Saturday morning I woke up bright and early made myself a cup of coffee, put on my race gear, and headed outside to meet up with Jess. We jogged two miles to the start of the New York Road Runner’s Mini 10k (an all women’s race). During our warm-up we discussed our disdain for the 6.2 mile distance and our expectations for the race.
When Jess and I arrived in our corral, I was really questioning why I had signed up. I had even considered fleeing my corral to just take a nice run along the bridle path. You see the corral was so packed that not everyone assigned to the corral could fit inside.
We decided to backup and join our friend Melissa in the corral just behind us. As we chatted about our claustrophobia and desires to leave the race something appalling happened…
I felt something wet spray my right leg and then I heard a stream of liquid hitting the ground. I turned to my right only to see that the “water” was urine. A woman in our corral decided to pull her shorts out of the way so she could urinate on the ground. She did the nasty deed without apology. She simply acted as though this act was totally normal.
Appalled and in shock, we just stood there unable to utter a word.
As upset as I was, I felt even worse for the woman who was wedged into the crowd directly behind her who started the race with a shoe drenched in urine.
In retrospect, I can’t believe we didn’t say anything. I think it was one of those moments when you just simply don’t even know what to say.
We’ve emailed NYRR to let them know about the incident with the hopes that this won’t happen to anyone else.
Tell me, what would you have done in this situation?
OH MY GOD. ARE YOU SERIOUS? Ok, I’ll stop with the caps now. That is horrible. I am so sorry you had to go through that, along with the other racers around her. That behavior is no way in shape or form, excusable. I was there (mind you, way behind in another corral) and there was plenty of time to go beforehand (or heck, at home, before you head out the door). That is just so disgusting. I saw what you wrote on twitter re: picture – you should definitely send it to NYRR, if you have not done so already. So gross. I am traumatized for you.
You seriously can’t make this stuff up. I am definitely going to hold off from signing up for the Mini 10K in the future. But, in all seriousness, when will this event stop haunting me??
WOW, in a NYRR race? You shoulda smacked her.
Unnecessary. I mean, those little D-tags make it possible to start wherever and get your honest time so why make it gross for everyone else?
I never comment but I have to say… that is insane. I know the bathroom lines were incredibly long, but that’s NO excuse.
I sincerely hope you got her bib number and reported her. That is so uncalled for. I’m surprised nobody said anything to her.
OH MY GOD! I actually have no idea what I would have done. Sitting here at my desk I can think of many things I would have said but in the moment I would probably been in such shock I would have been utterly speechless. I hope the NYRR does something…what I don’t know but that is disgusting.
That is absolutely disgusting – I probably would have let out a yelp and let her have it. I don’t know, I totally understand the “too shocked to say anything” mindset as well though.
I also ran this race, and was in the blue (5’s) corral with no issues, I wondered how we would all fit but somehow we did and it didn’t seem any more or less crowded than the other 10+ NYRR races I have run.
I will say there were def not enough port-a-potties at the start. I was near the Bethesda fountain when I came in but still needed to check my bag and walk to the start so I skipped those huge bathrooms and when I got up near the start and saw those long lines I wished I hadn’t. I made it til the end of the race though so I can’t really complain too much!
Wow. Just wow — that’s disgusting. Seriously: you can’t either suffer the bathroom line or hold it for 6 miles? Then DON’T RACE. You said you had moved BACK a corral — so she was obviously not at the front of the pack and trying to be the first one across the line — she was racing her own time, running her own event.
I guess I can almost understand public urination if you’re at the forefront, elite runner status, about to start a marathon and have no other option — but honestly, even then, I’ll still give you the hairy eyeball for totally disgusting, inappropriate public behavior.
I definitely would have said something. Most likely something truly eloquent like, “ARE YOU F******* KIDDING ME?” That tends to be my default response when all else fails.
And yes, I would have said it loudly, and I would have publicly shamed her for that disgusting, discourteous, inappropriate and unhygienic behavior.
I’m delurking here to say I would have smacked her. I know it wouldn’t solve anything and might have made the situation worse, but…uhm she peed on your leg. So disgusting.
OH MY GOD. I can’t even fathom the idea of this… that’s utterly disgusting, I am SO sorry that happened to you
On one hand peeing on other people is gross. On the other, peeing at the starting line is sometimes all you can do when the lines for the portapotties are out of control or the portapotties are far from the start and you have to go right before the race starts. It’s obviously not ideal, but letting those around you know you’re going to do it and squatting really low and away from other people is the way to do it IF YOU MUST. Peeing on someone’s shoe is just wrong and unnecessary. SPECULATION ALERT! She was probably embarrassed to tell anyone what she was doing and hoping she was being discreet or hopefully unaware that she was affecting other people. I doubt she was a malicious pee’er! Sometimes that pre-race adrenaline, a full bladder and the frustration of no way to quickly go causes people to take drastic measures. Again, avoiding peeing on other people is a MUST if you have to do something like that!
