Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Top Five Non-Encouraging Things to Say to a Runner

There are all kinds of people, some who run, others who don't.  One thing I've found is that it's easy to encourage fellow runners... but sometimes what we think is clever and encouraging, well, isn't.  So I'm compiling a list of the not-so-encouraging things that I've heard while running.



5. HONK!!!! Yes, I know you want to get my attention as you drive by in your car.  You got it.  And now my shorts are a mess.  Thanks a lot.

4. You're just going to tear up your knees. Hey, I'd rather tear up my knees by running than by carrying an extra 40 pounds everywhere (which I was a few years ago).

3. Well, oh, yeah? I ran that in...  If we're comparing PRs, we're allowed to share fastest times.  If you're blogging a race report, that's great - include PRs, especially if you just hit one (or were close to it).  Even if it's amazingly fast... or not so much.  But if your PR came 25 years ago and 100,000 beers ago, don't bother sharing it.  Especially if you haven't run since then.  Oneupmanship is ridiculous.

2. Run, Forrest, Run!  You may think you're clever saying this.  You may think that you're the first one to think this up. You may think it's the first time I've heard it. You aren't, and you aren't, and it isn't.

1. Run Faster! Unless you're my coach, which you aren't, then you probably have no idea how fast I'm supposed to be running.  Sometimes I run fast.  Other times I'm running a recovery run and it's supposed to be a slower pace.  Other times I'm going as fast as I can.  It doesn't encourage me when you yell "run faster" at me.

What else would you include?

3 comments:

Greg Strosaker said...

Another benefit to the Predawn Run - you don't have drivers or pedestrians yelling at you. Other than that, Rebecca's comment on Dailymile was good - "you're almost there" with 6 miles left in a marathon. What I do appreciate is the "looking good" or "looking strong" encouragement at that point.

Drew said...

How about "I heard a runner had a heart attack and died while running a marathon recently." On par with tearing up your knees, except people forget that death is a foregone conclusion. That, and the media can't exactly report on all the runners that didn't die while running a marathon. :)

Blah la Blah Blog Log said...

Very good. :) It's funny because it's true!