Bit of fun...

[Carners1]

I was just wondering what are peoples pet hates when running??

Mine is small dogs on extendable leads. I've nearly been tripped a couple of times by oblivious owners letting their little ankle biters shoot across the path just as I'm approaching 🤣🤣🤣

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate]

Flies! Unexpectedly coming across a load of the tiny ones when you’ve got your mouth open-grim!!!

[Carners1 Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I've got that to look forward to!! There weren't many about when I started 😊

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to Carners1]

You’ll notice each season has its own annoyances! Suncream sweating into your eyes in summer is another thing to er, look forward to!!!

At the moment, the biggest things that annoy me are puddles that are either unexpectedly deep, or ground that’s not as frozen as it looks so your foot sinks and gets totally covered in mud!

It’s a good thing there are enough good things about running to balance it out!

[Teresa1632 Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Vaseline just above and around your eyebrows cures the sweat problem. It kinda channels it away!

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to Teresa1632]

That’s worth knowing-thanks for the tip!

[Dexy5 Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

try using a sports sunscreen as it is less likely to run when you sweat.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to Dexy5]

Will do!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

That's even worse when cycling

[ChannelRunner2 Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I've had a slightly infected eye once that I traced to a fly landing in it! I tried very hard not to think about where it had been before...

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to ChannelRunner2]

Oh yuck! That sounds horrible!!!

[ChannelRunner2 Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Fortunately, I had gotten the fly out fairly quickly, so it didn't get very bad...

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to ChannelRunner2]

Phew! I got a bee stuck under my glasses while out running once (how????!!!!!) but managed to free it before it caused any damage to itself or me! That was not fun!

[PrimaryConsumer]

I used to smoke once, but running through someone's cigarette smoke, usually at a bus stop I've noticed, is absolutely rank.

[SueAppleRun Graduate in reply to PrimaryConsumer]

Or those flavoured vape clouds

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

I'm with you on the small dogs in extendable leads but that has to be second to dog poo!

[Yesletsgo Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

That would be my number 1 (pardon the pun) (should I say number 2???? 😂)

[BlackCountryLee Graduate]

Dustbins out on the pavement on bin day and cars parked on pavement leaving the tiniest of gaps. Much prefer running without improvised obstacle courses laid out for me lol

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to BlackCountryLee]

Yes to this!!! It’s like a budget version of a Ninja Warrior course round here on bin day…Binja Warrior maybe?! I’m sure ITV would love the spin off!

[Carners1 Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Binja warrior 🤣🤣🤣

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to Carners1]

I’m not going to lie…I’m feeling pleased with myself for that one!

[Liono Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

And rightly so!

[CBDB Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

🤣🤣

[BlackCountryLee Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Binja Warrior. Love it. Haha

[LottieMW Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

😂😂😂

[Cmoi Graduate]

Car drivers who don't give you enough space. The vast majority are great, but the odd one apparently thinks that a runner wearing some or all of bright colours, hi-viz and reflective gear is there for target practice.

(There aren't any pavements where I live. And yes, I keep any audio low enough to ensure I can hear my surroundings.)

[Carners1 Graduate in reply to Cmoi]

Don't think I'd risk running on the roads where I live. I live in a village with lots of blind corners and drivers who view the speed limit as a challenge. Luckily there's lots of footpaths and farm tracks to run on.

[Cmoi Graduate in reply to Carners1]

Although I much prefer hilly forest tracks and trails, the topography here makes it tough to run 100% off-road and avoid them completely. The good thing about the roads is that there's very little traffic!

[Hidden in reply to Cmoi]

I have had a few instances where a car driver is either exiting or entering their property across the footpath and have got very close to taking me out. Several times someone has pulled out and I have nearly run into the side of their car.

One woman even had the cheek to toot me when she came down the road from behind and nearly ran me over on the pavement. It was not as if she could not have seen me either, it was a bright day and I was wearing a fluorescent green running top. So much for giving way to pedestrians. When she go out of her can I shouted "Are you blind of just stupid?" but she ignored me and just hurried indoors.

[Teresa1632 Graduate in reply to Cmoi]

I've had that. Running on a narrow road, a car misjudged the width of the road when going past me. It was a summer day and the windows were down - it was so close I could have reached in and changed gear 😨

[ChannelRunner2 Graduate in reply to Teresa1632]

Omg! That sounds really scary!!!

[XenaZelda Graduate]

dog poo, wheelie bin day, cars parked right up on the pavement so you have to go around them onto the road, metal grids, any type of manhole cover (as they are very slippery)

[SueAppleRun Graduate in reply to XenaZelda]

Manhole covers sometimes stick up too

[XenaZelda Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

yes you have to be so careful, Sadly i am always looking out for them where i run, i nearly slipped over on one once so I avoid them like the plague!

[nowster Graduate]

All of the above, plus:

Thorn hedges that have overgrown. Similarly, brambles that have arched over a pathway (and they grow so quickly that sometimes they really need to be pruned back weekly).

Drivers who are so fixated on other vehicles that they don't see the runner in hi-vis already crossing the side road that they're just about to turn into. I am aware of them, but would prefer not to have to put the brakes on just because they have blinkers on (not not necessarily their indicators).

Slow moving groups of people who take up the full width of a path or pavement and don't leave any gaps. Teenage schoolgirls in groups tend to also be in a little world of their own, and don't pay any notice to anything happening outside the group.

People who totally ignore you when you greet them. (Very much a city/town problem.)

