Dad ruining wife's half-marathon finish

[BlowDryRat]

Has anyone else seen this video?

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Brief synopsis: A dad stands by the half-marathon finish line with his young daughters. Crucially, he's standing in front of the finish ribbon. When he sees his wife about to win the race, he encourages the toddlers to intercept her with hugs. She has to dodge them to avoid knocking them over, finishes the race and celebrates. Dad throws up his arms in disgust at her choosing to win the race rather than stop to hug her daughters.

IMO this is the perfect example of a man trying to make his wife's achievements all about him, then blaming her for his ineptitude and her wanting to celebrate her own achievement. A mother is an individual in her own right.

I feel the same way about men who propose to their partners when they've won a race/accepted an award/ celebrating their graduation.

YABU - he's an amazing dad and the mum let her kids down by selfishly taking the win.

YANBU - he's a dick.

You're clearly NOT a competitive runner.

i remember that. It was so awkward when all the people jumping in to defend the 'nanny' were called out on the fact they'd assumed she was the nanny based on her race...

I do suspect that's what's happening here too. It looks like (and sounds like from what the mum said) they'd had a plan that the kids could finish the race with her. She's then running a better race than expected and understandably wants to finish and get the win. Kids are confused and also in the way of other runners. If both parents set this up, both parents are at fault though I'm sure they didn't mean to be - they just didn't expect her to be winning! Dad looks like he's getting shouted at by someone behind him - he even looks behind him as he shrugs. All looks like just a bit of a mix up to me. My only slight surprise was that the mum didn't immediately run back to her confused kids and hug them to celebrate too.

He's definitely a dickhead. Mum has several years of child hugging and probably several of marathon running but if she'd had come in second because she chose to hug or she tripped he'd have blasted her for being useless and not a good runner etc. so the poor lady couldn't win either way!

Good on her for continuing over the finishing line and I hope she gave Mr Me-Myself-And-I a right bollocking later!

The middle part of your post made me think a bit. We all know there are plenty of posts on here complaining about husbands off cycling or playing golf or coaching football, leaving the wife holding the baby.

Maybe she’s a running nut who leaves him with the kids every weekend while she goes off with her running mates.

What he did was bizzare and wrong, of course, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a controlling arsehole who is jealous of her and doesn’t want her to be anything other than a mum.

I'd like to think he didn't do this because he wanted to steal her glory, and in fact he is just clueless.

Why do people assume she's won?

How did the pp know that she intended to finish the race with her kids? Hearing about something doesn't make it true.

Same.

I need more details to prove that it was the Dad setting things up to take shine off Mum.
It isn't always how it looks.

I think they will have all gotten over that in about two seconds.
Dad would not have held any grudge, kids would not have been upset - their Mum won and she would not have been upset either as she knew why they were there.

Well done her for a good win.
She's a champ and it seems like her family support her.

Because they don’t hold up a ribbon to run through for every competitor, just for the person who comes first so pretty strong assumption that she won as she runs through the finishing line

They put it back up for the next person

@EarringsandLipstick

why would anyone (children included) wanna cross the finishing line for a race they haven’t ran?! It’s meaningless! Let the person running it have their moment.

Total dick, though I don't think he was throwing his hands up in disgust at all, I think he was talking to the stewards etc who were on the side and who probably yelled something at him. He was looking at them, probably trying to defend himself in a 'What?! What did I do?" manner.

But I've often seen runners, usually for a notable event, like a marathon, taking their kids over the finish line with them. There's always plenty of space, I can't see how it could be an issue.

Depends on the event I guess, a local marathon there is probably plenty of space at the finish as the smaller field results in runners spreading out. I have run a few of the larger marathons with 40,000+ entries (Paris, Berlin, London etc) and the finish lines have always been busy with a constant stream of multiple runners crossing the line a the same time (especially around the 4 hour time) Kids on the course in that environment is just plain stupid, people are sprinting, knackered, focused on the line etc

I think this might be one of the most immature and sanctimonious posts I've ever seen on here.

I feel the same way about men who propose to their partners when they've won a race/accepted an award/ celebrating their graduation.

I feel like that about public proposals generally.

It doesn’t look deliberate!
I also would have thought once she crossed the line she’d go back and hug them?!

Well that's settled it then. He is a cunt.

🙄

I thought they held up the ribbon for the woman who came in after her as well?

I think the poll is a bit too black and white. I saw the video yesterday and I just don’t think he was thinking - he seemed to be sending the child to celebrate with her and it was stupid because she just got in the way. However, that act now seems to be a symbol of sabotage, of him trying to destroy a woman’s independence and personal achievements, making her life about motherhood and not her accomplishments. I’m not convinced it’s that deep. He just sent their very small child to run up to mummy. It’s not like he linked arms and crossed the finish line with her, is it?

@StarbucksQueen1

give the woman a chance! She’d just run a marathon

If he’s done this to try to ruin it for her, he’s an arsehole.

I thought you got disqualified if you touch another person in a race, like when a runner is struggling someone from the sideline can't step into help them.

@WigglyVonWaggly

“ He just sent their very small child to run up to mummy.”

he JUST? It was a bloody stupid and misogynistic thing to do. I’m not sure why you’re minimising it?

Oh and in that moment, she wasn’t ‘mummy’ she was a RUNNER!

😂

Because it SAYS so in the video