A (Very Unofficial) Guide to Running Etiquette, by Damian Kenneally.
Running has a strange, unspoken code. No one hands it to you when you buy your first pair of runners, but somehow you’re expected to just know. When you don’t tho, the punishment isn’t a fine or even someone giving out to you, it’s a look (we all know the look, the same we all got as a child from our parents) from a fellow runner that lasts longer than 20 mile run.
So, in the spirit of being a grumpy oldish man, here are a few key points of modern running etiquette. Please feel free to let me know what I missed or even that I’m wrong.
- The Disappearing Runner Salute
Once upon a time, runners acknowledged each other. A nod. A wave. A subtle finger lift that said “yes, I see you, and I feel your pain.”
Now? Nothing. I firmly believe that Covid is to blame for this, and people just haven’t gotten the memo that saluting is back.
I can see someone running towards me, I let my brain work through its contact list to see do I know the person, as that will help me pick what type of salute I will give. This time it’s someone I don’t know so I decided to give a little hand salute, as the person is close I give the salute but nothing in return. Eye contact is avoided. Hands remain glued to form. The bond is broken.
A salute costs nothing. Except dignity when you salute and get absolutely nothing back.
Maybe people have become too serious. Maybe watches got smarter and manners didn’t. Or maybe runners are all just too busy taking selfies for their social media to acknowledge another human being. These excuses are exactly that, excuses. Manners cost nothing and you will be surprised to know that runners actually get real life energy power ups when they receive a salute.
So let’s get back to basics and bring the salute back with a bang.
- Group Runs & The Illusion of Road Ownership
Running in a group is great. Community, motivation, shared pain. Lovely stuff. I have always said running is at its best when with friends.
But somewhere between runner number three and runner number eight, something happens. The group stops being a group of runners and becomes a mobile wall.
Suddenly the group is running four-abreast on the road or footpath, chatting away like they’re at the pub, while the lone runner, walkers, cyclists, cars, and possibly dogs are forced to negotiate around you all.
Here is something you might not realise. The road doesn’t belong to you, if someone has to step into a hedge or come off the footpath to get past you, it’s time to go single file. I for one don’t want to risk my life so that you can carry on your conversation with the person 4th across from you.
There are some people who believe that because they are exercising, normal traffic laws or common sense doesn’t apply to them. Remember, you don’t own the road or footpaths, you’re borrowing it. Temporarily. Lets make sure we are aware of our surroundings and lets keep people safe.
The truth is running should be fun. Most of us are just trying to get through the miles without questioning our life choices, or peoples choices, But a little courtesy goes a long way. A nod. A bit of space. A moment of awareness that you’re not the main character in everyone else’s run.