Or the cost of being a doormat. I’m doing a run, not a UN mission. You want to wear some Good Guy underoos and play social worker/goodwill ambassador, go for it.
Me, I’m wiped out post work/commute and just want to do my run in peace.
Or maybe I’m running an area because of its topography and features? And maybe when I’m working out, all of my energy is going into actually working out? This isn’t Mayberry RFD here. It’s university campuses and office parks. The people here know the area, or they’re up to no good.
This is my working out on my time, people don’t get to own my time and energy .
It’s a workout, not a Boy Scout civics badge exercise.
They don’t play soccer in traffic. You run in traffic. Your not qualifying for the olympics here. Sheesh, get over yourself, join the human race and help somebody out if you can and it’d no skin off your back.
When I got hit in a hit and run, another motorist drove me home. I’ve gotten caught in thunderstorms and people have offered me rides, letting my smelly soaked self into their upholstery, and driving out if their way to be nice.
When you drive home, do you get pissed at the runners and bikers that slow you down? That’s your commute time, right. But when you’re running suddenly it’s your workout time and it’s the cars that are at fault.
There’s no nice way to say this, but this is called being a selfish asshole. We share the road and we share the world with other people who have priorities different from ours.
The next time you are caught in a thunderstorm and someone gives you a ride, or somebody lets you use their bathroom just keep remembering that the world owes you.
Actually, I specifically train at times when traffic is minimal. I stay out if traffic, obey the signals… Sometimes a run is a run is a run. Not an exercise in moral/karmic fitness.
I train at times when traffic density is low. I stay on sidewalks when they are available.
I plan ahead, so I’m not bumming rides. I’ve run through storms, it’s just water.
All sorts of cons and panhandling and begging. Money for gas, sob stories…See, runners tend to run lightly, but there are plenty who run with credit cards, ATM cards, cellphones. Rich targets for mugging or petty theft.
We have different definitions of “serious skin off your back” I guess. I get up early in the morning to get my runs in before work. I don’t have a huge amount of time, and I enjoy my time out there. I run with headphones so someone just calling to me won’t get my attention, they may have to get in front of me or flag me down.
Certainly if someone is in an emergency or looks like they’re in real trouble I would stop to help them out, and I have. If I can answer you question without stopping; sure, a quick answer is fine. But I’m not really in the mood to stop and answer questions about where a good place for breakfast is in Harvard Square. Other times, sure, but not during my limited exercise time. I certainly don’t think that makes me a selfish asshole; just someone who is optimizing their time before heading into the office.
Agreed…I am also a tall healthy dude, for now, and nobody ever stops me, but I can imagine a woman being pestered daily.
I live in NJ, so scary places abound, but people are usually pretty nice.
One fine Sunday morning I had my wife drive me into Trenton to Mulberry Street, where the D&R canal emerges from underground, so I could do a straight 12mi run to Kingston. The area isn’t too scary, but as soon as I started running I noticed two sketchy guys following me on BMX bikes. One left, but the other kept following me, lazily trailing 100 yards back, for a half mile or so, then he seemed to get bored and left. I’m pretty certain they were deciding whether or not to jump me.
That was the last time I made that particular run.
I used to live in Jersey, so I know what you mean. I moved to rural PA to get away from that, and I once got chased by escaped pigs which is not as funny as it sounds. Because of dogs I carry one of those collapsible police batons. Never had to use it, dogs seem to instinctively understand, but I think carrying an asp baton is a good idea for any runner
EWW, no, don’t stop people after 9 pm unless you are really bleeding out or something. It’s creepy and weird. Maybe men don’t get this, cuz women sure as hell do. You’re stopping me at 9 pm and I’m immediately thinking, why? Do I know you? And anyway, why don’t you have a cellphone in 2016? Why do you need to stop me?
I am under no obligation to give up my time to anyone else.
We’re not betting anything. If someone has an emergency they’ll make sure I know. I don’t run with a phone so I can’t call 911, but I’m more than willing to render emergency F/A if needed. And I’ve went out of my way to pick up an infant’s toy, blanket, or binkie that dropped from a distracted parent’s stroller.
But if you’re standing there with map in your hand looking confused I’m probably not going to offer help unless I’m stopped at a traffic light. I’m already pissed off at the light, so helping you isn’t going to make a difference.
