Miguel’s Training Tips
I recently moved to Chicago from Boston. On my fourth day in Chicago I had an epiphany:
I was running on the lake path and after a couple miles attained an unfamiliar, disturbing feeling that shot through my nervous system. I assumed I was dehydrated so I stopped at the next fountain and took a mouthful of H2O. What seemed like out of nowhere, another runner stopped and spoke to me. “Nice day for a run. ”
I stood there frozen. I was in shock. My vocal chords were paralyzed. My head spun. I had no idea what to do. He was talking to me. Directly to me. A complete stranger.
“Uh-huh,” I finally muttered.
Then the epiphany. It had been happening the entire run. People had been nodding, smiling, acknowledging my existence as a fellow runner and human being. This was so novel and unexpected that it sent my mind and body spiraling out of control. And thus, the funny feeling that had enraptured my body. The man’s words, just this ONE MAN, sent me over the edge.
The epiphany was that there is a strong correlation among social behavior while running and your native running region. And that this truth can make you physically and mentally ill if taken out of your native regional context too abruptly. Needless to say, running was slightly different in Boston.
My training tip: workup to the new region. Before running in a new place, do some research, maybe even some simulation so that you’re prepared and don’t end up speechless and hyperventilating like poor ole Miguel.
So what do you do when another runner goes by in the opposite direction?
Do you smile and/or nod? Introduce yourself and run a couple miles with them? “Hi my name is Bruce, I see you’re running north, mind if I join you for a couple miles?”
Make a snowball and toss it at them? Hey, they could be your age group competition in the next local 10k.
Do you say “hello”, “morning” or “howdy?” Maybe even, “Nice stride, looking good.”
Or are you the person that looks down until the other person is gone? One foot in front of the other. That’s right, just keep doing it.
Maybe you turn around and sprint past them. Just in case they thought they were going faster than you. That’ll show em! Alternatively, you could initiate a high five. Smack!
So here’s my 2-question survey:
- What do you do on a run when someone goes by in the opposite direction?
- And oh yeah, where are you from?
Okay, now that you’ve taken the quiz, let’s get the discussion rolling. Post your comments/analysis here! We want to hear your thoughts.
Tags: Running, Training, Training Tips
I’m definitely one to say, “Hello” to passers-by. But, I live in San Antonio, TX where mostly everyone has that southern hospitality and at least gives a nod or a “hi” no matter what!
I love this article.
I run with headphones, so don’t typically say anything to runners I pass along the way. If they appear to be looking at me I give them a small nod. Perhaps so small, even, that it’s unrecognizable to them as such (I’m tired when I run, gimme a break).
I am from Minnesota originally, and when I moved to Boston for undergrad it was definitely a bit surprising how everybody tries to ignore you on your run (or, alternatively, yells, “Put a shirt on!” or “Run, Forrest, Run!”).
I like your snowball idea, might start doing that.
As a cyclist, there are unspoken rules of the road when passing other cyclists going the opposite direction. What’s SUPPOSED to happen is a smile, a wave, a headnod, or any sort of acknowledgment that the two parties are aware of each other’s existence. It’s just a short, pleasant way of saying “OMG, WE’RE TOTALLY DOING THE SAME THING RIGHT NOW!!!” This happens about 70% of time. The other 30% of the time, in Boston, one will pass other cyclists without any sort of hint that the other person has seen you, or is even aware that other people on bikes exist. Other times, a wave or a nod from my party will go unanswered or unacknowledged. Totally unacceptable. Sometimes I fantasize about turning my bike around, catching up to the offending pedalist, and yelling in his face: “EXUSE ME, YOU FORGOT TO WAVE BUDDY.” And then I’d turn around and sprint away. The end.
Funny stuff. Midwesterners do seem to be much more friendly than those on the East Coast. Living in Colorado I have had to adjust to getting passed on my runs. It never happened in Chicago or St. Louis. When it happens in Colorado there is this moment when you realize you are being passed and then next thing you realize is that it’s some pro athlete celebrity. I have to decide if “I saw you on TV!” is too much of a stalker thing to say. Usually I just pretend I don’t know them and stammer out a “good morning”.
I do most of my running in St. Louis where everybody is at least moderately friendly when you pass them on a run. No one looks away or avoids answering a greeting. Not infrequently there will be a greeting from a runner of a similar age, running in the same direction. In these greetings there is often a sort of a unspoken but powerful recognition of being in an unofficial “club” of committed aging runners. Often I will run with these runners for a couple of miles and have a very nice discussion. When I run in Boston, other runners seem to be afraid that I am an attacker when I simply say “Hi”.
Love this thread.
I am a late 40s, Boston based runner, and have done a very unscientific study of exactly this question. I routinely wave, nod, smile, thumbs to almost everyone.
Howevah…my results:
It’s been my experience that there’s an age divide in Boston: runners with my creaky bones or older, almost ALWAYS respond back to my gestures, while those younger look past as if I was a ghost.
Outside of Boston ( I run everywhere I travel) this age divide vanishes.
I’ll continue to say hellos to all, and will continue with my highly unscientific research.
Great topic!
Thank you all for your wonderful insight! Feel free to keep me posted on any new data.
I have trained in Boston and Chicago and now live in New York, and Chicago was definitely more friendly than Boston and NY. I don’t remember my actions in Boston, but in Chicago I always tried to give oncoming runners a wave/nod, although many times I think I do this too late for them to respond. Back in New York I usually wait and see if the other runner makes eye contact with me, and then I will wave, otherwise I do nothing. I never say anything or gesture to a runner I’m passing going the same direction.
The biggest thing that struck me in Chicago is that pedestrians would routinely warn me of upcoming icy patches on the sidewalk, something that never happened in Boston and has yet to happen in New York.
I live not far from San Francisco. I usually just smile and nod; occasionally I say hello. This seems to be the convention.