Maybe it's a Boston thing but I only get acknowledged when I go in further burbs.
That sounds normal. "My" park is into the far rural edge of an outer 'burb, so you only see a few runners on the 5-mile loop, and it's common to wave or nod. In the city proper, the park that attracts lots of runners is a 3.5 mile loop, but it's always busy so I wouldn't expect for people to bother there.
I like this thread
There are a few in my Hood.
"leaping lady" she is a runner and she leaps when she runs, hence the name, . She looks like she's jumping over invisible logs. Im jealous of her because with a running form like that it would seem she would always be injured (Im always injured). She runs about every single morning so she is not ever injured. She is VERY thin (maybe thats why) I would be surprised if she has more than 2% body fat. I see her at the gym too, I think she is an exercise-aholic. I stalked approached her one day to ask about her running. I asked her if she ever ran in local races because she looks like she could be very fast. She said, "Ive only signed up and raced a few times but I always win my age group or place in the $ but I just never sign up, just don't think about it." UGH. If I had the ability to place in the $ every time I signed up I would sign up for EVERYTHING and never have to pay for running shoes again. ha
"super smiley retired guy" he is a speed walker and he walks with hand weights. He keeps his arms bent and pushes the weights out to get his arm workout. He is *always* smiling, mouth full of perfect white teeth, possibly dentures. Always says, "good morning" He probably wears velcro tennis shoes and he probably calls them "sneakers" he is super cool.
"sweaty guy" he is a runner. Very tall and thin. He runs with hand towels to wipe the sweat off. He always wears cotton tshirts and they are soaked. He looks very fit and like he could run very fast but he just slow jogs all the time. He just waves at me.
"golf club lady" she is a walker and she always carries a golf club. I see her on my early sunrise runs. She is a little old lady but Im pretty sure she could kick some ass if you messed with her. She swings her golf club around as she walks (arm workout), like she is twirling a baton -She has skills. Im not a golfer but I would guess it is a driver because its big on one end. She always has some kind of big fancy hat on.
Those are the regulars
I wonder what they call me ha.
~~~~~~~
Traci
Just a couple in my neighborhood - and they are really fairly normal:
Big Dog Dude - Our neighborhood is a one-mile loop. He runs one loop with a boxer, who I'm sure would love to go farther and faster, based on how he is always ahead of the dude and pulling on the leash, then the dude walks another loop with a Great Dane and, sometimes, a black lab.
Little Old Couple - Every morning, almost year-round, a couple who live just down the road from our neighborhood walk the loop around. They always smile and say "Hi," and he teases me about not wearing enough clothes on those morning that they are wearing jackets but I'm in shorts and a tank top. When he saw me walking earlier this week, with a jacket and headband because it was only 40* and I was just walking, he asked why I was dressed so warmly.
Early Bird - This woman is usually finishing up her walk with her dog when I head out at 5 a.m. She usually is listening to something on big headphones.
There is also an older gentleman in my neighborhood who has been a runner and marathoner for decades. I'm guessing he's in his 70s. His pace is slow, but there is no doubt watching him that running is something he knows inside and out.
20,000 miles behind me, the world still to see.
Walk-Jogger
. . . The Dog Lady... an older, overweight lady with three yip-yap dogs that are never on a leash. One of the dogs barks, snarls, and chases me every time I have the misfortune of crossing paths with them. She knows I don't like it, but she never does anything about it. I thought she knew my name because when I was running my ass off trying to escape from her dog once, she screamed "DANNY!", but I figured out later that was actually the dog's name. Who the hell names a dog Danny? . . .
. . .
The Dog Lady... an older, overweight lady with three yip-yap dogs that are never on a leash. One of the dogs barks, snarls, and chases me every time I have the misfortune of crossing paths with them. She knows I don't like it, but she never does anything about it. I thought she knew my name because when I was running my ass off trying to escape from her dog once, she screamed "DANNY!", but I figured out later that was actually the dog's name. Who the hell names a dog Danny?
Too funny! I had that happen to me last summer while I was biking. I passed a couple of ladies walking two unleashed dogs, and one of the women starts hollering "CECIL!". I stopped to see if I knew her, and it turned out she was calling her dog, whose name was "Cecil". We all had a good laugh, and I saved my scorn for unleash dogs on bike trails for another day.
Retired & Loving It
Does anyone else hear this song every time they read the title of the thread? #childofthe70s
Return To Racing
The only regular is an older woman, who must weigh about 80 lbs. and walks/shuffles for many hours on the North Branch Trail where we run almost every day. Even in the winter when the trail is snow covered, she follows the trail on the sidewalks. Sometimes others walk with her but usually she is alone. We did stop once to ask her name so we could shout out to her. Makes our day when we see her.
Hip Redux
YES, that and also this every once and a while gets thrown in the mix.
Yup.
Chasing the bus
I only know the dogs in my neighborhood.
Mostly that ^^^
First ones are the silent, invisible monsters behind the cedar fence. They never bark when outside. I just hear them rush the fence and snuffle behind it. Scary as hell. Next is the little terrier protecting his yard. Yappy but not scary, and the older owner trying to shush him when he's out. After that it's barren until the intersection where the free roaming biter hangs out. It's an innocent looking spitz mix, but he took a swing at me one day when I said hi. Now we're mortal enemies. He only gets harsh words and rocks from me. There's often school kids waiting for the bus at this intersection too. I say hi, but try not to be a creeper, just keep toiling up the hill. Next is the house where monte used to live. His mom was screaming his name from the deck one morning. She'd lost him as he got ready for school. I told her to go back into the house and look some more and I'd complete my loop and come back. They found him rolled up in the blankets by his bed, sleeping. Now the house is for sale. Pretty quiet after that until the house where the saint bernards bark and wag at me from their deck. Then it's me and mini-me, not sure what they are but one is a miniature of the other, behind their fence. Then more school kids, and often some parents and grandparents walking them to the bus. Very quiet after that until the three german shepherds behind their fence. I love to sneak up on them. If I can get past before they start barking, I feel like I've won. Last is buddy's house. Buddy was a great pyraneese, who had amazing longevity, and always wanted to go run with me my first lap, but could hardly be bothered to get up by the third. Looks like we lost him this year. There's a german shepherd pup in his fence now.
There's a new runner on my route. Visibility yellow, roughly my age (old guy). I was catching him on my home stretch with the dog the other day but he disappeared at the corner. I passed him in the opposite direction another day as I toiled up the hill.
“You're either on the bus or off the bus.” ― Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
on my way to badass
Great thread!
I live in the boonies. I don't see many people. Sometimes I pick up a dog, but we don't often have loose dogs in my neighborhood.
Still waiting for the perfect race picture. 5K PR-33:52 , 10K PR 1:11:16, First HM 2:42:28