Racing etiquette for sprinting/passing at end of race (Page 2)

Exactly this. It is a RACE. Picking off the person in front of me is one of the things that keeps me moving toward the finish line. I pick up the pace at the end of everything, 5Ks to marathons, assuming I still have something left.

I agree with PP who said they have fun sprinting with strangers at the end. At least twice I have blown by someone (see above: "it is a RACE") and afterward congratulated them on a great race.

With all the different age groups out competing, how do they even know you're in the same age group.  You could be sprinting to beat out the person in your group who is trying to catch you.  Unless you stiff armed them into the crowd, you did nothing wrong.  Where these ladies from the younger generation, the generation that get's medals just for showing up to events when they were kids? 

All that training we put into finish a race, damn right I'm going all out until I cross that finish line.  

As others have said, it is a race and you did nothing at all wrong by giving your all at the end.  No breach of etiquette, nothing rude about it.  She was being juvenile by acting the way she did.

I understand the dilemma, though.  It can be a judgment call on how to finish a race.  In my last 1/2, I was set up in transition next to a guy who I got to talking to.  I found out it was his first 1/2.  We walked to the swim start together.  As it happened, we saw each other numerous times on the course, as we came out of the water together, I passed him on the bike, and he passed me back in the first couple of miles of the run.  I happened to run better than normal that day, and had a good second half.  About a 1/4 mile from the finish, I saw him just ahead.  I struggled with what to do.  If I really emptied the tank, I might be able to catch him just at the chute.  It might make for an exciting finish, and I might get the satisfaction of outrunning him at the end.  I also thought about the flip side, though.  After being friendly all day, would it seem sneaky to try to snipe him at the end?  Would it take away from his first 1/2 IM finish if we were both gasping for breath in the finisher's picture?  Ultimately, I decided that the one spot really didn't matter to me and it wasn't worth it.  I cruised in about 20 seconds after he did, met his family, and congratulated him on a great race.   I know other people will disagree with this approach, but both of us walked away happy.   

X2.  Her behavior was the only unsportsmanlike behavior here.  She made a fool of herself.  Crying, really?  Dirty looks, really?  Unsportsmanlike.  What is this, the 5th grade PE mile run?

Andi

Twice already this year that's happened. Won one, lost one. Both were guys half my age and the one I won I stopped and dry heaved once we crossed. I consider that a perfectly run race

Both times we high-fived and thanked each other for pushing at the end. Friendly competition is what it's all about. No whiners!

There's no crying in triathlon!  Seriously though, if I'm not giving it all I have at the finish with my daughter watching, then how can I expect her to finish hard on her swims (she is on the swim team).  It's all about learning to be competitive, and being a good sport, win or lose. 

I raced a guy at the end in a local 10k, I lost, but we chatted and I made a new friend out of it.  Probably would have turned out the same way if I had won, to.  I did manage to pass two other guys and a pregnant girl - hey she was a really fast pregnant girl, and she didn't even cry hormones and all!

Maybe it's my swimming background, but if I'm not about to collapse at the finish, I feel like I didn't give it enough during the race.  I also enjoy watching the people just having fun finishing at the back.  Once I can stand, I usually go cheer on the other finishers.  It's interesting to see the different types of people that race.

Go ahead and blow by me, I won't tear up.  Maybe if that girl had gotten beat some as a kid, she could handle it as an adult.  Cowboy up!

Last year at one of my C races, I was passed by someone in my division about a quarter of a mile from the finish.  By the time I realized it, I could not muster enough power to catch him (I was shot and had walked a little just before he passed me).  I ended up missing 3rd place by 8 seconds.  Since that race, I have focused on finishing the last mile stronger than the others with the mantra that I might get beat, but it will not be because I slowed down in the final mile.

Fast forward to the year's "C" race - the race I have fixated on almost exclusively for a year.  Great race all around.  Then, with less than a quarter of a mile to go, I get passed by a guy with my age on his calf.  Oh no, not again.  I managed to get behind him and when I knew I could sprint without stopping, I bolted around and kicked out to the finish.  Once across, I looked back and he had not increased his pace at all.  He probably thought I was nuts, but I wasn't going to leave anything to chance.  I ended up on the podium for the first time ever with second in my division.  

