I recently posted about getting chicked, the running insult akin to throws like a girl. In the comments I mentioned that there should be an equivalent term for costumed runners. First Time Runner hilariously mentioned that in the London Marathon this is called getting rhinoed. Quite honestly, if a rhino runs up behind me I’m about to break a land speed record.
Living far from the plains of London, I have yet to spot a rhino on the run. So I considered a more generic term that would cover the costumed runners I encounter most often in the wild. I present:
Getting tutued - when you are passed, beaten, overtaken, or in some way bettered by costumed runner. Sample use, I was tutued 500m from the finish line.
(It’s true. I once ran a race in a tutu. Don’t judge. I did it for professional reasons.)
Title: Bruce Springsteen – Brilliant Disguise. 1987.
What about those Leprechauns? They run in those local St. Patrick’s Day races, and they’re FAST! Grrrrr.
Race themed runners are especially annoying. Yes, I’ve been Santa Claused.
As I read this I had a little deja vu about fast leprechauns.
Then I remembered I had read about your recent race against rainbow leprechauns to that pot of gold – http://jvruns.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/kelly-st-patricks-day-shamrock-5k/
“Leprechauns” is one of the top Google referrals to my blog. I’m considering posting about other mythical creatures to keep my numbers up. Maybe I can arrange for a pegasus to beat me at my next race.
If Pegasus could poop during the race it would really boost your numbers. In my experience googlers are extremely interested in poo.
I will use this term, because I have been tutued more times than I care to count and each time hurts. Now, the one thing I can say, though, is that I’ve yet to be tutued by any of the die-hards, like the guy in full scuba gear or the fireman in full gear. It was close at the Flying Pig with two marines in full fatigues with their full packs (and in combat boots).
I vow to never be beaten by a single costume containing two or more runners.
It really depends on the runner and the costume. I was passed by “coatman” once. The guy runs in wingtip shoes, a long denim coat (regardless of temperature) and holds aloft a serving plate with a bottle of wine on it.
It’s one thing to be passed by a guy like Coatman. It’s quite another to know you can do nothing about it.
- Dean
Ooh, I’d love to catch a glimpse of the famous coatman … even if it meant watching him run by.
My sister-in-law once finished a Thanksgiving Day race faster than she would have because she decided she would NOT be passed by a giant turkey.
That is impressive. Poultry is notoriously fast, so much so they have inspired timeless adages like “ran around like a chicken with his head cut off”. I think I once wrote a post about the speed of turkeys. To my best recollection, they are damn fast.
I haven’t run in any races with costumes. I feel so last decade.
I see an untapped opportunity for you to be the one in costume, tutuing the masses.
LOL @ExperimentalMom.
I got beaten by “Duff Man” and a giant barrel of Duff Beer at the Philly half marathon in 2009. “Duff Man! Thrusting in the direction of the Finish Line!”
Oh yeah.
I ran a race in a tutu, but only because it was a Halloween run and I absolutely love Halloween.
Did you tutu anyone in the last 500 metres?
I was beaten or tutued by the Jamba Juice Banana two years in a row in a 5 mile race. Yes, he was wearing a full Banana costume. It was depressing.
I need to make some sort of make like a banana and split joke.
In all honesty I just found your blog while looking for “Wonder Woman running gear”. I am signing up for a half marathon on Oct. 30th and once saw someone wearing a Wonder Woman costume and it was actual running apparel and was thinking of wearing it to the race. You have just made me reconsider. Love the blog though, glad I found it!
An almost halloween half? If ever there was a time to race in wonder woman costume, that’s gotta be it.
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