To whoever was running Key Bridge & Roosevelt Island 9:30 a.m. today:

Consider this... wrote:

This reminds me of an experience I had a few years back, when I was in my early 40s. It was just before dawn one day, probably around 6:00 a.m., on a popular asphalt running path, not very well lit, and I was quickly reeling in a runner that was a couple of hundred yards up ahead of me. As I got closer, I saw him look back and then suddenly pick up his pace. He looked to be a guy in his early 20s. I continued closing in on him, having picked up my pace as well, instinctively feeling the challenge. He proceeded to take a turn onto a lesser-run branch off of the major path, so I figured, what the heck, I'll call his bluff, and turned there as well, probably now within 10 yards of the guy. It was quite dark on this path, but I had run it many times, and knew it quite well. About 100 yards down the path, it made a 90 degree left-hand turn, and when we approached it, the guy proceeded to run straight off the path into the woods, into complete darkness! I continued to run the path, right past where he disappeared, but had later wondered, did he run off the path into the woods because he didn't know that the path turned there? or to cop out of the challenge without being passed, thus "saving face"? or maybe to go where he had planned to go all along (some obscure off-the-trail course he knew)? or perhaps because he thought he was being stalked? Regardless of his reason, it certainly caught me by surprise, and in retrospect, it was a really weird interaction that had occurred between us.

zephito wrote:

Boomheadshot wrote:

Sure, if someone asks if they can tag along and I'm in the mood to make small talk with a stranger, then I'll run with them.

But if I'm out with a friend running having a personal conversation and then some random person decides to speed up and latch on right behind us without saying anything, then I will take action, whether that be talking to him, speeding up, or slowing down. Why am I obligated to let someone join me or move to "some rural armpit" if I desire some privacy from a stalker?

I'm with the majority. Running 5 meters behind some stranger just seems kind of weird. Plus, from the story, it's clear they wanted to drop the OP, indicating that his presence was unwanted. Take a hint.

That said, they shouldn't have called names. It's just some weirdo running behind you, so what.

spade is spade wrote:

Consider this... wrote:

This reminds me of an experience I had a few years back, when I was in my early 40s. It was just before dawn one day, probably around 6:00 a.m., on a popular asphalt running path, not very well lit, and I was quickly reeling in a runner that was a couple of hundred yards up ahead of me. As I got closer, I saw him look back and then suddenly pick up his pace. He looked to be a guy in his early 20s. I continued closing in on him, having picked up my pace as well, instinctively feeling the challenge. He proceeded to take a turn onto a lesser-run branch off of the major path, so I figured, what the heck, I'll call his bluff, and turned there as well, probably now within 10 yards of the guy. It was quite dark on this path, but I had run it many times, and knew it quite well. About 100 yards down the path, it made a 90 degree left-hand turn, and when we approached it, the guy proceeded to run straight off the path into the woods, into complete darkness! I continued to run the path, right past where he disappeared, but had later wondered, did he run off the path into the woods because he didn't know that the path turned there? or to cop out of the challenge without being passed, thus "saving face"? or maybe to go where he had planned to go all along (some obscure off-the-trail course he knew)? or perhaps because he thought he was being stalked? Regardless of his reason, it certainly caught me by surprise, and in retrospect, it was a really weird interaction that had occurred between us.

Your a creep

Avocado's Number wrote:

Consider this... wrote:

I continued closing in on him, having picked up my pace as well, instinctively feeling the challenge. He proceeded to take a turn onto a lesser-run branch off of the major path, so I figured, what the heck, I'll call his bluff, and turned there as well, probably now within 10 yards of the guy. It was quite dark on this path, but I had run it many times, and knew it quite well. About 100 yards down the path, it made a 90 degree left-hand turn, and when we approached it, the guy proceeded to run straight off the path into the woods, into complete darkness!

I certainly understand how these unspoken competitive situations arise, but I think you crossed the line when he turned onto the "lesser-run branch of the major path," and you decided to continue to stalk him into the dark, wooded area. He wasn't "calling your bluff"; he was trying to get away from you, and whether it was to save face or to avoid a confrontation with a creepy old guy is none of your business. At some point, the conduct of the pursuer is no longer justifiable as an instinctive competitive response; it becomes more like nonconsensual persistence hunting as a sadistic sport.