Finish Strong...

I always kick it up as much as possible at the end.  No matter if it's the weekly series or the A race, having a killer race or bonking my way along, I will always give whatever I got at the end.  And part of that is using people in front of you as goals along the way.

This.

I could understand if it was a non "chipped" race and someone cut in front before handing your tag to the time keepers.

I always try to finish strong. It is a race - and you can do your cooldown AFTER the finish line. Sometimes, it looks like a sprint (when I have not managed the pace well and have excess energy), sometimes I THINK it's a sprint but my pace is the same or even slighty slower than what I had been running half a mile before.  Most races are chip-timed anyway so you never really know if you are ahead or behind someone so you have to give it your best effort.

To the OP - did you talk to her? Are you sure they were really dirty looks or maybe that's her normal expression?  You had enough 'guilt'/doubts to ask on the forum so perhaps you were just thinking she felt bad because of your actions? 

x3.  This gal has some emotional and self worth issues that have nothing to do with you.  Hopefully you won't run into her again, but if you do, just remember that she's a nut job and skunk her again.

You didn't do anything wrong.....personally, I'm not sprinting anywhere. My kids always yell at me to SPRINT at the end of a race, I don't even know what they are talking about.  In my last race I got passed in the last 10 feet by some 60 year old guy who was about 4'6", sprinting like a lunatic, and looking like he was about to die.  I busted up laughing. My kids were all, "dad, you let THAT guy beat you". 

He looked like he needed it.

You did everything right and continue to push yourself to the finish line.  I have been both beaten and beaten someone with 100 yds or less to go.  My last trail race I was chasing a guy for 2 miles and we spent the last mile side by side pushing each other.  I finally broke away with about 50 yds to go.

When we crossed the finish line it was a hugfest with tons of "Man...you pushed me so hard it was awesome!  Congrats".  That's how it should be.

In my opinion, there is only one time in triathlon when it's rude to pass someone before the 'finish'.  That's if you've been drafting off someone all the way up to the shore, don't sling shot around them to hit the mat first.  That's rude in my opinion.  But just for the swim though.  After that, GAME ON!!!

Im not sure about others, but I was always told not to stop or slow down until you pass the finish line. I thrive on seeing how many people I can pass vs how many people pass me, if I can pass you with a foot between you and the finish line, you better believe Im gonna go for it.......

If she was so upset about you passing her than why didnt she pick up the pace and keep you from passing her.......answer bc you wanted it more and she wanted to complain about it........Good work on your end. 

Nothing wrong with that at all.....

Incomplete question - was there beer at the finish line?

About the only time I've ever been upset is a couple races ago.  We were in the last mile and I was coming off a downhill pace and passed a guy that I've seen in the past few races (we have about the same pace and usually finish within a few seconds of each other).  Anyway, as soon as I passed him he kicks it in a little harder and passes me right back, no problem.  Pass me that fine.  But then he slows down immediately so that I'm running up his @ss.  So instead of tripping over his feet or stepping on his heels, I moved out to the side and slowly pass him back (staying on my pace) and instead of moving in line in front of him (so that he doesn't think I'm messing with him) I stayed out to the side.  The guy passes me back up and moves in front of me and slows down AGAIN.  I swear 10 years ago I'd have tackled the guy right there and beat the ever lovin cr@p out him.  Seriously.  Maybe even 5 yrs ago.  But not this year.  Instead I told myself, "Justin, your kids are waiting at the finish line to run across with you, don't ruin it, just settle down."  I moved off to the side and as I came up on him again he starts to sprint it out.  I let him go.  I was so glad just to see him gone.  I normally pick up the pace increasingly until I'm at a sprint at the very end during the last mile, but this one I knew the kids wanted to cross with me, so there wasn't any point.  I just held my pace the same.  I didn't mind the guy passing me, I minded him slowing down once he got in front of me.  I race my race with disregard for anyone else's time, I'm just racing for me.

Pass me all you want, I just ask that when you do, stay past me.

To the OP, you didn't do anything wrong.  If you're in a race and get offended by getting passed at the end, then train harder and STFU until you aren't getting passed.

Now that's bad race etiquette