Monday, July 20, 2009

Is Running Your Dog in "Globe 21K Run For Home" COOL OR NOT COOL?

Take a look at the picture below. A REGISTERED female participant (proof is that she is wearing a race bib) was running her dog during the 21K Globe “Run For Home”. Picture was taken just after the turnaround point located at Ayala Avenue near Inter Continental Hotel.



Nowhere in the world does a half-marathon road race allow for a race participant to run with his/her dog. I am pretty sure that race officials of “Run For Home” does not as well allow running with your dog on a 21K road event.

But, if such an assumption is correct, how was this female registered participant able to check herself at the starting line? How come she was able to reach all the way to Ayala Avenue at Intercon Hotel without her attention being called by ANY of the race marshals stationed practically on every intersection? Does the race marshals think she was doing a valid, normal and race conformity action? I would fault the race officials on this issue rather than the runner. Had the race officials been diligent enough, the runner's action could had been called (thousand of people saw her running with the dog)and such an embarrassing scenario could have been avoided.

On another point, IT IS COOL to bring run/walk your dog at BHS as it is allowed on the said venue. IT IS COOL to bring your dog and show its physical attributes on a dog show as it is the right venue. IT IS COOL to run your dog on open roads, parks, and streets. But, it is NOT COOL to run your dog on a half marathon road race it is not the right venue and it violates established running etiquette.

7 comments:

  1. Totally uncool! I dont think the officials new better seeing something as eerie as this.I feel bad for the dog too, but i hope it hit its PR!

    ReplyDelete
  2. i saw another guy running the 10K run with two big dogs running with him. i guess, the dogs were "bandits" during the race, just like me! hehehe! it's uncool to race with your dogs!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Its cool to talk a walk with your dog. Cooler if you run with your dog, as long as the dog can take it. In the starting pit, I saw a female participant was about to run with her pug. Pugs are never built for long walks, and last sunday the participant was going to bring the poor dog to run. Didn't know her distance though.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Anonymous - I do not think the dog finished the race it would have been really a big issue should the dog have crossed the finish line.

    Dear BR - I do not think you can register the dogs. Unfortunately, the are bandits not of their own choice but of their owners.

    Dear Gerald - At least the owner came to her senses before it was too late for the poor pug.

    Dear Abagale/Betty - Thank you for dropping by. I assume you are a pet lover with the link you have attached. Please do come back.

    ReplyDelete
  5. animal rights organization should be alarmed by this. that is not the right way to treat a dog. running the dog for 21K? that's just cruel.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Rod - I just do not get what is the real purpose of running a dog on a road race. There is plenty of place and time to provide your pet the needed exercise. As they say a "Right time and place" then it would have been cool.

    ReplyDelete
  7. If i'm not mistaken, she's Karina Dayondon. One of the 3 Filipinas who summitted Mt. Everest a couple of years back. I often see her running with her Labrador Retriever around BHS and MOA. I guess the dog has logged enough mileage to take on the distance. :-)

    ReplyDelete