By now, you’ve probably seen (or experienced) that moment—an earnest runner, mid-race, attempting to plant a kiss on his cheering partner. The result? A full stop, a lost kiss, and an awkward pivot that would make any coach wince.
“Guys, if your girl comes to watch you in a race, do not make this mistake,” warns Rob Dalto in his hilarious slow-mo breakdown of his own botched attempt.
The moment he tries to go in for the kiss, everything falls apart: full stop, shoulders twisted like he’s trying to parallel park, and—worst of all—he misses the kiss entirely. Tough scene.
But there’s hope. Thankfully, Rob’s friend Sam has cracked the code—and he’s here to teach us all how to kiss like a pro without tanking your race pace.
Let’s break it down, coach-style:
- Don’t Kill the Momentum: This is still a race, not a Nicholas Sparks movie. No stopping. Keep moving forward like your Strava followers are watching.
- Stay Square: According to Rob, “body is completely turned sideways” is not the move. Sam keeps his shoulders aligned until the very last moment.
- Hit the Kiss Pivot: On that final right foot, Sam executes a subtle shoulder lean—just enough to glide in for the smooch, then pop back into stride like it never happened.
- Commit: No hesitation, no second-guessing. Lock eyes, lean in, land it. The kiss should be smooth, confident, and race-timed to perfection.
Think of it like a Formula 1 pit stop—brief, precise, and flawlessly executed.
So to all you love-struck runners out there: if your partner’s waiting at mile 8, cheering with a sign that says “You make my heart race,” don’t botch the moment. But maybe—just maybe—practice your kiss mechanics before race day.
Because in the world of mid-race romance, one rule reigns supreme: form makes all the difference.
I dunno, a lot can go wrong if you are trucking along at a 4:15/km pace, twisting sideways with your eyes on your beloved (and not the protruding legs of the road side barriers) with the aim of landing your kiss within a 1/4″. Because if you are not in that sweet spot…you either miss the kiss and suffer the humiliation, or DNF because you are both on the way to the oral surgeon.
IMHO, the way to play that game is to full stop, and give full attention to a solid smooch; Two hands and bring it in!* Let them (and everybody around) know that they deserve something good after listening to you yap on about super-critical foam and mitochondrial growth stimulus for the last 20 weeks. You can make up the 5 seconds easy with the feel-goods you get from a job well done anyway.
*You may want to temper your enthusiasm among the Wellesley set, but definitely slow down! Sheesh!