DP thinks my new hobby (sprinting) is obnoxious.

[BlackPepperCrab]

Recently, in the spirit of health, I have decided to start running again. I'm not a fan of long distance jogging, so have opted to do sets of 100/200m sprints. The usual pavement I do my running on is about 10+m wide, so no worries there isn't a chance of me crashing into anyone.

My issue now, is that DP has told me (more than once), that what I'm doing is obnoxious and attention seeking.

AIBU to think that's complete bollocks?

[ofshoes]

I'd say it's a bit obnoxious as well TBH, if a kid runs in front of you unexpectedly you'll flatten them. Also, sprinting on concrete will fuck your shins, you need a track for this really.

[plantsitter]

Assuming you are not colliding with anyone or causing an obstruction, seriously, you can do what you want. It's not illegal.

Honestly, never ask on here whether something's socially acceptable. It'll always be a resounding 'no'. And yet people still do hula hoop in the street and performance parent and nothing bad happens...

[BorisTrumpsHair]

What anyone else THINKS of you - attention seeking or otherwise - is really none of your concern.

Is your H a curtain twitcher? Does he often say "but what will the neighbours think?"

[Flippetydip]

Obnoxious, no, attention seeking - it does come across a little bit like that. It's just kind of weird doing it on a pavement.

Can't you run to the nearest park, do your reps there, and jog/walk back again? You'll reap way more from it. Even proper sprinters don't just sprint - you need to vary it a bit.

[Sirzy]

As a runner myself I would find a footpath in a residential area an odd place for doing sprints tbh. Can you not access a track or somewhere a bit quieter?

Even for doing hill repeats I have found somewhere “off the beaten track” so as not to annoy locals/get in peoples way!

[pinkhorse]

It's a bit strange. I'm quite a serious runner and would never dream of doing that. You really shouldn't be sprinting on concrete. Find a running track or similar.

[PyongyangKipperbang]

Genuinely curious question but what’s wrong with pavements as opposed to the park?

Safety. You cant be sure that no one will suddenly veer in front of you and at speed you will find it harder to stop.

Also, hard pavements are not good for your legs, ground with some give in it would be much better. If you are not near a track then grass would be a good compromise.

I would think you were being quite attention seeking tbh given that most areas have athletics clubs that you could join and train properly with proper tracks and equipment.

[Lindy2]

I think if I was walking along on the pavement and someone went sprinting past me I would be a bit alarmed, even if the pavement was wide. It's not really an expected use of pavement. There is something more physically overwhelming about sprinting than standard jogging.
If someone was sprinting in a park or larger open space I would find that absolutely fine.
Your husband's words are a little extreme but I can see his point of view. I think your hobby is fine but you need to find a more appropriate place to do it.

[DamnCommandments]

Aaand this is why people don't exercise. Only here, and not there. Only that, and not this. When I was playing rugby, I used to run 6am sprints in a cul-de-sac near my house. Noone about, and if I did see someone, I moved on.

[DamnCommandments]

Who has time to get to a track anyway?

[PinkHeart5914]

I would find someone sprinting on a pathment a bit odd but unless you were in the way I doubt I’d think about it for long.

I do run myself but tend to go to the park or the country lanes here.

[BertrandRussell]

The "join an athletics club" comment is bonkers.

[guilty100]

Pavements are 10m or so in semi-pedestrianised or pedestrianised areas.

I think if it's what you want to do and you have good sight lines and no corners so you're not endangering anybody, you should just get on with it and don't worry what your DP or anyone else thinks. In my local park there are loads of people who do Fartlek, which is like a sprint followed by a job, and no-one bats an eyelid. My city is hilly, so I can get the same effect trudging up hill and feeling like I am going to faint, but if it wasn't I'd do bits of fast running where it was safe on pavements.

[guilty100]

A JOG not a JOB!

[JigglyTuff]

I think it's fine as long as there's no one on the pavement. I was walking with my elderly dad and my dog the other week and this bloke suddenly came tearing past us from behind and then stopped about 50m in front of us. It was fucking frightening to be honest and there was no reason he couldn't have walked/jogged past us and then started his sprint as we were the only people on the path. So I would be hugely pissed off if you did that.

Otherwise, knock yourself out :)

[AnnieAnoniMouse]

Well, he's not wrong. If someone was doing this outside my house I'd find it really irritating. It's one thing for a jogger to jog past, it's quite another for someone to be going back & forth & back & forth. I'd feel the same if you were skipping or doing other exercises, it's just not the place for it, it's very look at me'. Can't you jog to an appropriate recreation space and do your sprints there, then jog home. It would be far better for your legs too.

[backintown]

I'd probably think it was attention seeking too (or just really amusing!), but that aspect is irrelevant if you don't care about other peoples opinions, which is fine, I couldn't care less either. But..

If that were the only issue then fine, but there is definitely a health and safely potential problem - you are running at speed in a residential area so could do yourself or someone else an injury, also agree with PP's - you may well end up with shin splints or similar. Plus just doing one thing repeatedly isn't the best fitness plan. Your DH perhaps didn't choose his words as carefully as he could but he has got a point!

[Curtaintwitcher2017]

Meh, I have been running on concrete for 15 years and the only time I had an injury was when I joined an athletics club and ran on tartan. Doing my own intervals on the terrible concrete, I'm much more likely to listen to any niggles in my body than if I'm surrounded by 20 other runners who are egging each other on.

I also got a lot more time back in my day if I run early before work, compared to having to catch two trains to the athletics track after work, waiting for the session to start, doing the session, and then getting two trains back and having to cook dinner at 9pm.

[PyongyangKipperbang]

No....the reason most people dont exercise is because they can be bothered, me included.

And if you CBA to find time to go to a track then change your regime.

Your selfishness doesnt trump others safety and well being.

[HeyRoly]

Sprinting on a public pavement is very unusual, and passers by (not that you're bothered, I'm sure) would find it, and you, kind of odd I'm afraid.

I agree that you'd look less out of place at a park or a running track.

[SusanTheGentle]

I don't think it's attention seeking or obnoxious, I think it's just a bit unusual as most runners don't sprint train. However the PPs are right - hammering your knees and feet down on concrete/paving at the force needed to do sprinting is going to wreck your legs long term. Not to mention if you trip (which is possible when sprinting) you'll do far more damage on a hard surface.

[M4Dad]

We've all seen a million joggers on our streets, I've never seen ONE sprinter.

That's because they go to tracks, so should you.

[guilty100]

It's really not unusual in my city. There are loads of men who do intervals (a fast length followed by a slow length) on ordinary pavements. There aren't that many women, though. Is gender playing a role in people's judgements here, because my urban area isn't that unusual (though there are a lot of pretty good runners around, probably because it's quite hilly)

[PoppyPopcorn]

Obnoxious is the wrong word.

Attention-seeking may be quite accurate.

Join a running club.

[PigletWasPoohsFriend]

It is quite a strange place to do it tbh. However if you carry on you are likely to injure yourself sprinting on concrete.