u/Curious-Craft8339

Lifelong runner, decided recently decided to start going to a nearby gym. I'm mainly just doing mobility and functional strength stuff. This means flopping around the astroturf area for about 30 minutes before I go use a few machines.

I see most people in that area using a mat on top of the turf. Is the mat to protect the user from what might be on the turf, or to protect the turf from what might be on the user? Is it poor form to go without one?

I find the mats annoying, and I have a pretty strong immune system (not real worried about germs).

Edit: To be clear. I prefer working out on just the turf, with no mat. I just want to know if going mat-less is a faux pas.

I did an ultra recently and finished in a decent place. The race had a published list of items that all runners need to carry (mostly safety items). I'm reasonably certain that the winner was not carrying these things, and this enabled him to not wear a vest or belt like everyone else. What's the right play in a situation like this?

I don't want to be all Walter Sobchak "This isn't 'Nam, Smokey, there are rules!" And I can't say with certainty that this lighter load made the difference in him getting the win. For this particular instance, there's nothing that can be done at this point anyway. I'm more asking hypothetically, and for the future.

Is there an unwritten rule in American ultrarunning that the folks racing for the win are exempt from carrying the required items?

Say I had finished 2nd, by a couple seconds -- a scenario where it clearly *did* make a difference. Would I have been out of line asking race officials to check his kit?

I have huge respect for race directors, and don't want to nag too badly. Now that the dust has settled, would it be wrong to send a brief, polite email about the situation, and asking for clarification for the future? Save it for the pre-race Q-and-A next year?

Again, I'm not looking to get this year's results changed. I just want to have a better understanding for the future of how these things work. Any other thoughts on the situation?

Edit: Sure, there's a tiny chance that this guy was super clever and he contrived ways to carry micro versions of the required items, compliant with the letter of the law but not the spirit. But either way, it seems like the obvious lack of *stuff* on his person ought to make requesting a check not too unreasonable.