When two runners pass each other there's not much time for a lengthy communiqué, words have to be chosen carefully, you might just about get 140 characters in there. (I guess runners have been tweeting even before Twitter was invented.) Passing runner's greetings I've heard can be unadventurous - "Morning." Or witty - "It's easier in this direction." Or informative - "Watch out for the white dog, his owner can't control him." Or friendly - "How far have you run?" Or an exhausted - "Can't speak." But the most useful one I have heard was - "There's a guy with a rifle on the other side of the canal, speed up".
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One of the most useful ones I had was a on a long run when a runner coming past from the opposite direction told me that I was setting down too heavily on one leg and advised me to straighten up if I wanted to avoid injury. His real words were "you're limping - fix it or you'll get hurt"
It was hard to take in but very, very useful. I only wish I had thanked him instead of gruffing a thanks and looking disgruntled.
"That way is a dead end"
Was helpful as I didn't know, and clearly he hadn't either as he was having to come back.
I've also been high-fived by a fellow runner. Made me smile.
As I ran past a middle aged woman foolishly walking on the road with back to on coming traffic (dangerous dual carriageway, not even on the grass verge), I suggested she might want to either face the traffic, or get on the verge.
She ignored both.
Maybe she thought "what a sanctimonious little prick, i'll walk where I damn well want"?
I was warned 'Watch out George is about'. Unfortunately I had no idea who George was and still don't. I suspect it was a wind up!
Unless they were canvassing for the Labour Party.