5 Signs You're an Annoying Marathoner

Maybe this has happened to you, too: Every time I announce to family or friends that I'm planning to train for and run another marathon I get the same blank stare.  It's as if I can see their minds working through the past experiences of dealing with me during this 14-week period. And — I'm just guessing here — they're not anxious to relive those experiences.

Runners tend to be quirky creatures of habit, and training for a marathon (or any distance endurance event, for that matter) brings out even more quirkiness and — dare I say it? — borderline obsession. For those people who are kind enough to love us marathoners, we have to admit that we put them through a lot as we train for and run our big race. Here are five signs you may be dancing on the last nerve of your spouse, partner, friend, or coworker:

You know you're an annoying marathoner when...training takes priority over everything:  Have you made everyone wait for you while you get your training run completed?  I've made my wife late for dinners, weddings, and multiple other events.  It is not that I'm rude (most of the time), but more than I expect everyone to cut me some slack since I'm training for a marathon (duh!).

You know you're an annoying marathoner when...you can work something about your marathon training into any conversation:  When you're gearing up for a race, it's a nearly constant part of your thoughts, which makes it a constant topic of conversation — something you want to catalogue, in great detail, to anyone who will listen, from how Saturday's long run went to how many weeks until the race to your favorite carbs to eat the night before, and on and on.  It is always about running, even before you say, "How was your day, honey?". My friends and family sometimes get a text from me saying "Just finished my 18." "What does that even mean?" they say. Don't they know I just dominated 18 miles?

You know you're an annoying marathoner when...you're in the bathroom a lot. Runners continuously and religiously fuel with water, carbs, and calories to prepare for long training runs.  All of this fueling makes marathoners spend more time in the bathroom than anyone else living under the same roof.  'Nuff said.

You know you're an annoying marathoner when...you're constantly asking for donations: Marathoners are very giving, caring, and philanthropic people.  We run to raise money for worthy charities and to spread awareness for important issues.  However, tapping into the well of friends and family for multiple donations can easily start to feel more like financing a runner's bucket list.  (That being said, I'm still taking donations for my New York City Marathon charity. )

You know you're an annoying marathoner when...there's a never-ending cycle of laundry: You know it's been a great run when your compression socks, running shorts, and running shirt are all soaked with sweat. Multiply this by four or five  times a week and laundry starts to feel like an unpaid part-time job to make sure there's not a stinky mess laying around. I'm lucky to have a wife who also runs and she's happy so long as I get my sweaty clothes in with her pile of stink.

What are some other signs of race- and training-obsessed marathoners? How have you annoyed your loved ones? How do you make it up to them?

— Scott Miles, Running Reporter

Scott Miles blogs at iRunnerBlog.com and is co-founder of #RunChat, a twice-monthly Twitter chat for runners.  He has completed multiple races, from marathons to 5ks. When Scott isn't running or blogging about it, he is a sales executive, a supportive husband, a Mets fan, and enjoys everything that the New York City area has to offer.