To think runners are getting a lot of hate atm

[HerstoryInTheMaking]

All over social media I am hearing a lot of nasty and snarky comments towards runners, especially from people who would never usually exercise outdoors anyways.

Aibu to think social distancing is a two way street and that those walking should also attempt social distancing. I as a marathon runner try my best to avoid people often walking in a group along a path who refuse to budge an inch.

I think runners tend to expect everyone to move for them so they don’t have to slow down. Families with pushchairs and even larger families find that difficult. I often don’t hear runners approaching. I think running is a bit like diving a car. You slow down if you see a hazard in front of you. You assess the situation and adjust your speed and where you go accordingly. Runners need to adjust with more people out walking. Cyclists too.

Someone above said cyclists could still do 30 miles. That’s very difficult in 1 hour. It’s not necessary either. We all need to exercise but not excessively and not without regard to other people.

I'm a runner and the hate towards us predates coronavirus. I started a few years ago and pretty much every run I get daggers from people for daring to be on the same path as them. People slowly walk 3 abreast on pavements completely oblivious and the only way to get around is to hope for a break in traffic on a busy road, and if you pass someone from behind, even running off the path to do so, you get dirty looks. People with kids are the worst culprits, several times on a run I'll have to stop or dodge or jump over a fricking bush when I should have had plenty of space to pass because parents aren't taking any notice of their little darlings stopping slap bang in the middle of a path used by cyclists and runners each way. Or they weakly call out for them to move out of the way. Or dogs off leads, I had to hurdle a spaniel while doing a 10k race once as it took a liking to me as I ran along, thankfully I like dogs.

Yes, stopping and dodging and running into traffic and hurdling is a somewhat minor inconvenience but I assure you that the general public make absolutely no attempt to move out of the way for anybody, walking running or otherwise.

There’s a narrow bridge on a path near here. Lots of people including runners stop at their side and wait for people to cross before going onto it because it’s impossible to keep your distance on it. Mostly. Then you get occasional arseholes who either cross it really slowly talking on their phones despite the fact that someone is waiting for them to cross, or the man who ran up behind the two people waiting, overtook them and ran straight over the bridge towards me as I was halfway across. You wonder what they thought the other folk were doing or how they imagined I could get far enough away from them!

Surely everyone should be making an effort to move if the person you are coming toward is less than the desired distance away? If 2 runners pass each other, who moves? If 2 walkers pass each other who should move?
I was running behind some walkers the other day. There wasnt space to pass so I stopped and walked a safe distance behind until a suitable passing space. (They moved to the side but we both changed our behaviour in order to create distance) I have stopped and waited for people, some people have moved aside for me. It's quite possible for all path/road users to be courteous.

I think the problem is that there are far more people in far less space and that perhaps runners who usually run in the gym, aren't used to running outside. So, in my experience so far, it does seem to be runners (in the main) who aren't as good at giving others space as walkers or cyclists, but not exclusively so.

I live in a town and walk my dog every day, (usually twice before lockdown) and I've never seen so many people in my usual 'haunts' where before I would see the same dog walkers at roughly the same time of day. Now we have cyclists, runners, families, walkers etc all sharing the same space, and everyone is having to learn a new way of being - some are better at this than others.

I think that people are very stressed right now, and we all just need to learn to give each other a bit more space, be a bit more tolerant and maybe smile at each other whilst we are doing it.....

Runners are not the problem here, inconsiderate people are.

Exactly this!

I run on average 3 times a week. The streets have got noticeably busier recently. I do make an effort to get out of the way but it would be nice if this was acknowledged. Yesterday I ran in the road to go safely past a man with a pushchair - nothing! I waited out of the way so 2 cyclists could go past - nothing! A lady with a pushchair and young child moved out of my way before I did so I smiled and said thank you - nothing!
Is it that hard to smile, nod, wave or say thank you?

I have found that most people are considerate although the family of 4 that decided to cross the road onto the side I was on and then go passed me far to close as I moved into the bushes as much as I could, did piss me off. They could have crossed over a few seconds later and missed me completely.

And yes to groups of people walking abreast, men in particular who don’t move to their side even though you’ve moved into the verge on your side, and people who see that you’re next to something that prevents you getting out of the way but don’t move themselves to avoid you even though they have loads of space. I was picking up dog poo the other day next to a fence and didn’t see someone coming towards me, but they must have seen me from ages away. I stood up with the bag and they were practically on top of me, even though the path at that point is 6 feet wide. I couldn’t step away as I was next to the fence. What are people like that playing at?

NoKnit

Trying to work out why you being a marathon runner is worth mentioning here to be honest.

Exactly what I thought:

I as a marathon runner try my best to avoid people often walking in a group along a path who refuse to budge an inch.

Maybe if you shouted ahead, OP, and warned people there was a "marathon runner" in the vicinity.

(After all, you presumably won't be one of these unfit, barely-able-to-breathe-let-alone-speak new runners, that some seasoned runners don't approve of.)

You'd probably get exactly the respect that a "marathon runner" deserves then.

@DuesToTheDirt
Sorry if I you felt targeted. I am pissed off in general. I didn’t just mean you. I meant able bodied people. I was answering your question in brackets because this is something, which happens to me and I can’t move over. The 3 guys should obviously have given you space. That was horrible and they are misogynistic pigs. However to be a bit clearer on your (possibly rhetorical) question asking if the faster one should give way, for me answer is yes, whether it be joggers to walkers or cyclists to people on foot whether they are walking or joggers.

