I once saw two guys maybe from Uconn and Gtown get into a swearing/shoving/punching match in the first mile of a cross country race, have other members of the field chastize them for their stupidity, and within 400 meters they had apologized to one another and continued to race.
I once saw a runner in a mile race at a regional championship meet, suddenly, at mid field, run across the infield and wait for the pack to reach him at mid point on the home straight. When the pack reached him, he stepped onto the track and began pummelling one of the runners as the pack continued on, two runners short.
I had finished running the varisty race at a HS XC Invitational. I was standing near the finish shouting encouragement to my teammates who were running the JV A race. The clock hits 21 minutes and my teammate runs by being pursued closey by two guys from the same school. I scream "Come on man push it!" His facial expression turns from fatigue to extreme anger. He looks back and screams "COME ON YOU PUSSYS!" The two guys behind him sprint like they running a 100. I have never seen anyone close that fast before. As they both pass him one says "lets go bitch!" My friend is now in a state of disbelief, he mutters "Fuck.." and jogs in.
I've told this before, but here it is again. 1981 Dogwood Relays, Knoxville TN. 4 X 400. Rivals Arkansas and Alabama. Anchors are jawing waiting for the stick. They get it together and run side by side for 300. William Wyuke of Alabama pulls away by 5-8 meters and begins slowing shouting over his shoulder. Then he lifts his shorts to give a half moon salute. He then uses both hands for the full moon salute for the final 25 meters still shouting. Both teams were DQed for unsportsmanlike.
Two guys at a race down south a few years ago, from virginia and virginia state were giving each other shit on the line for the 400. Mid race the guy from virginia pulls ahead and finshes shouting over his shoulder, and turns around at the finish to give the finger. The guy from state must have been a football player because he absolutely crushed the guy from virginia after crossing the line. Forearm to the head, and he was out cold.
I read once that prefontaine was spotted feeding John Anderson a couple of left hooks during a xc race.
Where in the world is Virginia State?
In 1982 or so ex-Reebok 28:50 10K runner Mike McQueenie and comparable in ability runner Rich Gentry were entered in a NorCal-based duathlon with a bike leg sandwiched between two 5K running legs. It comes down to these two guys in the final stretch of the 5K. Mike McQueenie and Rich trade the lead (and some trash-talk) four or five times in the last 400. They round the final turn for the last 150 meters to the finish. Mike pulls away in the last 50 and wins by a step.
Mike turns to shake Rich's hand and Rich says: "You got lucky."
And Mike shoots back: "And you got second."
I believe it was back in the early TnFMedia days when Ben Reese of EMU and other MAC guys were always jawing at each other. Reese won the indoor mile or something and for the final 20-30 meters he ran backwards pointing at the other runners.
Best one ever relayed to me by a friend who ran at the international level. Entering the last lap of a 5,000, a competitor was on his shoulder, looked him in the eye, and shouted "Let's go, f**k face!"
when i was a freshman in high school we had this real fast senior (47 quarter) who played football for us, well by winter he was academicly ineligble so he transfered schools so he could run track. at our dual meet he ran anchor on the 4x100, they were on the outside lane and when he got the baton and passed our guy he gave him a nice little pat on the bottom.
in the 97 centennial conference outdoor meet, runners from franklin & marshal and western md. were shoulder to shoulder down the backstretch when the elbows started getting up...the f&m guy lost his balance and, rather than go down alone, tackled the western md right in the grass next to lane one, where the 2 of them proceeded to beat the piss out of each other....while the race was still going on! it was pretty damn funny, i'll tell ya.
My first and last Track 10K ever was a battle for 2nd the coach from the other school told his runner to talk smack, kick punch, spit, do whatever it takes to get 2nd place. So within the first 5 laps he is talking throwing elbows and spiking me. As I go by the officials I literaly come to a crawl and ask them did they see his anticks. They said "Just keep running" So i said ok and got behind him we slowed down to 6:00 pace and I started kicking his spikes and asking him how does that feel? To make a long story short on the last lap which was probably 55sec we are flying! He looks back at me with 20m to go and say "What's up now dawg!!! What's up now? coaches and teammates held me back from laying the smackdown on him. By the way we ran 33's
The Roc
No, actually, I was trying to be respectful by not typing in a curse word while still sharing a funny story that involved one. You see, I was taught that profanity is a sign of low intelligence as the one using it does not possess the vocabulary to express themselves without it.
Personal Experiences: (Dates may be slightly off)
1989 - During an Ultra-relay in NH, I was anchor leg. The top 8 teams got medals. Of course I was in 9th when I headed out. The last leg ran up a mountain to a ski lodge. Teams supported teammates by handing water to the runners throughout the course. Anyway, I had passed the team in front of us and moved into the medals but the other guy was still close. The next time I got water, the other team drove around the corner just after I threw down my water bottle. All they saw was a teammate running next to me. At the next water stop, my team and the opponents were screaming at eachother about pacing (which never happened) As I grabbed a cup of water, one of their team was came onto the road yelling at me. I threw my water at him and told him to "Go FU#$ himself!". Then I put my head down and buried their guy. After the race when we realized a masters team was ahead of both of us. They apologized and admitted they didn't see the water bottle I had tossed. In the end, both teams got medals.
1992 - I got into a fist fight at the World XC Champs in Boston. My club was give the 'prestigious' Bear Cage Hill to monitor. A photographer snuck up onto the hill (not allowed by the IAAF) and tried to get on the course. After repeatedly trying to get him to leave - he decided to shove me. That's all I remember. My friend Rich pulled me off of him. I had the imbecile on his back in the mud and snow and was swinging away.
1996 - At a 10miler, it was very windy. A group of 8 formed to run about 53min. Myself and a friend switched leading the pack into the wind for the first 4 miles. At that point, I pulled right and looked at the 'suckbags' and screamed "Come on you guys... it's not that fuc$in' bad!" After this same bull$hit continued for a while, the two of us put our heads down and dropped the group. There were people in the group that I very rarely beat. But the adreninline was pumpin'.
This pre-race and not mid race. At conference dual meets, my college XC teammates and I would go up to our opposite number, shake their hand, and say, "Hi. I'm Portland Runner. I'll be kicking your ass today."
A Pre-race confrontation actually we are cool he but he talking smack. During warmups he yells "BRING IT ON LITTLE MAN!" I kinda laugh...and chuckle. Never seen him in the race.
The Roc
This isn't trash talking, but a guy did punch me in the mouth during the middle of a road 10k. I stepped on his heels a couple of times, then he turned around and let me have it. I probably deserved it, young punk that I was. But I did kick has ass.
About 6 years ago I was in a indoor half mile on a four lane track. They put 32 guys into one heat, which was just asking for trouble. Saw two fist-fights break out during the first lap alone, with two guys just taking each other completely out. I just put my elbows out and started hitting and sprinting to get to the front. It was insane, but pretty fun actually. Not really sure what the race organizers were thinking though.
In a high school 3200 race I stayed with the pack through 1600 in a pedestrian 5:00 once and then passed them all while saying "bye bye."
Felt like a shit for doing that afterwards, and I've not talked trash since.