Does anyone else feel slightly unwelcome as a faster runner?

Being fast and being useful are two different things.

Hell yeah they’re jealous! I joined a local FB group that meets up to run. I absolutely smoke these hobby joggers. It’s actually pretty funny seeing their reactions. I can tell they’re not super happy when I show up to the 5 at 5am runs to hand their butts to them.

This sounds like the foreigner test in Norway.

When hiking/running in nature the established custom is to greet/acknowledge everyone you meet with a simple "Hi". No one knows why, but it's just the way it is. The only condition is that you have to be at least 30 minutes by car from any town with more than 10 000 people. The fewer people in the area, the greater is the expectation of communication.

During the tourist season there's a lot of foreigners here and they're unaware of this social custom. When you greet them on the mountain trail they give you this confused look combined with no verbal response. There are large differences among nationalities, of course, but in general it's a very good indicator.

Americans always respond in kind, but they usually add a little extra small talk which identifies them.

Yeah, just keep waving. Unless you have RBF or something, I think the lack of response may be a major metro area thing. I'm in a smallish Southern city, and people at our park are friendly. The occasional reasonably serious people will sometimes do the up-nod, which I take as recognition that I'm serious too.

I know what you mean about sometimes feeling out of place. I'm in my early 60s and run 5Ks in 19:xx and halfs in the low 1:30s, so pretty good for my age but nothing special. More casual runners in their 30s and 40s, especially new ones, sometimes seem uncomfortable, and they might think it's false modesty if I say that I'm really not that fast (or they may think I'm saying they're really slow), so I never mention my times unless they ask. People who know that I train a lot aren't bothered, though.

Sometimes it takes me a second to react. By that time, you are probably gone if you are fast.

In my experience, not at all. I still on occasion get recognized out on the trails by people who know me from my racing 10-20+ years ago. When it happens, it's always friendly interactions when I'm stopped or walking on the trail for whatever reason (dog cooling off in creek. . .). It's flattering to be recognized. Usually it's an old acquaintence (who may or may not be fast). But several times over the years, I've had people who I don't know at all call me out by name and say things along the lines of, "I remember you from _____(popular local race series)", so just others in the local running/(and other similar sports) community.

Most of my interactions on the trail are minimal - just a nod of the head or a "Hi" or no interaction at all, and no different with runners or walkers. I'm not now and never really was one of the faster ones on the trails outside of racing except in rare occasions. So it's rare to be seen as faster there unless I'm going up a mountain and still running or something like that. My local racing "career" happened entirely after my shift into hobby jogger mode - 99% easy runs, with most faster running coming in the actual racing (racing into shape).

you sound like a sensitive sandy.

No.

If you really want to know what’s going on I suggest you slow down one of your runs to say 12min per mile pace and see if you get more people waving back lol

Those same fat lazy people are always the first to say its all genetics as if all our pre-dawn training runs count for nothing.Here we are putting in the miles while they sit on the couch because its raining or windy or what ever.I am so over the bad attitude and plain rudeness of the slow joggers.

What kind of expression do you have on your face when you do this?

If I am not greeted back I usually just turn around and surge past them and almost make contact with them like a rocket at 800m pace effort, while making myself look relaxed as possible, I will turn my head and chuckle just as I pass them. I will then look for a turn up ahead and then hide behind a bush or a car or something. They will probably feel bad, and that they have fukked with the wrong runner. Also, they will probably think that effort was a marathon pace for me and not 800m if I make myself look super relaxed. They will be in awe, and will wonder how you disappeared so quickly. They will think you are miles away, but are just behind something close up. When I know they are gone, I usually just go back and continue the route I was originally going, and I'm sure they continue with there's

This is what the delusional here don’t get. A fast 5K has zero utility and no market value.

No, back in the day we would look up to you and be happy for you.

That Strava thing is ridiculous. Calling 7 min/mile easy isn't offensive. I hope that you replied to them! They don't get to judge your pace...

Keep waiving, having fun, and continue posting how your runs are going. I’m a slow runner and i’m motivated all the time by faster runners.

In today’s world, too many people get offended at everything, even when no offense is implied or intended. I was always taught, “Only a fool takes offense when none is implied.” This has helped my life, helped relationships, and in life in general. For all the haters, no offense is implied or intended in writing this post. Think about this deeply before bashing this message. :-)

It is somewhat insulting when people you know claim easy paces that are 20 seconds slower than their marathon paces.

Even OP’s easy claim is bogus. For his speed it’s more like 7:30. Seven min easy is sub 2:20.

It depends on the volume of people you encounter. On a crowded running path or trail it’s just too tedious to wave to every person. I mean, you’d end up waving every 15 seconds or so? Also, visually, it’s actually pretty difficult to determine how fast someone is running. For some odd reason, everyone looks much slower than the pace they are actually running. If you have a lot of followers on Strava you’ll get haters, just accept that as normal and don’t take it personally.