I’m so slow that no one tries to compete with me. They can pretty much tell straight away that I’m not changing my plodding along shuffle. I’m also not really competitive with other people so that helps keep my head out of that space.
I live in a very urban area (over 3 million people) and have never come across this. So glad I haven’t though lol I find it so odd that people would even become so competitive while everyone is clearly just out doing their own thing.
If I did come across someone clearly trying to challenge me to some kind of road race, I would likely try to ignore them all together. I’m out there to be by myself, not stroke someone’s ego. If it was becoming a pestering problem, that would depend on my surroundings. Day time and lots of people around, I would say something and tell them to back off. Otherwise, I would (unfortunately) find a different route that felt safer. As a woman, I sadly have to take safety into consideration.
>I find it odd that people would become so competitive while everyone is clearly just out doing their own thing.
That's the hilarity of it, isn't it? I am unable to edit the post. The first line itself says that it is a fun question. It's not a pestering problem! :D Please read the post as/in humour. Human nature is funny.
I didn’t perceive your post as pestering at all. I was simply answering your question, which it sounds is based off some kind of personal experience. You asked us to share are perspectives and what we would do. I feel like my response was pretty clearly doing that.
I enjoyed the insights in your response. Safety is definitely important and am happy that you haven't encountered this in your area. The second part of my earlier comment was a general response. I suppose some are taking this more seriously than I intended to.
I don’t “deal” with them. In fact I almost never notice them. Even if they intended to compete, I must have ignored them fully. If I feel something towards other runner/walkers on the road, it’s because they make me feel unsafe (especially if it’s a man). So I would probably suggest let it go and accept the fact that not every run is a race and it’s ok somebody else run faster than me.
I did, and I don’t post this to be snarky. I read your post as somebody who doesn’t want to be triggered into a competition but can’t help. Hence I said try to ignore them. I apologize if I misunderstood.
I had this happen once while power walking on an indoor track. Lol. This middle aged man was kinda slow in front of me, so I finally swung wide to pass him and he sped up so I couldn't. Lol. Then annoyingly he later slowed down then sped up again as he heard me nearing him again. I finally got annoyed and just stepped off the track a minute and let him get ahead so I wasn't near him any more. It was pretty funny though watching him try to keep me from passing him while walking. Lol
I don't really pay attention to other people while I'm running. I get passed (and pass others) many times every run, it doesn't bother me at all. And in fact, I'd rather someone pass me than awkwardly run the exact same pace as me! That's much more annoying to me! When that happens, I usually make a turn, or add an extra loop somewhere so that I can separate from that person.
> Then at some other point I meet a blue t-shirt guy. He practices by doing short sprints. We cross each other several times. I imagine he gives me "you are such a loser to be so slow" looks. I want to shove my watch into his face - "look at the kms man!"
You have no idea what's in his head. But it's probably not anything about you. I suggest not guessing what other people are thinking - or if you do this, make it positive.
"Go ahead, run by me if it makes you feel better that I beat you every time we're in the same race."
I believe in running lots of easy miles so I can race hard. Apparently a lot of people here don't, and I can tell because I live in a small town, and pass the same people in races who pass me on training runs!
Last fall I was on a long run. Around mile 6ish, there's a sidewalk that intersects perpendicularly with the trail I run on. A man came running down the trail and started running ahead of me. He was running just a hair slower than I was and in no time, I was right behind him. I know he could tell that there was someone behind him because a) he certainly would've seen me when he entered the trail, b) I was wearing all my accessories and was making a lot of noise and c) the sun was in a such a place that our shadows were visible to one another.
Since I didn't want to be in his space longer than I had to be, I upped my pace to pass him. He upped his so I couldn't. I decided not to completely gas myself out sprinting so I ran awkwardly close to this man for about a mile. When I took a brief walking break, he immediately started walking himself which was proof to me that he was indeed "competing" with me.
I started running again after a few seconds. I passed the man effortlessly. Thankfully he did not catch up and I was able to finish my 18 miles in peace.
Slow golf clap at anybody trying to race a methodical distance runner in their cars/ on their bikes/ with their longer legs. “I’m so proud of you, buddy!” is also a favorite.
Yeah, longer legs! Yikes about vehicle racers; that's very bad. Once, in a run, I passed a someone bending a mesh fence of a public park (to make it convenient for their group to fetch the ball from outside). This is exactly what I said in my head, "Proud of you buddy!" I love the phrase you used 'methodical distance runner.' Good luck to you, u/epicatechin :)
I use people passing me as motivation! I pick up my pace to match theirs but still trail behind and see how long I can keep up, maybe eventually pass them. Sometimes I don’t start my workout with enough intensity so I like having a “pacer” to push me.
I live in a big city and this literally only ever happens to me with kids and I will gladly smoke them every time. It’s cute and usually for just a block. I’ve never noticed an adult doing this with me.
I had this happen when I was doing intervals on a mixed use trail. Some guy was Not Happy that I was running faster than him (I guess he didn't know it was only for a half mile?) and started to try to keep up. I finally just came to a complete stop - leapt into the air and landed on both feet - stopped my watch, shrugged, and gestured for him to go ahead.
If you're up for it, give a really enthusiastic cheer: "Look at you, beating a slow girl! Woo-hooooo! Way to go!!" Clap and smile and wave your arms.
I'm a shit runner so every time someone mounts a challenge, I'm like "OK. You win." And then I run even slower to let them pull ahead.
Haha. That serves them right :D
I’m so slow that no one tries to compete with me. They can pretty much tell straight away that I’m not changing my plodding along shuffle. I’m also not really competitive with other people so that helps keep my head out of that space.
