SHE'S LIKE THE WIND, IF THE WIND WAS ONLY ON THE ROADS NEAR THE POTOMAC
March 27, 2012 12:26 PM Subscribe
What should I write on a giant sign to cheer on my friends during a 10 mile race this weekend?
Two friends of mine are running in the Cherry Blossom 10 miler this weekend. I live very close to the route. I'm going to hold a sign (or two, if I end up on one of the portions they run twice). What should it say? It doesn't have to be specific to my friends, I am totally cool with delighting other runners. I just want it to be something more fun than the typical "GO!" or "RUN FAST!"
I've reviewed this question but most of those are triathalon-y. Also, here's a route map (pdf) in case you have a location-specific suggestion. Their names are Valerie and Molly, should that factor in.
Two friends of mine are running in the Cherry Blossom 10 miler this weekend. I live very close to the route. I'm going to hold a sign (or two, if I end up on one of the portions they run twice). What should it say? It doesn't have to be specific to my friends, I am totally cool with delighting other runners. I just want it to be something more fun than the typical "GO!" or "RUN FAST!"
I've reviewed this question but most of those are triathalon-y. Also, here's a route map (pdf) in case you have a location-specific suggestion. Their names are Valerie and Molly, should that factor in.
Get a few people to hold up some kind of Burma Shave series of signs.
posted by cmyk at 12:29 PM on March 27, 2012
posted by cmyk at 12:29 PM on March 27, 2012
"Hurry up, our brunch is waiting!" always gets some grins. But that depends on your friends, really.
posted by inigo2 at 12:33 PM on March 27, 2012
posted by inigo2 at 12:33 PM on March 27, 2012
Best answer: My friend just ran the LA Marathon and reported that her favorite sign on the course simply said:
Worst.
Parade.
Ever.
posted by charmedimsure at 12:33 PM on March 27, 2012 [8 favorites]
Worst.
Parade.
Ever.
posted by charmedimsure at 12:33 PM on March 27, 2012 [8 favorites]
Oh man, there were so many good signs that people had for the NYC marathon last year, I will try to remember some of them (though not all may be applicable to a 10 miler):
"26.2 miles because 26.3 is CRAZY!"
"Pain is temporary, Glory is forever"
"Black toenails are SEXY!"
"What are you running from?!?"
and my absolute favorite at the end of the race held by a little 13 year old girl:
"What took you so long??"
And on preview there was also a "Worst Parade Ever" sign. Classic.
posted by Grither at 12:37 PM on March 27, 2012
"26.2 miles because 26.3 is CRAZY!"
"Pain is temporary, Glory is forever"
"Black toenails are SEXY!"
"What are you running from?!?"
and my absolute favorite at the end of the race held by a little 13 year old girl:
"What took you so long??"
And on preview there was also a "Worst Parade Ever" sign. Classic.
posted by Grither at 12:37 PM on March 27, 2012
At the White Rock Marathon in Dallas a couple of months back many people were holding up all manner of signs, some serious encouragemnt, some jokes. May favorite said
"For TAXI Call 469-222-2222"
It was one of the runners wives. She said that he and his training buddies love a little humor along the route, to break the monotony. So maybe some kind of inside joke would work.
posted by holdkris99 at 12:40 PM on March 27, 2012
"For TAXI Call 469-222-2222"
It was one of the runners wives. She said that he and his training buddies love a little humor along the route, to break the monotony. So maybe some kind of inside joke would work.
posted by holdkris99 at 12:40 PM on March 27, 2012
Whatever you do, do not shout "You're almost there!" if you are more than 10 feet from the finish line.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 12:44 PM on March 27, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 12:44 PM on March 27, 2012 [5 favorites]
My favorite one that I've seen recently and isn't done to death is, "Run Quietly, I'm Hung Over".
You could also do something like "Worst Half Marathon Ever" or "Tie Your Shoelace"
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:49 PM on March 27, 2012
You could also do something like "Worst Half Marathon Ever" or "Tie Your Shoelace"
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:49 PM on March 27, 2012
I cant remember the exact working of one i saw recently for a DC race, but something along the lines of "you are still beating the Metro" is always a dc crowd pleaser.
posted by zara at 12:49 PM on March 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by zara at 12:49 PM on March 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
MILE 1
(assuming you're enough further along the course than Mile 1 that it wouldn't just seem cruel)
posted by gurple at 12:52 PM on March 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
(assuming you're enough further along the course than Mile 1 that it wouldn't just seem cruel)
posted by gurple at 12:52 PM on March 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
THE PERSIANS ARE RIGHT BEHIND YOU!
this works better for a marathon
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:52 PM on March 27, 2012 [4 favorites]
this works better for a marathon
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:52 PM on March 27, 2012 [4 favorites]
"Hey Valerie and Molly, if you lived here, you'd be home by now."
