In any race, you can see all sorts of people – different sizes, different hairstyles, different clothes, different pace, … but there was someone entirely different this Sunday – a Selfie Bandit at Georgia Half Marathon.

Anyone who reads my race reports knows that I take pictures during a race. Lots of pictures. In fact, I was chastised for that habit right after my first marathon. But selfies now … Even though it is the easiest way to get your mugshot into a landscape, I’ve never been on board wholeheartedly with selfies, mainly because my arms are short and my double (err… triple) chin shows up to the worst disadvantage.

So when I see a selfie  captioned “And a #RestingBitchFace behind me”, it is enough to get me mad. Isn’t common courtesy something that is learnt as a child? If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything. And definitely don’t take pictures of other people without asking permission (Yes, I have an issue with some pictures submitted at sites like Jogging Jeans and People of Walmart).

And then being a bandit on top of the selfies! (A bandit is someone who runs a race without paying for it. Runs it and uses the same facilities that are provided for paid runners.). Not just a bandit, but a bragging bandit. Running a race that you haven’t paid for and would rather “Spend $100+ to run 13 miles? No thanks–I’ll save that Benjamin for booze and brunch afterward”? Even my 2nd grader can find fault with that logic. Just say no to bandits.

Mark Remy, my favoritEST writer at Runner’s World, did a brilliant spoof on the banditing selfie girl. A much more effective way of getting the point across than my rants.

My local running store, Big Peach Running Co., made their position clear with this to-the-point graphic.

Runners who protest that race fees are too high and so justify bandit running – don’t do it. I agree that race fees are high, but another wrong does not make a right.

Still not convinced? Perhaps this wonderful article from Peter Sagal of the Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me fame will drive home the point.

I am deliberately not linking to the Selfie Bandit’s blog. The last thing she needs is more page views, for which she thanks all of us haters and suckers. But be sure to check out what Amy from Mom’s Magical Miles and Caffeine? Yes Please! have to say about it.