If that is truly the case, then she should have peed her pants and let it run down her own leg, not the legs of the people around her. Based on the amount of time we were in the corral and the fact that she was breaking rules by jumping ahead to a faster corral (you can move back corrals, but it’s against race rules to move forward) she had enough time to wait in line at a bathroom and still start the race with the 6,000 other people who ran.
I don’t know her particular situation and I’m not defending her peeing on you or any one else! I’m just saying sometimes the conditions are such that peeing on the starting line or behind a tree close to the start or somewhere else far less than ideal seems like the only option.
OH MY GOD. That is so disgusting. Definitely a good thing you reported her. I’ve seen plenty of guys do the deed, but not in the corral!! I’ll be avoiding the mini 10K in the future…
I’m a runner & I’m totally gross, but even this is too much for me. She literally peed on you. I would’ve said something. How horribly & grossly inconsiderate.
I would like to say I would have dropped my pants and peed on her right back but in all honesty I probably would have been too shocked to say anything. What a twat.
Oh my. That’s pretty gross!
OMG. If you haven’t yet, you should maybe post about this on the NYRR Facebook page. Make sure you get their attention and possibly the attention of the girl who did it and her victims. That is so beyond disgusting. I ran the first 6 miles of my first half marathon having to pee until I found a convenient portapotty with no lines. It sucked for me those first 6, but it sure beat peeing on OTHER PEOPLE. Wow. And of course she could have started at the back of the race after using a portapotty or not even run the race. ALL better options than what she did. That is sickening.
Wow, seriously?!?! Who would even think about doing something like that?
I don’t have any idea how someone could fathom doing that in a crowd of people. That is just….wow…so outrageous.
On another note, I would agree with you that the corrals were entirely too crowded. I was in the orange/red corral right behind blue and there was a mass of people standing outside trying to get in and they were just pushing everyone. At one point I was really annoyed because I was smashed body to body against every single person around me and felt like I was going to trip.
A. NYRR spread your corrals out more.
B. Some people’s egos need a check – you’re not elite & going for the 10k world record – chill out and stop pushing people.
OMG no effing way. I would’ve wanted to PUNCH her if I were in your shoes (literally). UGH! That is so wrong on SO MANY levels. Good lord, some people I will NEVER understand.
Oh my God! I am appalled! That is inexcusable. I really hope you gave her bib number in to NYRR. The persin urinated on others. Absolutely despicable.
Jeez, what an awful typo. I can spell, really! “Person”!
I’m from the Bronx, I would have kicked her in the f*cking tw*t!
Ack!!! I was in the first corral for the 10K and thank goodness I stayed there! That is the most disguisting thing I’ve heard! I’m upset that you didn’t get to say anything but I’m sure that I’d be too shocked if I were in the same place. That is truly disgraceful. If she pulled over during the race, that is her choice but involving/drenching others is a whole different story. I am glad to emailed NYRR but I’m also wondering, where were the volunteers and why didn’t they see her? I’m volunteering at the Portugal race this weekend and if I saw someone do that I will definitely report them.
Wow, that is so nasty! I can’t believe some of the things people will do in public! Ew! I think I would have told her there were porta potties available and remind her of the fact that she sprayed several people with her nastiness.
Ugh, I’m sorry you had such a bad start to your race!
I still am in shock over this. So gross. So crude. WHO does this??? Ughhh. I can’t imagine being that woman who had a urine soaked shoe. I would have probably punched her in the face (and I’m not a violent person).
Glad that you emailed NYRR. They need to know about incidents like this to let other runners know it’s not acceptable. Although I would think that it’s something most people know is unacceptable. So gross.
That is just nasty! Seriously was there a lack of port-a-potties in the race? Eeek.
Although I have to admit, NYC never seizes to amaze me a few weeks back I saw a men peeing in the middle of the street at 3pm. I am like there is a Starbucks around the corner. For real!
Personally, I would have said something because really is invading personal space. For real urine nobody wants to deal with it. I am glad that at least you mentioned it to NYRR. I am eager to hear what they say about it.
Oh my gosh. Disgusting. There are no words…
This blows my mind! I can’t believe it! Too bad there is no picture.
As everyone else has said, that is beyond unbelievable. Never in my life would I consider a move like that, I might have considered finding a bush, but even then it’d have to be a pretty secluded bush!
Honestly, I would love to say that I’d have smacked her or told her off, but I’m pretty sure I would have just frozen, jaw agape as well.
