We're bloody miserable bu**ers here in London

[Deleted User]

and the nice thing about london is that londoners are such a diverse group i wouldn't want to generalise too much vs eg scousers who we know are all tea leaves who live in extreme poverty.
i had that cilla in the back of my cab once...

[Deleted User]

I doubt if Londoners are any different from anyone else when it comes to reponding to other runners. I live in Beckton out near London City Airport and my training loops take me through Silvertown and the Isle of Dogs. Some days I don't see any other runners and some days I see several. I always put up a hand to acknowledge them and if they are on my side of the road I usually say Hi or well done. I usually get a response of some sort but it varies from day to day. I had quite a chat to a guy that overtook me the other week, chatted about how far we were running and were we doing the FLM. My partner was high fived by a runner 2 weeks ago near East India DLR station.

I agree though that some runners seem to want to avoid eye contact and don't even glance in your direction (usually wearing headphones)but in my experience this can be the case anywhere.

[Deleted User]

but then you can have people that are too friendly. While on holiday in Jan (summertime) my fav. run took me 10miles along the foreshore people were so friendly they all said good morning, and most asked how you were and when you are huffing and puffing along it can all be a bit much saying hello & afine thanks etc every 5 seconds.
BUT it was so nice for a change, because I too try to catch a fellow runner's eye here in London and at least smile, but most here just won't have it.
Maybe they all think we are the weirdo's and don't want us to follow them home.
I'm sure any big city is the same though

Chaos

West London usually seems to be alright but I do find myself determinedly catching people's eye so they are forced to say or at least grunt/nod hello. Like Jenks found though even this doesn't work with anti-social headphone wearers.

What do you do when you're overtaking another runner? Say hello to the back of their head or turn round at the last second?

[Deleted User]

Seems to be okay in my bit of North London too. Earlier this week I was loping along to Blackhorse Road and passed two chaps running on the other side of the road, in the opposite direction. I gave them a thumbs up and they responded with a comradely wave. I always assume that men won't greet me for fear of startling a woman, so I tend to take the initiative. And overtaking runners? That'll be the day.

[Deleted User]

I just put this to the test. Did 15 miles of mostly towpath from Chiswick to Kingston (out and back). Saw 14 runners. Said hi to all of them. 2 responded.

Pretty low strike rate. :-(

Pleased with a comfy 15 miles tho :-)

[Deleted User]

I love it when people say hello to me and I often try and catch another runner's eye and smile when I do the Embankment (South Bank from Westminster to London Bridge/Towe Bridge and then back, cutting north over the wobbly bridge because it's fab) but there is a problem for those of us who haev loud walkmans on. I can't always hear the hello until it's too late and shrieking 'oh, sorry, hiya' at someone's back as they overtake me is a bit painful.

And a bit like HiT, I assume people are always going to laugh at me; I'm not a small lady (I'm v v tall) and I'm v v slow, so I always think other runners aren't going to think I'm a proper runner, more of a trotter.

So we're not all surly Londoners, the combination of self-consciousness and walkmans might make us less friendly than we might otherwise wish to be..
MB

[Deleted User]

south side...

[Deleted User]

I have to agree with Scouse, I live in MK, and it's great to have so much green everywhere. Me and the friend that I go running with find that very few people actually say hello, and those that do, often seem to be embarressed. I don't know why, we're the one's in shorts, woolly hats etc. We have conciously made the point of saying hello to everyone we see on our runs so that they don't think we're miserable gits!

[Deleted User]

Steve, do you go on any long runs on weekends? Would you mind too much if I tag along?

[Deleted User]

I used to live in Hull, where going out running would just get me abuse from all and sundry. Compared to that, London is paradise; here I just get ignored! I regularly run in Richmond Park and find most people tend to stare through my friendly "hi"s and smiles. The only two times I've been spoken to is by blokes passing me who said hi on their way past. Hmmmmm.....

[Deleted User]

I did a long run today (2 hours, which is long for me). I intentionally set out to say hello to everyone I met. I was quite supprised by the response. About 8 out of 10 gave me a response, most said hello or morning, with one or two a nod of the head.

Must have been the sunshine.

[Deleted User]

Scouse

Me and a friend try to do at least one long run (at least 2 hours) each week, normally a Saturday or a Sunday morning. Feel free to tag along. E-mail me if you fancy it, and we can arrange to meet up somewhere.

Steve

[Deleted User]

I did 3 laps of Richmond Park this morning and I have to say I was absolutly shocked at the lack of initial response from 8 out of ten people. I think most people were so shocked that when we crossed on the other side some managed to offer a form of salutation. However by the last lap could barely raise a grunt in response.

[Deleted User]

Steve, that sounds good. Unfortunately, your email link isn't enabled. And I'll be going back to Liverpool this weekend, so won't be able to join you. But weekend after would be good.

[Deleted User]

Steve ignore that last post....email is on the way.