What do you LOVE about other runners and running in general?

PaulieC

davedanon wrote: »

Played through a smartphone? I usually just bring my shuffle.

Yep, I bring my phone, carry it in an Spibelt

messy tessy

JsepP wrote: »

I just love running full stop. Love how it makes me feel. Love what it does for health and fitness but most importantly what it does for the mind. Stress relief etc. Love passing / meeting other runners who nod and smile or say hello. Find those who don't a bit rude but hey they could just be focused at the time.

Would never think to smile at another runner, mostly because I am concentrating on keeping going...

Maybe when I improve my fitness levels I will be friendlier!

It does completely clear your head and have to say I am sleeping a lot better since I started jogging.

gramar

Puibo wrote: »

I just don't get the whole salute to other runners. It can't be just me? I don't salute other cyclists either.

Saying it's rude not to say hello, well I'm struggling to see where you are coming from.

I don't want to start an argument BTW.

I'd say hello to someone if I was in the middle of nowhere but not in a park where there could be 15 or 20 running around.

IvoryTower

A couple of years ago I first joined my club, a few months later I started training on the track and I would struggle with the sessions, especially on my own. I couldn't pace, would go out way too fast/too slow, very frustrating, blowing up was a regular occurrence. I arrived late to training one evening and my new training group were just finished. I knew that meant I was in trouble, no way this session was getting done. He must have saw the fear in my eyes cause one of the lads who'd already trained stayed on and done all my reps with me, helping me pace them and ignoring me every time i said i couldn't do anymore ha.

Anyway, maybe that's not a big deal but it sure as hell felt like it to me and pretty much sums up why I love the running community.

davedanon

Puibo wrote: »

I just don't get the whole salute to other runners. It can't be just me? I don't salute other cyclists either.

Saying it's rude not to say hello, well I'm struggling to see where you are coming from.

I don't want to start an argument BTW.

It's a club runner thing. People who run the club road races, the xc races and the marathons* are usually ready to greet another member of the fellowship. Not trying to start a row either, but your non-club (dare I say 'recreational' runner?) who tends to only run alone often seems to have a different mindset. Rather than seeing themselves as part of a community, they seem to identify as individuals, and will talk about being 'in their own space', and almost seem to travel along in a bubble of isolation. I know I'm generalising here, btw. (See below)

* obviously some of the people I mention do marathons and road races: but it might be the big mass-participation ones, rather than, say, the Bob Heffernan 5k or Ballycotton 10, of which they might not have heard, but are fixtures on the club runner's calendar.

MrMacPhisto

davedanon wrote: »

It's a club runner thing. People who run the club road races, the xc races and the marathons* are usually ready to greet another member of the fellowship. Not trying to start a row either, but your non-club (dare I say 'recreational' runner?) who tends to only run alone often seems to have a different mindset. Rather than seeing themselves as part of a community, they seem to identify as individuals, and will talk about being 'in their own space', and almost seem to travel along in a bubble of isolation. I know I'm generalising here, btw. (See below)

* obviously some of the people I mention do marathons and road races: but it might be the big mass-participation ones, rather than, say, the Bob Heffernan 5k or Ballycotton 10, of which they might not have heard, but are fixtures on the club runner's calendar.

That is one of the most patronising posts I have read on this site

I am not a club runner. Dare I say, I am a recreational runner. I run mostly alone. I say hello to people. I have heard of those races. As a "recreational runner", I have even participated in them.

Whether somebody wants to say hello or not to another person or runner has nothing to do with any kind of "fellowship".

Dare I say, some club runners often ignore my friendly nods or my friendly hello. I feel very much a part of the running community.

Elemonator

Feeling so energised afterwards. Peak.

davedanon

MrMacPhisto wrote: »

That is one of the most patronising posts I have read on this site

I am not a club runner. Dare I say, I am a recreational runner. I run mostly alone. I say hello to people. I have heard of those races. As a "recreational runner", I have even participated in them.

Whether somebody wants to say hello or not to another person or runner has nothing to do with any kind of "fellowship".

Dare I say, some club runners often ignore my friendly nods or my friendly hello. I feel very much a part of the running community.

Jeez. And I tried to be conciliatory. I'm sorry you felt patronised, it wasn't my intention. I'm perfectly well aware that there is a wide, wide spectrum of people who run, and just because you don't happen to fit into the categories to which I alluded, which I admitted I drew with a very broad brush, there is really no need for you to have an attack of the vapours over it. I don't know you, but that you are a unique individual, who rolls his own way, I am perfectly willing to accept.

My point, once again, is simply this. I'm running through the park, and a runner is coming toward me. If he/she is wearing soccer shorts, and a certain sort of top, with an iphone strapped to the upper arm, and headphones on - chance of a spontaneous hello, about 30-40%. If the other runner looks like someone who runs most days, maybe is in a club but maybe not, and sports a different 'certain type' of top - chances of a hello go up to about 60-70%.

It's an observable phenomenon, and I'm sure most runners know what I'm talking about. So, instead of looking for something to take offence at, maybe you could take the time to parse my post for the honest and well-meant opinions therein.

davedanon

Oh, and this?

'Whether somebody wants to say hello or not to another person or runner has nothing to do with any kind of "fellowship".'

This is no more than your, uninformed, opinion. And it's bullsh*t.

