Pounding The Streets - AGAIN!

Here is a thing! It is something that I have noticed in the past few months and I think it is a sign of the ‘comradeship’ of runners is starting to slip if not slide into the world of I- pods and running to my beat that is on my headphones.

Let me explain.

I have, for a few weeks now, have started to run, albeit at a pace that is in keeping with my age.  Let me state that there should be no fears for any of the Olympians that I know – even the older ones – about their place in London 2012.  The real reason that I have got back out on the roads is that the 32 inch waist has gone and never to return and the 34 inch is creeping out and out.

So trotting round the sea front in Sunderland is a great place to get back into the swing of things and there is not only me who thinks that way: and this is where it starts to go a bit wrong.

When the world was in black and white and I was pounding the roads, when your run route crossed another, you would give the fellow struggler a breathless “hello” and a wave of your hand without breaking stride. Not any more it seems!

I have seen a fair few people running up and down the prom but very few actually acknowledge fellow runner never mind say anything.  To an old man like me, it gives you something else to think about when you see other runners coming towards you.  You get ready for the breathless words of encouragement but none come, not even eye contact (something that is just as good when you are on the last part of your route).

Today, being a Bank Holiday Monday, was a nice day for a run and there was a fair few people around so I decided to look at the fellow runners and here is what I found.

The very serious runners probably from a club in the area, seem to look up and say something or a wave if they are in ‘the zone’. 

At the other end of the scale is the ‘ I am getting a bit fitter to do the Race for life / local 10k / the doctor has told me to lose a bit of weight’. Again these people are happy to see someone else struggle and so they have a tendency to smile and ‘hello’ as they pass.

The middle grounds are the ones who seem to be the unhappy ones.  They tend to be the ones who are ‘working’ towards a new PB at this year’s Great North Run or Edinburgh marathon or the like.

They also tend to be the ones who have their I-Pod strapped onto their arms and their heart-rate monitor on the other arm and a GPS telling them exactly how far they have gone today and add it to their computer based diary.    They are so wrapped up with their music that keeps their BPM up or their run rhythms on 12 minute mile schedule that they are oblivious to anyone else in their eye line.

 Nothing wrong with these runners and if that is what gets you on to you PB or enjoy your running - great.  But one of the best bits of this running lark is the people who you met while you are out training for whatever you are doing it for.  So remember, next time you are out for a jog, keep an eye out for fellow joggers.  A wave makes the run go a little bit easier.