I’m fed up with runners shouting abuse as they run up behind me when I’m out for a walk expecting me to move so they don’t have to break stride. I don’t have eyes in the back of my head, and everyone needs to make accommodation for each other

This. I’m sure they are good people but during the run they seem to loose ability to behave in a rational way

My local NextDoor is full of vitriol for runners from people who don’t believe anyone should be in ‘their’ village. 🙄

On my local FB page someone took photos of two joggers because they were covered in sweat and going into the very cramped and small local Co-Op.
The post was something like,
"How much does Covid spread in sweat? Look at these two spreading their sweat all over the food"
The joggers were identified and torn apart, till admin stepped in and deleted the post.

I'm on the fence tbh. I can't see a jogger using a cucumber to wipe sweat away DN then putting it back, but if they did have Covid and did pick up a box and change their minds, then surely the sweatier they are the more likely they'll leave the virus behind?

Ugh! I was more thinking if they lent over, they could drip sweat on the food below.

It’s not the running. It’s the heavy open mouth breathing as they flit past. Our streets are suddenly alive with people running. Never noticed them much before.

A man yesterday was puffing away and I use wanted to say “go home because never mind Corona, you sound like you’re going to expire any time now, on the pavement. He was purple faced, sweating like mad and his breathing was coming thick and fast. I pulled up my scarf over my nose and mouth and was glad I had sunglasses on.

I will add this to my ongoing list of things we shouldn’t tolerate:

Joggers
Cyclists
Dogs
Dog Walkers
Cats
Dr Sarah Jarvis
Children
Easter eggs
Clapping
Not clapping
Cleaners
Play dough
Aldi
Trampolines
Sex
Make up
People with Blood Group A
Dressing gowns

I will update this list in due course.

Cyclists are worst, use the roads...

I'm a runner. It works both ways, you get some idiot selfish runners, and some idiot selfish pedestrians. I dont think 1 category are worse than the other. I am always considerate, and run into the road/grass/cross over. But it gets on my nerve when I'm basically running in a hedge where its narrow and people are still walking 2 abreast...

I'm not a marathon runner but I run 4-5 days a week.

Pre-covid I've been pretty frustrated at times with pavement hoggers, people walking 4 abreast and seemingly oblivious to those around them. Even when I'm walking it's impossible to get round them without going into the road.

Now I'm throwing myself into the road as soon as I see someone coming vaguely in my direction. I'm avoiding parks even though we have some London ones around here, and I'm running at non-peak times (went out at 10 last night).

I agree with whoever said that it's not runners, it's just inconsiderate individuals on both sides.

PuppyMonkey
😂😂😂

@PuppyMonkey don't forget cucumbers, baby vests, chatting with neighbours over the hedge, healthy people taking supermarket delivery slots, NOT chatting with neighbours over the hedge, and of course children's shoes.

Yes Havealock, all of those are officially added.

Also

Going to the bank
And
Online banking

And printer paper
And take away
And anyone over 60

@Mummyoflittledragon @MonkeyToesOfDoom

There is little evidence of covid19 being able to be spread through sweat. It's a respiratory virus. The concern over surfaces is people coughing/sneezing onto surfaces or onto their hands which then touch surfaces.

www.jems.com/2020/03/15/how-covid-19-spreads-and-infects/

It's spread through droplets and aerosols. Everyone who breathes, no matter if they are breathing heavily or normally, can produce the aerosols and spread the virus if they are infected.

SIL has been seriously informed that 'It's ILLEGAL to run'. She leaves her house (at stupid o'clock), runs along a track/cycle route that is there specifically for walkers, runners and cyclists, turns round, runs back, showers and then leaves for work. She chooses to run in the morning rather than her preferred time so she can avoid people dawdling along with bikes, small children, dogs on loose leads or no leads at all fucking brilliant during lambing, that.

She still got told that it's against the law to exercise. She called DP just to check. He even checked with me (Christ knows why, I haven't run anything more strenuous than a bath since I fucked my knee and ankle eight years ago). She's not driving anywhere, it is literally at her doorstep.

I think it's the new to running outside/going for a wander with the kids/can't get in the gym people who are either objecting to regular runners most or causing the most issues. Not all the time - I'm sure my ex is busy intimidating women with pushchairs all over the place as he's an utter prick at all times - but a lot of people are coming into contact with regular runners for the first time at the moment.

There is plenty of hate at the moment directed at runners and dog walkers and not just on MN.

However, I have just come back from my morning run along a local suburban tow path and it was a pleasure. I run three times a week on that exact path for past three years AND I STILL probably sound wheezy because I am asthmatic for those who assume that 'heavy' breathers are new runners. I am in London and its seems that the message for social distancing is getting through.

I would have passed around 35 people with only about 5 groups of two or more. However, everyone except the older couple who refuse to move to single file when walking on a 2.5 metre path gave 2 metres. That couple is a couple I regularly pass and I know that I have to hang back in a place where they can pass at 2 m if they are coming towards me. They simply will not do it, but that's ok. I work around that.

And surprisingly, everyone except one woman was walking/jogging/riding on the left of the path so it was all really predictable. It really is more predictable and easier to navigate when people (single or groups) keep to the left of the path when it is shared with cyclists etc.

Even the friends who were catching up on opposite sides of the pathway were about 5 metres apart, so people could pass between them (why they did not go to one side of the path so people could just move around them, I don't know but they did leave plenty of room).

And all the dogs were well behaved whether they were on or off leash.

This was an unusual run and it was great to see others out exercising and taking care to keep their distance. The past two weeks, there was still too many not keeping 2 metres and I was about to start jogging around the streets.

Maybe the message is getting through so that everyone can get out safely.