Time for a rant. I don't often get annoyed but the prevalence of anti-social runners in London (Embankment and South Bank between vauxhall bridge and tower bridge) is getting extreme as the marathon gets closer.
I know that there are a fair number of weirdos in the city, but a bloke dressed in lycra tights running round the river when its close to freezing is more likely to be a piece of alternative ballet gone wrong (except, and especially on the cold mornings, I don't have the packet for ballet) than anything more sinister - so why do people treat me like I'm a leper when I say good morning?
I thought people only put their sour face on when they had to go to work - now they're infecting their running with their sour Londoner face - help...
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You just keep on saying hello to anyone you like. Infact, if it was me, I'd run after anyone who didn't return the acknowledgement, shouting "Hello....Helllo....Hello" untill they ran out of site (cause Im a crap runner)!
And loads of people talked to me
but they were ALL weird
Define 'weird' !?!?!
What SB said is true of some (NOT all) runners, though. But then again, that applies to non-runners too.
Keep going, don't let that get you down.
I think there is a bats-squeak of opportunity to say hello back, but if you miss it you feel a fool and just keep running. Most people say hello just as they reach your shoulder by which time it seems almost too late to reply! I like to be able to see the people I'm saying hello to! You can be looking, looking, looking for signs of something coming and then just as your take your eyes away there it is; "Hello!"
Damn!
But, to generalise, Londoners (and I am one myself) are quite a miserable, over-focused, uptight bunch!!! :-) They always seem to be running away from something - and it can make them quite unresponsive at times. I imagine running on the dales would be a different experience and provoke a different set of responses.
So i run with head down when i see people
you must be normal:)
OMM, running away from something?! I always thought they were always running TOWARDS something! I actually do agree with your generalisation.
SB, let's just then put it down as a bad week! Or maybe people are getting tenser as the marathon approches ?! Maybe not.
HiT, oh dear, so you think we all need locking up ?! Even worse than I thought!
number 3, I like your 'system' !
but the sort of people that talk to me are odd
You can just tell
maybe its me
a teapot?
You see, there are BIG people in wales
I am a Londoner and I would not consider myself any more unfriendly or friendly than anybody else. I get extremely bored with being expected to apologise for being a Londoner. I certainly find that most people return my greeting when I am running. Perhaps the people who do not return your greeting are people from outside London who have convinced themseves that everybody down here is "a miserable, over-focused, uptight bunch". We are not.
Jesting of course. I'm sure most Londoners are cool and relaxed. It's just that half of them are on drugs, whilst the rest are either zoned out from work, or the tube or a foriegn and don't understand much English and are looking at the sights! ( I include scousers in the foreign bit)
I run the route anticlockwise. That may be it.
I did get a rather heart smile and wave this morning from a fellow near Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park, at arounf 08.40 so if you contribute to these pages, thank you for restoring a little bit of my faith in humanity.
the rest of you need to raise your eyes and open your minds a bit!
the bat
i run that route a fair bit at lunchtimes and nights
my unscientific survey suggests that
a) in the dark,female runners don't say anything to anyone,howver friendly,probably sensible.esp if on own.
b)everyone much friendlier in daylight and warmer weather,but too many tourists on south bank for summer lunchtimes to be too friendly,back to scrum training sometimes..
c) south of river embankment less friendly than north,especially battersea park for no good reason,loosen up there,not everyone's a mugger.
d)lots of people looking like v serious runners not very interested in greeeting anyway vs lowering pb for bridge segment...or have no puff for greeting.
i will keep greeting but since i also mostly run anticlockwise,rc,perhaps i won't be greeting you,sorry.i will be out latish sunday night again(7-10ish),battersea to london bridge and home via putney bridge.see you there!!