Races are fun.  They are inspiring.  At times races can be weird, too.  I am not talking about the themes of these running events, I am talking about runners who draw the most attention.  I am recalling the weirdest runner’s behaviours I have seen in the races I’ve joined. Some are funny, others are simply irritating, you decide.

  1. Running with a whole bunch of bananas.  I’m not kidding! Yup, we know bananas are good for runners. Some races do give away bananas aside from water and sports drink as part of the hydration and aid station.  But bringing a whole bunch of bananas in a run, while running. Couldn’t imagine how this runner will eat all bananas and run at the same time.  What about the peels, where will they end up? Weird, right?  Dangerous, too.
  1. Running with a big bottle of Gatorade. We are advised to bring our own hydration.  Hydration that will be enough to sustain us throughout the race. This is why there are a lot of hydration products to choose from—vest, handheld, or belt.   Too little and too much hydration is bad.   Thus, I think one big bottle of Gatorade is weird to gulp throughout the entire race. Plus the difficulty of carrying it with you in your run.
  1. Running with a long umbrella. It was a gloomy day for a run.  So how did one runner deal with     She brought an umbrella, not a pocket, but the sturdy type.  Running with something on your person can be cumbersome, what more with a heavy umbrella.  What do we do then if it’s raining on the day of the event?  Well, we just run.  Running in the rain is actually fun.
  1. Running with a Starbucks coffee. Really?   I am not making this up! Who doesn’t love Starbucks? Most of us do. In fact, there are people who couldn’t let a day pass without their favourite cup of joe from this ubiquitous coffee house.   But bringing one to your run.  Come on!  How can you run with a hot cup in your hand? Are you not afraid of being scalded?
  1. Running a 5K in a complete “battle” gear. We want to feel that we are runners in the true sense of the word, thus we get the latest running gear and gadget.  But I think running a 5k doesn’t require a hydration belt, compression tights, Garmin Forerunner, and all other gear that’s in the market just for us to be called runners. Remember, you’re running a short distance, not doing an ultra.
  1. Running with no shirt. Running in the Philippines is a “hot” undertaking. Hot here refers to the weather.  You could just be running for 30mins yet it feels like a one-hour run because  you sweat buckets. But removing your shirt. Duh? Is this to show your abs, or make others envy how fit you are?  What happens to the bib and the race shirt? Do these runners need to be told to cover up.

These are the weirdest runners I’ve encountered. How about you?