Frustrating things about running

[Katrinawaves]

I’m in my 50’s and have had various attempts at being a runner. I can get to 5k (very slowly) but there are things which drive me nuts when running outdoors (I live in a city).

• when running in one direction and I come across people walking two or three abreast in the opposite direction and they don’t fall into single file forcing me into the road
• people on bikes on the footpath forcing me into the road
• people who think because I’m running slowly it’s ok to stop me to ask for directions or because they know me and want to chat
• people with small kids or dogs who let them drift into my path and trip me up

It feels like people get frustrated by someone running and deliberately try and make life hard for them and I don’t really understand why!

People telling you what to wear for runs.
When you get an injury/illness that means you can't exercise any more, and someone says it's your own fault for not staying fit, and their Aunty Clare is twenty years older than you and has no issues, and you feel like digging out your times showing you generally managed 5/10K times that were half theirs...

I was going for my 5km PB and was on track to get it, running bloody fast, when a car signalled at me and beckoned me over, as if they had something really important to tell me. They were asking for directions. To some random place not even nearby. I was PISSED

To be frank, the problems you are complaining about are people, people, people and people: you're running in the wrong places or/and at the wrong times. You say you live in the city but how well do you know it - have you looked for the footpaths and canals you could run along? I ran for decades and never had people problems because I never ran near roads - I might have to go on a few to head off to the nearest footpath, playing field or canal and I've done this all over the UK when away with work or on courses or when away on holiday or camping. I used to run early in the morning with my daughter before she had to go to school - we'd be out at 6am and she'd be back for a shower and breakfast then off to school. The great thing about running is that you can go at any time of day all year round and that is part of the joy of running IMHO - cold starry nights in Winter, misty early mornings in Autumn - We've been running with the snow falling at midnight at -12C in December. The other great thing is actually exploring and discovering all of these places to run - disused railway lines, along rivers, through woodland, up hills, across farmland - so don't just run in places for the convenience - I'd regularly get in my car to drive very short distances to get to somewhere nice to run. Get muddy, get away from the traffic, cars, people, pollution, dogs, bikes, etc - running is about a lot more than racking up a few miles and obsessing over times and distances (IMHO) and it shouldn't be stressing you out because of the petty frustrations caused by other people - you should be enjoying the connection with nature, the landscape, the weather, the stars and planets.

I’ve had quite a few difficult encounters with dogs running including dogs jumping up at me. Had a big one run full pelt at me once, knocking me over. Also one on one of those long leads running across the path in front of me which ended up with me high jumping over the lead as I couldn’t stop in time and there was nowhere else to go.

Have never had an issue with anyone trying to talk to me, but I’m very much a headphones in, head down runner

That's going to be very much dependent on your location, commitments and a variety of other factors.

I love trail running through the local fields, but they're not viable in the winter due to the practicalities of wading through ankle-deep, heavy clay in the dark by a torch, plus it's a minimum of 50 min run which isn't viable at stupid o'clock in the morning when I already have an early start for work, and do need a certain amount of sleep. Even by daylight it's a heavy slog and more of a soggy hike than actual running. Also due to injury, I can't run up hills at the moment, and that's probably a few months away and needs gradual building up to it. Realistically it could be the spring before I can get back to those routes.

Many of the flat routes by the river are popular for anti-social behaviour so I need to be careful about timing on top of my work and family commitments. This is also complicated by several sections being impacted by flood defence works and closed routes and bridges reducing access. The nearest canals add a minimum of 20 mins drive time each way, and are rural so not lit or paved, so again, limited for their usefulness in the winter months and work days when time is very limited, plus fitting around evening commitments.

For many people, running is shoe-horned into little gaps in life that significantly restrict the choice of where to run, around (inflexible) work patterns, safety and how to fit certain types of run in and you have to suck up what fits albeit imperfectly, rather than your dream route. It's often decided by situations like making the most of the park by the leisure centre to use the free 45 mins while a child is at an activity during dog walk o'clock because that's the time and location that fits best over not fitting in a run at all.

I wear glasses but when I run in the rain, they want to slide down the bridge of my nose so I’m pushing them up every 10 seconds. Blooming annoying!!

I haven’t run for a while but ran a lot during lockdown when the gym was closed. I resorted to running at 5am due to similar issues. It was just too busy later in the day. I’m lucky to live near a beach which has a long promenade. Perfect for running but only when there’s virtually no one else about.

I went around the dead city centre instead of the heaving parks 😂

Good call!

Get some small hair ties and wrap them around the arms behind your ears.

Dogs running at me!! Put your dog on the damn lead!!

My job getting in the way of picking my favourite routes when I want to do them

Sports bras. Faffy, chaffing on long runs and needing to change bra from a regular bra as it isn't suitable to wear all day under work clothes.

When your inner thighs have destroyed your much-loved leggings.

Thigh chafe 🔥

Not realising you chaffed until you turn the shower on 🫣