Sorry you had to deal with such nonsense, I wish you dry roads ahead!
eeugh that is disgusting! I would have definitely said something. Good job reporting her. Maybe next race they will make an announcement about it. That is just so not on. Its not like she was elite and toeing the line. If she needed to go that badly, she should have at least gone to a tree or something.
OH MY! This is soooo GROSS! I don’t even know what to say about this tale. I really think she could have left the corral and found a bush or something. Can you imagine? I mean just willy-nilly peeing on someone else!? UGH! Its just too ridiculous! I don’t know what I would have done in your situation. I think I also would have been stunned into silence
I have never commented on here…. But This story is is unreal!! I must say this woman’s behaviour is unacceptable. I am trully appalled and am so sorry you had to experience this! I hope NYRR reacts firmly to this matter.
This is absolutely disgusting! Avoiding the 10k isn’t going to do anything though. This woman is at almost every single NYRR race. I know exactly who she is and she’s even been spotted running with shit running down her leg, so this isn’t anything new for her (except the fact that she did it IN THE CORRAL).
Unacceptable, this lady better be banned from races forever.
Has she been reported to NYRR?
Wow this is crazy even for New York standards. I think I would have been in shock but would have said something to the woman.
Did you get her number?
So disgusting and disturbing
OMG _ UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Firstly, I am disgusted and devastated for you!!
Secondly, You are damned right I would’ve said something.
Although, judging from the pictures of the lines at the royal flushes one can ALMOST understand….but then she should’ve stepped out of the corral and behind a tree….
The situation with the NYRR races is getting worse as they increase the race caps…
Ewww! I was in the red corral too but I must have been in a different section. I’m so sorry that happened to you!
I would have given her an earful thats for sure. Pee’d on YOUR leg and someone elses shoe? Hell to the no.
I recently ran the NYRR BK Half. I saw girl’s bare butts as they popped a squat right after the race had started! And I’m not talking in the bushes. As soon as there was any grass, loads of girls were pulling their shorts right on the side of the ROAD to pee! I must have seen at least 10 girl’s behinds! Unfortunately, I can’t say I’m surprised by your experience given mine!!
OMG, wow. I’m just seeing this. Was she DRUNK? I have seen men in bushes on the side etc but I have never experienced something like that. Absolutely shameless, and yes, definitely contact Road Runners. That should be an automatic disqualification. SMH
Please please please tell me you looked at her bib number. You could probably get her disqualified (for life!?!?!?)
It’s appalling that a woman would have such lack of consideration and decency to do that to her fellow runners! I think I would have had a similar reaction that you did- shocked at first, then enraged once it sunk in. I’m so glad that you reported her. My hope is that she reads this blog post and is wildly shamed by it and the collective disdain that all the commenters have for her. Just wow…
If it is the “usual” woman who has crap running down her legs…NYRR us very aware of who she is. There will be no banning…it has gone on for yours unfortunately. She us an age group winner never to be banned
Actually my first time visiting your blog and what a day to do so! I’m pretty sure I’d freak out if I realized someone was pretty much urinating on me. I don’t know how you kept quiet but at the same time, what do you say?! So glad you at the very least reported her. I don’t understand the thought process that would go through this woman’s head that made her think it was okay to do that…
That is insane!!!! I can’t believe anyone would do that. My jaw is literally on the floor. That’s sad because it really makes me question if I’d ever sign up for that race. And that really sucks that it got on you!!! I probably would have been frozen in shock also, I mean really what are you supposed to say. “um excuse me, can you, um, point (?) that elsewhere?”.
That’s disgusting!!!
That is seriously appalling and disgusting!! I saw Jess’ tweet about it couldn’t believe it when I read it. I mean, come on people!! Common decency. First, that’s horrible that your corral was so overcrowded but to then have to deal with this? Unacceptable. I know what you mean and I’m not sure what I would have said in that situation. I’m glad you all contacted NYRR. I hope that they responded.
Wow…I probably would have been in shock, like you, and unable to say anything. Except I probably would have dropped the f-bomb while realizing the wetness was urine. For sure I would have noted her bib number so that when I contacted NYRR they could at least try to identify her. Or if I had my phone on me, taken a picture of her since it sounds like there was no where for her to go to get away after doing it- and let her know you are reporting her to NYRR. I don’t know what you could demand of her if she shows no remorse for having done it. It’s too bad that two other commenters know who this is, that she regularly does this, and is still allowed to race. So true that if this was chip-timed, she should have ducked out of her corral to do her deed. I’d almost understand squatting in a bush or ducking behind a tree to pee if there weren’t enough porta-potties.
OMG! This is insane! People are seriously crazy.
OMG. I have no words.