I was recently running in a local 5K race and noticed someone running right behind me!  Then I started to notice that they were drafting behind me.  Instead of being upset that I was doing all the work and breaking the wind, I dropped back and we began to alternate who would take the lead.  After working together throughout the race, we both went on to run personal 5K records!  This got me thinking, is it bad to draft in running?

Drafting is very common in running and is a way to work together.  Throughout my running career, I have raced over 100 running races and have asked fellow runners whether they believe it is okay to draft in running.  Most runners agree that it is okay to draft when running as long as polite practices are used.  Let’s breakdown the basics of drafting and ways to respectfully draft while running.

What Does “Drafting” Mean In Running?

The term drafting means is an aerodynamic technique in which two objects or people are aligned.  The person behind is technically in the lead person’s slipstream, which reduces the amount of drag.  This effect is increased the faster you are moving and in more windy conditions.  

In more simple terms, drafting while running is when you run behind someone and they block the wind for you, thus making it easier to run with less effort. 

This term is used in many other fields other than running such as car racing, cycling, and even speed skating.

Drafting is legal in almost all running races as long as you do not interfere with another runner.

How Does Drafting Work In Running?

When someone drafts in running this means that you are running behind someone and they block the wind for you. This is beneficial because the person in front has to use more energy to run at a consistent pace. In order to visualize this, think about when you are running and it is extremely windy.

In order to run at a consistent pace against the wind, you have to put in more effort than if there was no wind. By drafting, or running behind someone, it allows you to save energy because the person in front will have to use more energy to block the wind for you. This will cause you to feel less wind and allow you to use less effort to run at a consistent pace. 

5 Etiquette Tips To Draft While Running

Some people believe that drafting when running is poor “running etiquette,” however, there are ways to do it respectfully.  Here are some tips to drafting respectfully when running:

1. Organize Prior To Run Or Race

A helpful tip is if you know a fellow runner that runs a similar pace to you, is to ask them before the race if they would like to work together with you.  If so, you could draft off of each other and switch off taking the lead.  This can help you both run faster as long as you both have similar goals.

2. Communicate To Fellow Runners

Another tip to respectful drafting is to communicate to a runner during the race.  Because it is difficult to talk during a race you can use hand gestures to indicate you would like to work together.  One hand gesture you could use is to point behind you, to indicate that the other runner could draft off of you.  If you want to switch off and have the other running lead, you could move to the side and point in front of you.  After a while, the other runner should catch on to what you are trying to accomplish.

3. Do Not Draft One Person The Whole Time

As the race goes on make sure to keep moving up.  You do not have to draft one person the whole time.  It is actually recommended to draft a little, move up, draft a little, and repeat.  This way you are getting the benefit of drafting while also moving up during the race.

4. Alternate Leaders

A great way to respectfully draft is to alternate leaders.  It can be annoying if a runner stays behind and drafts off of you the whole race.  Therefore, make sure to offer to take the lead and alternate leaders to make it more fair and acceptable.

5. Offer To Lead First

Some people may not want to initially work together and draft with you, therefore, it is a good practice to offer to lead first.  This will cause the other runner to be more willing to work together because they can know that they will be getting some benefit out of it.

Is It Okay To Draft In A Road Race?

When running a race, the goal is typically to complete the distance as fast as you can.  Since you know that running behind someone will make it easier to run faster, shouldn’t you always run behind someone?  The answer depends on your goal of doing the race.  If you are doing it just to complete the race, then you don’t have to worry about drafting.  On the other hand, if you are competitively racing then drafting may be a good option. 

But, is it bad etiquette to draft in a road race such as a 5K? Yes and no.  If you draft without being respectful or without following etiquette drafting tips then it could be seen as poor etiquette. An example of poor drafting etiquette is if you were running a race and for the entire race, you run behind the same person without offering to break the wind.  Make sure to be polite and follow the 5 Drafting Etiquette Tips to draft stress-free during your next road race. 

Is It Okay To Draft In A Cross Country Race?

During a cross country race, there are typically a large number of runners. In many cases, there are over 100 runners. Because there are so many runners in the race, it is more acceptable to draft in cross country races. 

These large cross country races usually break-up into small groups of 5-10 runners.  It is usually a good strategy to stick right behind this group and save your energy.  If the group breaks into a small group of less than 5 runners, it is a good practice to work together and switch off drafting leaders to catch up to the next group. 

Is It Okay to Draft In A Track and Field Race?

Track races are a little more different than most running races.  These races tend to be shorter and most runners will stay in the 1st lane because it is the shortest distance. 

Since there is not much available space, runners are typically right next to each other.  Therefore, when racing on a track it is very hard not to draft unless you are in the front.  This makes it more acceptable to draft in track and field races. 

If you are trying to run faster, make sure to continue to move up and not draft behind the same person for the whole race.  Additionally, track races are a great time to work together with your teammates and draft off each other.  This can lead to faster times and possibly a new personal record.

Is It Okay To Draft When Training?

When training, drafting is typically more acceptable.  If you are training with a team or a training partner, it is generally acceptable to draft and work together with your teammates. However, it is a good practice to communicate to your teammate if you want to implement drafting. 

During training, you usually do not need to run your fastest, but drafting could be useful if the conditions are windy and you are aiming for a certain fast pace.  You can implement drafting and work together with your teammate to build your stamina at a fast pace. 

3 Benefits of Drafting While Running

1. Builds Teamwork

Drafting is a great way to build teamwork because you can not do it by yourself.  It requires a good amount of communication.  A helpful tip to implement drafting into your running training or racing, is to use hand gestures to indicate who should take the lead.  This sounds simple but many people forget to do it.  An example of this is if you are leading, you can point for your teammate to take the lead.  Another way to do this is just to go to the side, point in front of you, and then drop back to have your teammate take the lead.

2. Easier To Maintain Pace

Implementing drafting into your running is a great way to make running easier.  Because at fast paces and windy conditions, there is a high amount of drag, working with a fellow runner to block the wind for each other is a great way to make it easier to run.  

3. Improved Performance

Not only does drafting make it easier to run, but it can also improve your times and performance.  Especially, in track races, drafting is very important and can be the factor of winning and losing a race.  Even in road or cross country races, you will save more energy by not taking the lead.  This can help you run faster.  

Verdict

Some people know that drafting in running is helpful, but are hesitant to try it because they don’t know if it is okay to do.  If you remember to draft respectfully and use the 5 Drafting Etiquette Tips, then it is not bad to draft in running and is acceptable to do.  Properly implementing drafting into your running, can help you be on your way to running faster and hopefully a new personal record!