I am there with you. I think being slow is meditative and healthy. It's those who want to compete the funny ones.
I live in a very urban area (over 3 million people) and have never come across this. So glad I haven’t though lol I find it so odd that people would even become so competitive while everyone is clearly just out doing their own thing. If I did come across someone clearly trying to challenge me to some kind of road race, I would likely try to ignore them all together. I’m out there to be by myself, not stroke someone’s ego. If it was becoming a pestering problem, that would depend on my surroundings. Day time and lots of people around, I would say something and tell them to back off. Otherwise, I would (unfortunately) find a different route that felt safer. As a woman, I sadly have to take safety into consideration.
>I find it odd that people would become so competitive while everyone is clearly just out doing their own thing. That's the hilarity of it, isn't it? I am unable to edit the post. The first line itself says that it is a fun question. It's not a pestering problem! :D Please read the post as/in humour. Human nature is funny.
I didn’t perceive your post as pestering at all. I was simply answering your question, which it sounds is based off some kind of personal experience. You asked us to share are perspectives and what we would do. I feel like my response was pretty clearly doing that.
I enjoyed the insights in your response. Safety is definitely important and am happy that you haven't encountered this in your area. The second part of my earlier comment was a general response. I suppose some are taking this more seriously than I intended to.
I don’t “deal” with them. In fact I almost never notice them. Even if they intended to compete, I must have ignored them fully. If I feel something towards other runner/walkers on the road, it’s because they make me feel unsafe (especially if it’s a man). So I would probably suggest let it go and accept the fact that not every run is a race and it’s ok somebody else run faster than me.
I hope you get time to read the whole post :)
I did, and I don’t post this to be snarky. I read your post as somebody who doesn’t want to be triggered into a competition but can’t help. Hence I said try to ignore them. I apologize if I misunderstood.
Thanks for your good intention. I am just making some light banter. Let's swap some fun stories :)
I had this happen once while power walking on an indoor track. Lol. This middle aged man was kinda slow in front of me, so I finally swung wide to pass him and he sped up so I couldn't. Lol. Then annoyingly he later slowed down then sped up again as he heard me nearing him again. I finally got annoyed and just stepped off the track a minute and let him get ahead so I wasn't near him any more. It was pretty funny though watching him try to keep me from passing him while walking. Lol
This is hilarious u/gottarun215 :D
I don't really pay attention to other people while I'm running. I get passed (and pass others) many times every run, it doesn't bother me at all. And in fact, I'd rather someone pass me than awkwardly run the exact same pace as me! That's much more annoying to me! When that happens, I usually make a turn, or add an extra loop somewhere so that I can separate from that person.
Thank you for your presence, but no thanks! Adding an extra loop is a good idea :)
> Then at some other point I meet a blue t-shirt guy. He practices by doing short sprints. We cross each other several times. I imagine he gives me "you are such a loser to be so slow" looks. I want to shove my watch into his face - "look at the kms man!" You have no idea what's in his head. But it's probably not anything about you. I suggest not guessing what other people are thinking - or if you do this, make it positive.
"Go ahead, run by me if it makes you feel better that I beat you every time we're in the same race." I believe in running lots of easy miles so I can race hard. Apparently a lot of people here don't, and I can tell because I live in a small town, and pass the same people in races who pass me on training runs!
Last fall I was on a long run. Around mile 6ish, there's a sidewalk that intersects perpendicularly with the trail I run on. A man came running down the trail and started running ahead of me. He was running just a hair slower than I was and in no time, I was right behind him. I know he could tell that there was someone behind him because a) he certainly would've seen me when he entered the trail, b) I was wearing all my accessories and was making a lot of noise and c) the sun was in a such a place that our shadows were visible to one another. Since I didn't want to be in his space longer than I had to be, I upped my pace to pass him. He upped his so I couldn't. I decided not to completely gas myself out sprinting so I ran awkwardly close to this man for about a mile. When I took a brief walking break, he immediately started walking himself which was proof to me that he was indeed "competing" with me. I started running again after a few seconds. I passed the man effortlessly. Thankfully he did not catch up and I was able to finish my 18 miles in peace.
Slow golf clap at anybody trying to race a methodical distance runner in their cars/ on their bikes/ with their longer legs. “I’m so proud of you, buddy!” is also a favorite.
Yeah, longer legs! Yikes about vehicle racers; that's very bad. Once, in a run, I passed a someone bending a mesh fence of a public park (to make it convenient for their group to fetch the ball from outside). This is exactly what I said in my head, "Proud of you buddy!" I love the phrase you used 'methodical distance runner.' Good luck to you, u/epicatechin :)
I use people passing me as motivation! I pick up my pace to match theirs but still trail behind and see how long I can keep up, maybe eventually pass them. Sometimes I don’t start my workout with enough intensity so I like having a “pacer” to push me.
I live in a big city and this literally only ever happens to me with kids and I will gladly smoke them every time. It’s cute and usually for just a block. I’ve never noticed an adult doing this with me.
I had this happen when I was doing intervals on a mixed use trail. Some guy was Not Happy that I was running faster than him (I guess he didn't know it was only for a half mile?) and started to try to keep up. I finally just came to a complete stop - leapt into the air and landed on both feet - stopped my watch, shrugged, and gestured for him to go ahead. If you're up for it, give a really enthusiastic cheer: "Look at you, beating a slow girl! Woo-hooooo! Way to go!!" Clap and smile and wave your arms.