In these crowds, too many runners acted like drivers veering to exit ramps without looking or signaling. Running became a contact sport, leaving me with bruises to prove it. On the other hand, well-trained endurance athletes may oxidize less protein for energy during exercise than untrained individuals. Still, because most athletes increase total food intake during training to meet energy needs they easily obtain the extra protein from ordinary foods and don't need protein supplements. This situation wasn't the fault of race organizers, since Bix and Portland are two of the smoothest-operating big events in the country.
Officials can only do so much.
The problem is, this code is increasingly neglected. New and infrequent racers now flooding the fields of big events haven't spent enough time in road racing to understand it. Most of their displays of bad etiquette originate in innocence, not malicious intent. So widespread is the problem, though, that the Road Runners Club of America has appointed one of its officers, Freddi Carlip, to give talks and write a column in the RRCA's FootNotes publication about these issues. Many people entering races don't understand the mechanics of being part of a road race and need to be educated about their responsibilities as a participant.