When running in an event ie 5k 10k HM M and so on!!!!!!!

When i have run a 10k or HM i have always asked if ppl i pass are ok, and or give them encouragement to continue.  Last month i did a 10k and i had laxed in my training (and boy did i know it)..Yes i made a mistake and started way to fast, so i ended up walking..do u know NOT one person asked if i was ok, or gave me any encouragement. When i got to about 8K i came across Steve, he was walking and i asked if he was ok and he started to jog with me and we helped each other to the end. Infact we actually raced full sprint to the finishing line.  I am training hard for the NORWICH HALF MARATHON NOV 25TH..did 7.41miles yesterday in 1hour 17mins. We be speed training next week. love to all

If someone was obviously in distress I would check on them etc. I do sometimes offer encouragement. However, generally if I pass someone who is walking, then they have over-cooked it with poor pace-judgement, lack of training (or both). In that case it's fair do's and it's one place higher in the results for me!

I've helped someon who's collapsed and occasionally I'll try and gee up a walker, but when I've been unable to run myself - usually due to cramp - no amount of encouragement can get me running again - so it doesnt really help. 

And if its a shorter race I've no breath for talking to people !

I once encouraged someone who had started to walk. He started running again, got a second wind and beat me! Won't catch me doing that again!

I often thought if someone is walking, there must be a good reason why they felt they can't run at that time, and I felt that I shouldn't give them any encouragement as I might be pushing them beyond what they can do physically and cause more harm than good for them!

I don't ask or encourage and I don't expect others to do the same. If I'm walking; it's because I'm bloody knackered and need a rest. Telling me to "come on" would actually just be annoying. Also, no reason I shouldn't be OK, just because I'm walking. If I'm collapsed on the floor, fair enough, but walking hardly indicates a huge problem. Just get on with your own race, unless you see someone who genuinely needs your assistance.

Just remembered some prick in the crowd at my first half marathon who said, when I was walking at around mile eleven or so, "Come on, it's a running race, not a walking race." If he hadn't been surrounded by kids I'd have probably given him a pretty testy reply, but I just ignored him. 

I have stopped to help a young lad in obvious distress towards the end of a long trail race , but in general, no, I wouldn't say anything to anyone walking unless I thought they were in some way impaired or in danger. 

I think it depends how you see "events".  I assume all the other runners know what they're doing when they enter, I don't really want to compromise my own race by enquiring after the welfare of other runners, and I certainly wouldn't expect anyone to waste any time on me if I'd blown up.

Personally if I've stopped and am walking I don't really want people coming up to me and encouraging me to get going again - it would just make me feel worse, and bad that I was walking in the first place. Therefore I don't encourage other walkers as I pass in case they feel the same. I also worry about them thinking I'm being patronising, as generally they look fine, just walking. If someone was obviously in distress I'd check they were ok.

If they are walking then I would assume that they are ok and as such wouldn't say anything to them.

If I saw someone collapsed then it is a different story, I would encourage them to HTFU.

It depends. If it's over 10km then yes. If they are ahead of me then started walking or jogging usually they have totally overcooked it to the point of breakdown or have sustained an injury. I felt so sorry for one guy in a rather lonely 10 miler the other day, who had gone off with the leaders and then died spectularly at around 10km that I nearly offered him my partially chewed energy gel. I'm generally pretty chatty in long races though, I'll talk to anyone about anything to take my mind off the running!

im a worrier so i have worried about this.

i want to give a shout of encouragement but have always felt it would be patronising so I just give a cheerful hello or 'could murder a pint' type piece of lame banter.

i'm acknowledging them but not highlighting the fact that they are walking in a running race.

depends how i'm progressing and how far it is from the end. If I'm on for a PB and feeling great, I wouldn't want to jeopardise my own time, selfish but true. If I'm just slogging round myself, and I see someone walking with the finish line in sight I would, and have, encouraged them to run with me to the finish.

If someone is limping very badly, or grimacing, or breathing strangely, or clutching some part of themselves in agony, I'll check they're okay and ask if they need a marshal's assistance. If they're just walking reasonably normally I'll either say hi (in a very small race where it seems somehow rude not to acknowledge each person you see) or just run past and leave them to it (in races with loads of people).

If I'm walking in a race it's most likely cause I've blown up or pulled a muscle, or cause I'm taking a scheduled walk/nutrition break. Or sometimes just cause I'm admiring the scenery in a place I've never been before. I don't really appreciate people urging me to 'keep on running' in any of those circumstances. In fact, it pisses me right off. One of the reasons I prefer small races to big city ones. I can't stand having to listen to "you're nearly there"s from the first half mile of a marathon!