With the Baltimore Running Festival this weekend and the Marine Corps Marathon right around the corner we wanted to make sure we take time to wish all the runners the best of luck! We know you have trained for months in the heat of the summer and now is the time all of your hard work pays off!
These races are great for the cities; it’s an opportunity to see your city from a new perspective if you are a participant and an opportunity to highlight the city to all the visitors coming from around the country and the world. Lastly the race is a great excuse to spend the day outside cheering everyone on!
I have participated in dozens of races from 5ks to the full 26.2 miles, including the relay, half marathon and full marathon in Baltimore and I can tell you from experience the cheering spectators are the best part of the event. Having groups of people clapping, cheering, blaring music and holding motivational & funny signs helps the miles fly by. You feed off of their energy and vice versa.
If you would like to cheer on the runners here are some tips & ideas to make it a great day!
- Check out the course maps ahead of time, does the route run past your home or one of your hangouts? Get a bunch of friends together for your cheering section!
- Have a theme! Your group can dress in your disco gear and play 70’s music! Throw on leg warmers, crimp your hair and rock the 80’s loud and proud!
- Get Loud! Provide or have friends bring Clappers, Cow Bells, Pots & Pans, Vuvuzelas – Whatever you have to make some noise for the hard working athletes!
- Make signs – I have seen so many signs along race courses, everything from a person at mile 20 with a 6 miles to beer poster to a person cheering on a charity team with kind words, anything goes, just make sure to be positive, try to make them SMILE!
- If you want to get really crazy, take a page from the Baltimore Marathon’s famous Eye Of the Tiger Guy or Gummy Bear Guy! They have made a name for themselves and runners look forward to them year after year!
- What do I cheer?
- Great Job!
- Looking Good!
- Keep it up!
- You Can Do It!
- Go insert name! Lots of people have theirs on their shirts!
- You are amazing!
- Way to Go!
- What should I not cheer?
- Almost done – Unless you can SEE the finish line
- Run faster – Everyone out there is doing their best and worked hard for months, so no need to critique speed or running style
- Last Hill – Again, unless you can see the finish line there are likely more hills and it is a psych out when you have been running for hours
The most important thing is that you have a great time feeding off the energy of the crowd and are a part of making the event great for the participants and the city!!