Puibo

davedanon wrote:

It's a club runner thing. People who run the club road races, the xc races and the marathons* are usually ready to greet another member of the fellowship. Not trying to start a row either, but your non-club (dare I say 'recreational' runner?) who tends to only run alone often seems to have a different mindset. Rather than seeing themselves as part of a community, they seem to identify as individuals, and will talk about being 'in their own space', and almost seem to travel along in a bubble of isolation. I know I'm generalising here, btw. (See below)

Total nonsense! I'm a tri club member. I train with the club regularly. I also run alone regularly, in a certain type of running attire (non club gear).

I have heard of all those races. I participate in a lot of the BHAA runs and the individual club runs and still I would only nod or salute people I know, not total strangers.

davedanon

Wow, another exception!

There's my argument well and truly blown out of the water.

livedadream

Ah running elitism... where's the thread for why we hate running? 😂

IvoryTower

Just leave it eh

ThisRegard

I love how they can start a fight in a vacuum. That's a gift.

TFBubendorfer

ThisRegard wrote: »

I love how they can start a fight in a vacuum. That's a gift.

*ducks for cover*

That's an Irish thing

Puibo

Did a speed session last night and I am feeling awesome today!

Keep singing "don't stop me now......."

Johnny_Fontane

I only nod to olympians (hi Mick).

Cartman78

I love when you're driving to a race you've never done before in the middle of nowhere and you're not really sure where it is, and then you see it.....


....another car ahead of you with a slightly gaunt looking stressed out person at the wheel dressed in running gear and you think "'Yesss....must be near here so" and you tailgate them all the way to the race HQ

PeadarK

I absolutely love doing a quick speed session with a bunch from the club. A few friends to run with makes training my favourite time of the week!!

Freddiestar

Had a couple of pints of pale ale after a particularly hard and hot 1/2 marathon in the midlands, sitting outside in the sun feeling the muscle strain dissipate with every mouthful of the bearded barley...bliss

Spirogyra

The encouragement I get from other runners when I'm struggling,like yesterday touching

Spirogyra

Today, Unknownst to myself, I was wearing running tights and a trainers as I answered the door. Ended up having a conversation about running with the Delivery-Man, he noticed and the conversation went from there, enjoyed it

quickbeam

When I run through a puddle on a suburban run and it makes me feel like I'm doing a mammoth cross country trek!

Spirogyra

A man chatted to me in the cafe after my lsr today, said I pass his house running and he said he sees me every sunday morning, chatted about marathons etc,lovely, so a lovely conversation due to running

ene

at parkrun yesterday i slowed to a walk and a random lady said 'please don't slow down, I have been following you, you are my pacer'. Obviously i started running again and didn't want to let the lady down so kept her behind me.

She made me get a new pb and knock 6 seconds off my time!

quickbeam

That, as I improve, I think nothing of doing what once seemed impossible.

I only started in September last, and cracking out my first 5km in December was a mammoth achievement to me, which had never seemed possible when I'd first started.

Now, I can "knock out a quick 5km" without a second thought, and it's now 10 miles, half marathons and marathons that are now the mammoth tasks ahead of me.

Spirogyra

The friendships and as a 'minority' it's been a great way for me to feel and actually be, included

The Muppet

Spirogyra wrote: »

A man chatted to me in the cafe after my lsr today, said I pass his house running and he said he sees me every sunday morning, chatted about marathons etc,lovely, so a lovely conversation due to running

Similar to this a the son of a neighbour who emigrated to australia a few years ago was home recently and knocked on my door, he said he wanted to shake my hand for completing DCM last year, he'd seen my kids (he's their age) chat about it on facebook last october.

I was gobsmacked TBH but we had a great chat about running, He's a sporty lad and he'd done DCM before he went away with little or no training and it nearly killed him, the exuberance of youth.:)

I was gob smacked but thinking about it later he would only remember the pre running me so given how difficult he found it , my completing it must have been pretty amazing to him.

That pretty much sums up what I love about running , It 's such a positive activity to partake in.

mosesgun

I'm new to running. Couldn't run for 5 minutes last year. Now doing regular 5k with plenty of 6,7 & 10k runs. It's been a total game changer for me in every respect. Mentally, I can't overstate the positive effect it has had on me. Physically I've lost weight and this was my initial motivation to get started. The things running has brought me;

That amazing buzz when you've finished a run. I never get tired of this.
The camaraderie with other runners.
The respect you get from other runners, even though I'm slow and inexperienced.
I feel about 2 foot taller now that I can run 10k. I think it brings a certain confidence to you.
Running has made me mentally a lot stronger. That feeling of accomplishment when you push youself beyond where you thought you could go. This makes you a stronger person and is character building.

Downsides of running:

I've become addicted to either running, talking about running or reading about it. My wife would testify to this.
I've lost interest in walking. When I'm waking I have a tendency to start running.
I've developed an unhealthy interest in running shoes (runners)
If I meet someone in normal life wearing a garmin I feel compelled to start a conversation about running.
When I see a runner when I'm driving I'm only short of stopping the car and shaking hands with them to congratulate them on a great effort.
I'm regressing into being a child. I've started going out of my way to run through puddles and to kick jinny-joes!

My only regret is that I didn't start running years ago.

annapr

I love all the stories on this thread....

...and the feeling after a decent run, when the thought keeps randomly popping into your head 'I'm delighted with that'