This kind of shenanigans never takes place in Alberquerque marathons.

I have no idea why anyone should want to do this

Because it's funny? Well okay, it's really only funny if it causes people to run somewhere ridiculous like into a lake or through a cheese shop.

Did they get that from an old Hanna-Barbera cartoon?

Way back in the day I was at some Navy survival school out in the sticks in Florida and we were out on a navigation exercise. We were set into two man teams and given a compass, an initial heading, and a distance. We would then navigate out in the swamp to find a coffee can that held intructions for the next leg. I think there were about ten legs in all and if you had ever been a Boy Scout it was actually pretty easy.

Anyway, the last two man team was composed of the two biggest assholes in the class, so the next to the last team changed the little piece of paper with directions on it on can number seven and sent them way out in the swamp.

I guess it's a good thing that all of those helicopters were available.

Now see, I'd be ready to kick someone's ass! First of all it's not exactly cheap to enter a race, and then I'm going for a personal best time and someone farking with the signs would just mess everything up!

Some people need to get a farking life!

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I'm sorry, but that's funny

I've always wanted to do that. Another good one is to join the race halfway and win it.

Not amusing, just a dick move. These people don't have any constructive fun, so they just ruin everyone else's good time.

A lot of folks who never run races must think its funny to train for weeks, pay your $30-$100+ entry fee and then get punked on race day. I know, lightenupfrancis.jpg, welcometofark.jpg - but this is lame...

For those of you who don't run, this is kinda like watching your <insert ball sport> home team lose by forfeit because the team bus driver was Johnny Knoxville and he decided to do a yakety-sax drive into a banjo-playing backwoods community.

kvinesknows: Elzar: A lot of folks who never run races must think its funny to train for weeks, pay your $30-$100+ entry fee and then get punked on race day. I know, lightenupfrancis.jpg, welcometofark.jpg - but this is lame...

For those of you who don't run, this is kinda like watching your <insert ball sport> home team lose by forfeit because the team bus driver was Johnny Knoxville and he decided to do a yakety-sax drive into a banjo-playing backwoods community.

more like watching your team lose because the coach of the team told the players to run the wrong way. Seriously, you train that long and that hard and dont even bother to check the route before hand and call it into question?

Fair enough - and to be honest unless you are completely new to running or do not regularly run, training for a half is really not necessary - but the (usually) hefty entry fee remains and even if you are familiar with the route beforehand I have had many races where the route is changed last minute due to weather, traffic, construction, city proclamation, etc.

angry_scientist: Vandals? I say they're smart competitors, the Dale Earnhardts of running...

Well, they both moved barriers...

Oh THIS.

My former neighborhood has a "road race" almost every weekend (it seems), completely messing up traffic patterns and making it hell for people who live along the route (since the roads are closed - and we're talking the main streets). On our block there were several people who were handicapped and or elderly (as in over 90), and trying to get their needs accommodated was insane. Plus, the route passed the local hospital so, getting THERE required multiple dispensations from the cops on the route direct traffic away from the route onto side streets (that are mostly one-way all in the same direction).

Meanwhile the city has just spent a few million dollars renovating its stadium: new track, lots of parking, places for vendors. Seems to me that it would be a GREAT way to get money and justify the expense, but that idea didn't occur to them (based upon their reaction when residents suggested it).