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 12:54 PM on March 27, 2012
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 12:54 PM on March 27, 2012
"Your feet only hurt because you're kicking so much ass!" (though overdone) is my all-time favorite.
posted by matcha action at 12:55 PM on March 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by matcha action at 12:55 PM on March 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
My dad used to yell "[Rival School's Name] DELENDA EST" during cross country runs, but that only works if your friends are amazingly nerdy. (Sub in: Tidal Basin, Race's Name, etc.) I would also laugh hysterically at the metro one, because it is basically true. There are some good suggestions here (Chuck Norris never ran a marathon!)
posted by jetlagaddict at 1:02 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by jetlagaddict at 1:02 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
YOU GO ON AHEAD- I'M DONE FOR.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:03 PM on March 27, 2012
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:03 PM on March 27, 2012
Don't Look Back! The zombies are gaining on you!
posted by BrooksCooper at 1:16 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by BrooksCooper at 1:16 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm a fan of the "Google results are forever. Keep running."
Also, if you really, really like your friends, they will really appreciate it if you cheer out at Haines Point around mile 8. The crowd support at that point is almost non-existent. Last year, we cheered from there, and our friends liked the late-race boost.
Regardless of where you cheer, another tip we learned was to have something in the air like a large smiley face ballon. It's much easier for your friends to spot you then it will be for you to spot your friends, particularly with the number of people running the 10 miler.
posted by statsgirl at 1:17 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also, if you really, really like your friends, they will really appreciate it if you cheer out at Haines Point around mile 8. The crowd support at that point is almost non-existent. Last year, we cheered from there, and our friends liked the late-race boost.
Regardless of where you cheer, another tip we learned was to have something in the air like a large smiley face ballon. It's much easier for your friends to spot you then it will be for you to spot your friends, particularly with the number of people running the 10 miler.
posted by statsgirl at 1:17 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
ONLY 17 MORE MILES TO GO! YOU CAN DO IT!
posted by Etrigan at 1:26 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Etrigan at 1:26 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
IF YOU LIVED HERE, YOU'D BE HOME RIGHT NOW
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:47 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:47 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
Seriously, if someone just hung up a "WE LOVE YOU," I think I would just glide to the finish line.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:49 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:49 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
"You're all Kenyans to us!" See also: favorite signs.
posted by acheekymonkey at 2:25 PM on March 27, 2012
posted by acheekymonkey at 2:25 PM on March 27, 2012
The best sign I saw on a race was at something like mile 21:
IF IT WERE EASY, I'D BE DOING IT.
Which made me laugh when I really needed it.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 2:34 PM on March 27, 2012 [4 favorites]
IF IT WERE EASY, I'D BE DOING IT.
Which made me laugh when I really needed it.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 2:34 PM on March 27, 2012 [4 favorites]
A friend of mine got drunk at a sign-making party and made one that read,
"You put the ON in Marathon!!!"
We had no idea what it meant, the next day. But it made people laugh.
posted by functionequalsform at 2:36 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
"You put the ON in Marathon!!!"
We had no idea what it meant, the next day. But it made people laugh.
posted by functionequalsform at 2:36 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
Zara, I think I know just what you're talking about...I saw it while running and it made me laugh out loud.
Keep running, you're faster than the METRO!
posted by whitetigereyes at 7:40 AM on March 28, 2012
Keep running, you're faster than the METRO!
posted by whitetigereyes at 7:40 AM on March 28, 2012
I just did a half-marathon here in New Orleans, and my favorite sign by far was "This is the crappiest parade ever"
Hee! (It was the Mardi Gras Marathon, so I guess it might not make sense for other races.)
posted by pyjammy at 10:56 AM on March 28, 2012
Hee! (It was the Mardi Gras Marathon, so I guess it might not make sense for other races.)
posted by pyjammy at 10:56 AM on March 28, 2012
Dammit! I totally missed that someone already posted about the parade. Ha!
Okay, how about "Run Faster, the person in front of you farted."
Yeah, I didn't think so.
posted by pyjammy at 10:58 AM on March 28, 2012
Okay, how about "Run Faster, the person in front of you farted."
Yeah, I didn't think so.
posted by pyjammy at 10:58 AM on March 28, 2012
best race signs may be helpful (lots posted in the comments)
My friend and I had a good chuckle at "You've got great endurance... CALL ME" during our last half.
posted by LoraT at 9:41 PM on March 29, 2012
My friend and I had a good chuckle at "You've got great endurance... CALL ME" during our last half.
posted by LoraT at 9:41 PM on March 29, 2012
"Pain is temporary, Glory is forever"
I actively don't like signs that mention pain or discomfort. I'm running the damn thing; I already know I'm hurting. I'd prefer to be distracted.
Favorite from yesterday's race: "EHMAHGERD, A HERF MARATHERN."
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 7:44 AM on December 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
I actively don't like signs that mention pain or discomfort. I'm running the damn thing; I already know I'm hurting. I'd prefer to be distracted.
Favorite from yesterday's race: "EHMAHGERD, A HERF MARATHERN."
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 7:44 AM on December 9, 2012 [3 favorites]
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posted by goggie at 12:28 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]