my work called me, so we parted ways uneasily.

I have a lot to say on this matter, as you already read. I believe, in this community, life, world, no matter the scope, there are two types of people: givers and takers. Most people fall in the middle, they take some, but they also give some. I’m one of those people, so are many of my friends. (And I hope you, too.)

Even so, when I encountered a dedicated taker, I found it maddening that someone think it's OK to just take, take, take and take more of it. Aarrgh!

It was a curious exchange I had with this woman, I never thought of her as a taker. She and her doctor husband are fairly affluent; saving money was definitely not the motivation here. (Shoot! I hope she paid for her kids’ race! :) 

It’s incomprehensible to me that she justified her "bandit" action with her assumptions that because she didn’t sip any of the water or sports drink, which, by the way, is the cheapest expenditure of the race, if not free when Dasani or Powerade sponsors it, then it’s OK for her to run the race without paying the race fee.

I feel she’s stolen from those of us who paid our fair share. She, and other bandits, stole not just the paid resources that the race entry fee covered, but also the spectators’ cheers, the runners' privilege to run on closed-to-vehicular-traffic streets, the work and energy that the volunteers put on to make the race successful. It takes a lot of work, planning, logistics and coordination to put on a good race, both from paid race organizers and the willing volunteers. Refusing to chip in a few bucks, I think, undermines their efforts.

I volunteered in races and I did it not because I wanted to stand in the cold or heat, or because I’ve got nothing better to do. I did it because I hope when it’s my turn to volunteer, one volunteer who cheered me on my last race, got a chance to run his or her race this time.  It’s important for me to give AND take. I somehow doubt “bandits” would volunteer once in a while. What do you think? Does this make you mad, too? 

OK, time for me to calm myself down. I'd better go for a run. :)