[ChannelRunner2 Graduate in reply to nowster]

So much the slow moving groups! When I first read the post I was like "nothing really" then an image of a bunch of young mothers with their strollers blocking all of the path emerged. Even more annoying when they look at me, clearly see me, and still don't make any effort to move out of the way....

Oh, and that reminds me of this really annoying thing: E-scooters or bikes left in the middle of the path or sidewalk! Honestly, I am sometimes oh so tempted to just give them a little shove to topple them, especially the e-scooters. Though it seems that bike riders are increasingly just hopping of their bikes and going into the store without bothering to properly park...

[Hidden]

Wet leaves and rubbish on dark stretches of the road. I had a bad fall once (luckily no bones broken) when a plastic bag caught my feet. Cuts and bruises to me, my clothes and tech. What was worse was that, it took a long while to get over it mentally when running in that area, even during daylight which I was not expecting.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

I must be odd... I don't think I have any... oh... maybe I do.... taking an exciting looking path through long grass forgetting it has rained overnight!

[Carners1 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Gotta love those wet trainers 🤣🤣

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Carners1]

Soggy socks...yuk x

[nowster Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

My shoes are most definitely not waterproof, so most of the time I run in soggy socks.

And now apropos of nothing...

♫ If it wisnae for yer wellies

Where would you be?

You'd be in the hospital

Or infirmary

'Cause you would have a dose o' the flu

Or even pleurisy

If ye didnae have yer feet in yer wellies! ♫

— Billy Connolly (The Wellie Boot Song)

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to nowster]

Love that... which is why I walked in my wellies yesterday!

[MrsLydiaWickham Graduate in reply to nowster]

Ha ha haven't heard that in years! 😁

[HeavyFoot Graduate]

Other runners too “cool” to exchange a Good Morning. Hey, I think, my old, slow, bulky body should be enriching your sense of fitness. I should be charging you for it.

[Carners1 Graduate in reply to HeavyFoot]

Brilliant 🤣🤣Luckily the others runners where I live seem to be a friendly bunch.

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to HeavyFoot]

This would be one of mine. Runners or walkers (walkers will be going at my running pace anyway)

[Fitzy110 in reply to HeavyFoot]

Definitely have to agree with that one, I see one runner on almost every run and he always ignores me.

[ChannelRunner2 Graduate in reply to HeavyFoot]

Yes! And an annoying variation on that theme: Clearly having looked at me and then, when they sense I look back, they quickly look away. If I weren't such an introvert, I'd say "hey, I would've smiled at you if you hadn't looked away!"

[GoogleMe Graduate]

In addition to the manners-impaired mentioned below, dodgy blokes, dodgy cows and, when I had Google, stealth sheep outside nesting season. Blocked public footpaths. People with their dogs off lead in nesting season, where there's livestock or sensitive wildlife areas. Overwhelming smell of weed.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

I have no idea what weed smells like! Your runs sound full of interesting ? things

[Oldwoman65 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Me neither Oldfloss. I think I have nose blindness when it comes to weed. My husband tells when he can smell it but I never can🤷‍♀️

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

I went to a bit of a rough comp and it was only as a grown up that I realised that was what the funny smell was all round school at break and lunch time!! Don’t get it quite so often around here. The worst smell is when the fields have just had muck spread all over them and neither mouth nor nose breathing is appealing!!

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Head to Derby Arboretum on a sunny Spring day (because there is much loveliness) and you will work it out....

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

But I come across it in the countryside too. The countryside itself is all the mood-altering I need.

[Mothmoss Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

Stealth sheep 😂

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Mothmoss]

but non-nesting...

[LottieMW Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

😂😂😂

[Mothmoss Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

Hmmm - non nesting variety - I'd better watch out for them as I'm sure several are lurking on the Downs looking innocent!!! 🐏🐏🐏🐑🐏🐏

[Scarrlet]

A group of teenagers fill up the whole pavement and Do Not Move🥴

[LottieMW Graduate]

Most of the above, but especially the people taking up the whole pavement…this was particularly annoying during social distancing 😡

…and don’t get me started on out of control dogs…”oh he’s only being friendly”…ugh 😡

…and those blankety blank extending leads…🤬🤬🤬

[katemellors]

Ah same with the dogs! I always get this but with one person walking multiple dogs 😭 dog muck as well I've had to write off a pair of running shoes a while back thanks to that delightful stuff. Dogs being allowed to jump up at me as well, I got bitten once too 🙈 all of mine relate to dogs, I guess I must truly be a cat person haha.

[Doris8 Graduate]

I’m the same as Katemellors. Dogs not on leads and being over friendly . I like dogs but not to come running at me . ☹️

[Crolla]

People walking towards me in the middle of the pavement with their eyes on their darn phones. I've had to step into the road too many times when what they could do is shuffle a little to the side to let me pass.

[Dexy5 Graduate]

ha ha, so many of the things already mentioned. I am always looking ahead to see who and what is coming towards me, and it always seems to be me who takes the avoiding action.

I do forgive the children who follow the zig zag pattern of the paving stones on the prom, because I can guarantee they will do it and know which way to run to avoid them.

[Roxdog Graduate]

Cyclists on the towpath who whiz past me without any warning. One of these days one of us is going to end up in the canal! So rude...

[Madmabeline]

Mosquitos! We are having a wetter than normal summer here and some time of bug repellent is a necessary. I know it when I forget.