This is a story about the type of people I see on my runs - I run around a beautiful lake and it's always one day on , one day off. Inevitably there are others out who are doing the same and I am starting to now recognise runners and dog walkers (btw I'm w4r2).
There is always one particular female runner who is out the same time as I'm shuffling - she wears a distinctive neon pink track suit and I can see her pounding around the lake. Today she was running towards me and I smiled at her as if to say "hi". Well! The look she gave me was as if someone had forgotten their doggy litter bag and she had stepped in it. Charming! I was Sooo angry at least I managed to forget the time and before I knew it my last 5 mins were up. Yay!
I stopped in the lakeside cafe for some water & an elderly lady was sitting on her own so I sat on next table and she said hello. She said to me that she walks her dog every other day and she has noticed me running more an more each week.(hard not to miss the giant tomatoe face!!!) and she said she looks out for me now as I will always smile and say morning. She said that her husband passed away 5 months ago and they always used to walk the dog (Tess) around the lake. She said how much she misses him but seeing people around the lake always cheers her up. I did say aboutThe Neon Runner & she said not to worry about her she's stick up her own a@@e!! How wonderful and what a lovely lady.
Not only has running given me a new high but I'm also meeting new people (some a lot nicer than others). I suspect that my runs will now finish off with a trip to the cafe to see Jeanie and Tess. Not your usual running story I know but just wondered if anyone has similar experiences?
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Benmum
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Thats a lovely story Benmum and you know what, Jeanie will love having that cuppa with you every other day, Tess too for that matter. Lets hope stick pink person slips on horse pooh, dog pooh's not enough for the likes of her.
I used to meet two women jogging in the forest tracks up by me when I was doing C25K last year, they always looked straight through me, UNTIL we had snow. I met them this one morning they were walking, well there was snow on the ground after all. Me, well I had put on my old trainers and snow spikes and was galloping through the virgin snowy tracks, they just gawped at me as I ran as fast as I could around the next bend. (Slowed back to my normal trot after that). But do you know they always aknowledge me these days without fail. Your day will come, just be patient and good luck with the programme, I wish I had a lake to run around.
That's a lovely story. You've had a positive impact on someone's day and that's priceless. I usually run in my local park and see the same people on a regular basis. I had a similar experience to yours. I smiled at a woman I frequently encounter and she just completely blanked me, I was actually a little embarrassed as she made me feel like a weirdo for smiling at her. I, too, ran off a bit miffed until I saw another lady who clearly also found running a hard slog and gave me a knowing look and smiled broadly ( the "I can't wait for this torture to be over" kind!) and decided I'd ignore the grumpy "elite" runners and focus on happy ones instead! I changed my route this am and ran along the canal, it was very early and whilst the scenery was gorgeous, I only encountered fractious-looking people rushing out of Paddington station on their way to work. I might stick to the park!
Ooh ! I hope I get the chance to run through snow !
Benmum, I loved reading your blog. I ran a couple of times early in the morning while on holiday in France. It was raining and I'm sure the few locals who were out and about thought I was a little crazy but there was something magical about the genuine smiles and exchanging "Bonjour"s. Other runners smiling and saying hello is nice and so is the surprising number of car drivers who stop to let you cross the road - I always smile and wave. If I'm running on the road and car drivers give me plenty of room, I always smile and wave my appreciation and am surprised by how many smile and wave back. I spend a lot of time on some of my runs smiling and waving - that has to be good !
I was out on a run with my running club earlier and a lady pedestrian who stopped to let us pass actually clapped as we ran past her !
The nice people more than make up for the unpleasant minority.
The people who clap and cheer us along on a Saturday morning when doing Parkrun is really good, and I'm not talking about the officials running the Parkrun. Its a realy good response to get and I go out of my way now to nod and smile at all joggers I pass.
The "knowing look" speaks volumes I bet Stephanie-J! It conveys pain and pride and omg one more foot in front of the other!! Ooh not sure about the stressed people on their way to work- are they almost as bad as the "blankers"?
SFB350 I think that's great re the pedestrians and cars stopping for you. Little things mean so much. I'm planning on hols in France middle of August and I'm planning on taking my running gear so I hope I can find a French equivilant of Jeanie (and Tess of course!)
What a lovely story! The neon nasty? Well, she's obviously not doing as well as you if she has no energy to spare to lift the corners of her mouth or wave an acknowledgment. And your own efforts are improving not just your health but that of that elderly lady (and possibly her dog too if you are helping to encourage her to get out)
I love this story! I know exactly what you mean about certain people who's heads are so far up their own backsides I'm surprised they can actually run! I don't usually see many people on my runs but I get the occasional" well done" or a nod and a smile I also get the odd dog who wants to join me which always makes me smile. I always think people are actually in awe of us "runners" like I used to be when I would see someone jogging past. Now we are those people and we should be proud
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Your day will come, just be patient and good luck with the programme, I wish I had a lake to run around.
xx
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