Can't understand it

[Rockette]

Just arrived home from a lovely 9 mile bike ride along the trans Penine trail to Sheffield , I passed a number of other cyclists & every one nodded & said hello , but yet when I'm out running , you don't get zilch ! I wonder why? I look , I smile , I say hello , nine times out of ten nothing . It just makes me think , it can't be that every one is in the zone surely . Anyway just thought I'd share lol .

[grannyjudes Graduate]

perhaps everyone is like me and feels foolish ? lol

[Rockette in reply to grannyjudes]

No grannyjudes , you shouldn't feel foolish , feel proud !

[Beads Graduate]

I know at the end of a long, hard run I'm practically incoherent, both speech-wise and brain-wise, but generally I smile and say hello, or morning, or something similar. I generally get a reply, probably more than 50% of the time, but it's usually me that starts the 'conversation'. I had a lovely chat with a chap once, he slowed down and we ran together talking until we went our separate ways.

[Rockette in reply to Beads]

That's nice , it's just that in myexperience I haven't come across any smiling friendly ones on my runs , only the park run , where they are all lovely , it must be the sight of my red sweaty gasping self that puts em of , come to think of it , it can't be a pretty sight !

[MarkyD Graduate]

Perhaps the runners have their headphones plugged into their ears and are too busy willing Laura to say 'That's it slow down'? I know I'm in my own little world (I still say 'Hello' to other runners or muggles). Cyclist probably don't have music playing and are more aware of each other.

[Rockette in reply to MarkyD]

Yes good point , headphones , didn't think of that .

[Ray801 Graduate]

Hi Rockette, I have found the exchanging of pleasantries with others something of a geographic thing. I used to live in Sussex and talking to neighbours hardly happened let alone strangers in the street. I was once asked by a relative why I spoke to strangers when hiking on the southdowns, although interestingly she does the same herself now I now live in a rural area of Powys and nearly everybody I pass walking or running will pass the time of day. Farmers will stop tractors and land rovers in the middle of the road for chat - a totally different experience. Equally when hiking in the Lake district and Peak district there is usually an exchange of basic pleasantries. Personally I always raise my hand to the car drivers that pass me while I am running, they generally give a wide berth.

I don't go for the in the zone theory myself. Just be yourself and don't worry about others it is their loss not yours.

[Rob_and_his_westie Graduate]

I make a point of saying good morning or a waving with a smile. I figure it's good for others to know that I share their pain! I was on hols in Florida last August where things seemed to be taken to extremes.... My wife reported being high-fived by a guy coming the other way!

Yay, go us!

[GoogleMe Graduate]

People are generally friendly in Derbyshire but cyclists and runners are a mixed bag. I've not yet worked out any kind of metric for predicting which ones will acknowledge and which won't (and I am usually getting a dog promptly out of their way)

[Mummysaurus Graduate]

I have found the same with runners I very rarely get a smile or acknowledgement of any kind, maybe they all feel like they are being judged about how fast or slow they are going or that you might make them miss a personal best time, who knows but I will continue to smile or nod.......

[runner56 Graduate]

Cant say that is typical of my runs (Glasgow). All runners I have seen on my travels have acknowledged my presence. Its muggles that are a bit reticent but thats probably because they see a slightly overweight (not as much now ) sweaty, 6'2" man lumbering towards them out of the darkness, some times with a dog in tow!!!

I would imagine its a sight that would frighten most folk!!

[frannyfran Graduate]

In northern Sweden, the very few encounters I get always include at least a smile and a wave, even from passing motorists!

[helenbones Graduate]

Here in Lincolnshire there is a wave or acknowledgement - sometimes a grimace and shared look of effort if passing whilst going up a hill (yes we do have some). I'm usually with the dog and it would be unthinkable to walk past anyone when walking the dog without saying hello - same seems to be when I am running too. Perhaps it is just an area thing? or time of day?

[Bianx Graduate]

I live in Sussex and concur!! We are a miserable bunch! I've lived in my house for 2 years now and still don't know any of the neighbours.

I always say hello or if at the end of a run I give a wave. Runners ignore me but I find dog walkers and cyclists friendly!

[Hidden]

I don't see many other runners when I am out, but I always say hello. I also make a specail point of talking to walkers with dogs. They somehow seem to take more control of their [sometimes] unruly dogs and therefore there is less chance of Fido biting!!

When I cycle, always, always give a cheery 'halloo' to everyone. It helps the day go by in a nice way.

[OldNed Graduate]

Completely agree; my experience over the last two years has been exactly the same and many people on here have commented on it over those two years. I'm sorry to say that very many runners seem to be a miserable and uncommunicative bunch. It's plain rude. I make a point of smiling and saying good morning/afternoon and if I get no response (which is most of the time) I have been known to SHOUT at them, along the lines of CHEER UP, YOU MISERABLE BUGGER. That often gets their attention, although not always.

[Rockette in reply to OldNed]

Ha ha that's what I think to myself Ned , but never actually out loud ,good on ya

[runningphobe_no_more Graduate]

I haven't yet met another runner on any of my runs, but I do try to conjure up a smile every time I see anyone - be it driver, cyclist or dog walker. It would be easy not to, listening to the podcast, and wondering if my lead legs will hold out, but I keep remembering how often I've heard my husband say "How is it you never see a happy jogger?" So I'm trying to do my bit to refute the stereotype. I usually get a smile or a wave back too.

[Far2Fat4ThatDress Graduate]

I was running when I came across someone coming towards me - I must have looked the same purple colour as my top and she said 'come on dig in, your friends aren't that far ahead', anyway bumped into her again 20 minutes or so later and this time she was the same colour as her (purple) t-shirt and this time she said nothing, not even eye contact - not so %+&*ing cocky now are you, I thought! We're all in the zone - I do acknowledge people though no matter how puce I feel - if it's mocking friends I normally stick two fingers up at them in a friendly sort of way. A little old lady gave encouragement as I dragged myself by last week and I gave her a lovely smile back - the pleading words of 'make this stop' just didn't come out.

[grannyjudes Graduate]

as I finished my run this am I passed 2 very fit young man, before they could snigger, I smiled and said please, laugh with me, not at me, and they did !

[misswobble Graduate]

I live in derbyshire and folks talk to anbody. Try stopping em!