# Women: would you be uncomfortable running beside a man? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2012, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677 "2012-04-23T10:50:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/1 "2012-04-23T10:50:10Z")
This is about the “Race for Life”, the women-only run staged each year by Cancer Research UK. They’ve just recently succumbed to a campaign run by a woman who wanted her sun to be allowed to run, so now boys up to eleven years of age are allowed to run too. This was first the case last year, but they had planned not to allow boys in again on the grounds that running with boys made women uncomfortable. Men will still be excluded, despite falling numbers of participants resulting in the cancellation of events, “due to its huge popularity and non-competitive atmosphere which encourages women of all ages and fitness levels to take part”. The woman who has got her son allowed in still wants men allowed in, however, which might help more with those falling numbers than their Tesco sponsorship does. So, would female runners here be uncomfortable to run beside either a young boy or a man in a fundraising run? ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/2 "2012-04-23T11:25:36Z")
No, not uncomfortable. And imagine the ruckus if women were excluded from a charity run. Pff. What about people “uncomfortable” with running alongside people of different religions and skin colours? If it makes people uncomfortable they have a problem, and there is all the more reason for them to face that problem. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/3 "2012-04-23T11:31:07Z")
The huge numbers of people running marathons with men and women intermixed in the pack would seem to indicate this isn’t a problem for actual athletes. Exclusion of men from this fundraiser is just a form of sexism. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/4 "2012-04-23T12:19:53Z")
What was the original rationale for it being women-only? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/5 "2012-04-23T13:07:47Z")
No, not uncomfortable, but I also don’t see what the big deal is and why she has to be so pushy about her son. It’s not like it’s the only running event out there, and I also wouldn’t see a problem with men-only runs…but people would probably freak over that. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/6 "2012-04-23T13:42:45Z")
I not only would feel comfortable running beside a man, I think it’s disgusting to exclude men who wish to show support for the cause and to raise money for it, honestly. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/7 "2012-04-23T14:40:23Z")
I thought men could get breast cancer too. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/8 "2012-04-23T14:47:04Z")
I’m usually in last place, so no one is running with me. 😃 But no, running with men doesn’t make me the least bit uncomfortable. No one is looking around and judging…we are all too busy trying to breathe. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/9 "2012-04-23T15:03:17Z")
> [@blindboyard](#): > > This was first the case last year, but they had planned not to allow boys in again on the grounds that running with boys made women uncomfortable. That’s a very odd rationale, considering that the vast, _vast_ majority of races in this country and (I will blithely assume) in the UK also, are open to both genders, meaning that pretty much any woman who’s ever run a 5K has done so alongside men and boys. I don’t really understand the women-only policy in this case. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/10 "2012-04-23T15:50:20Z")
Say what? There seems to be this weird presumption that the women would be “uncomfortable” due to being of different “fitness levels”… as if men are _de facto_ more fit than women. If that’s their reasoning, they need to get their heads out their asses and read a newspaper every once in a while. The only reason I’d be uncomfortable running next to a person is if they’re behaving inappropriately – which women can also do, and which the event managers need to have a plan in place to boot such people anyway. Or… if it were dark, I were alone, and some guy starts running after me for no discernible reason. But that’s not the circumstances of a big, daytime, staged event. If someone has issues running near a person of any sex who is leaving them alone or _gasp_ attempting to be nice / friendly, that’s that person’s issue, not the event managers’. Said person is welcome to stay home if their sensibilities are so fragile. Can’t imagine what happens if they have to walk to the corner store… ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/11 "2012-04-23T15:57:22Z")
How would the fact that men are running nearby in a race with hundreds (thousands?) of participants make anyone uncomfortable? Are they afraid one of the men is suddenly going to attack them? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/12 "2012-04-23T16:29:09Z")
Maybe they’re uncomfortable that the men will be looking at their boobs while they run. I mean, just look at all of the threads here about bras and how many men just pop in to post a lewd comment. I certainly don’t have a problem running with men…but I can see the appeal of running with women. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/13 "2012-04-23T16:32:39Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Maybe they’re uncomfortable that the men will be looking at their boobs while they run. I mean, just look at all of the threads here about bras and how many men just pop in to post a lewd comment. > > I certainly don’t have a problem running with men…but I can see the appeal of running with women. Did you say ‘boobs?’ Interesting. Tell me more. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/14 "2012-04-23T16:33:42Z")
I don’t even understand why there should be any discomfort. I ran in a half marathon in February that was aimed at women but accepts men as well, and along with all the women decked out in tutus and princess outfits and all sorts of costumey goodness, the men were mostly also in costume. There was a guy in the full Rapunzel, right down to the long blond wig, who was amazing, and I ran most of the way close to a fellow dressed as Elvis. Damn, that was a fun race. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/15 "2012-04-23T16:50:41Z")
Interesting - this year is the 40th anniversary of women being allowed to register for the Boston Marathon and the 45th anniversary of [Katherine Switzer](http://www.kathrineswitzer.com/index.shtml) being the first woman to register. She’s been in the news a lot lately (I guess because of the anniversaries?) [Here’s a recent article](http://espn.go.com/espnw/more-sports/7803502/2012-boston-marathon-how-kathrine-switzer-paved-way-female-runners) with some photos of Switzer being physically pushed out of the race. Or attempted pushing. She finished anyway 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/16 "2012-04-23T18:21:32Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Did you say ‘boobs?’ > > Interesting. Tell me more. Stop that, you’re getting far too old (and a bit stodgy) for this sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/17 "2012-04-23T18:25:38Z")
Wait, I must have missed something. Are they running naked? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/18 "2012-04-23T18:40:54Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Interesting - this year is the 40th anniversary of women being allowed to register for the Boston Marathon and the 45th anniversary of [Katherine Switzer](http://www.kathrineswitzer.com/index.shtml) being the first woman to register. She’s been in the news a lot lately (I guess because of the anniversaries?) I did not know that. Thank you! And I was “observing” the marathon just a week ago. ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/19 "2012-04-23T18:49:00Z")
> [@LurkerInNJ](#): > > I thought men could get breast cancer too. Yes, they can. There is a women’s only charity race held here (or there used to be) that grown men would run in, dressed as women. No one bothered about it. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677/20 "2012-04-23T18:52:32Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Stop that, you’re getting far too old (and a bit stodgy) for this sort of thing. _sigh_ Yeah. I’ll just sit here on the porch now. Did I tell you about my lumbago? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-would-you-be-uncomfortable-running-beside-a-man/619677.md?page=2)