Do you consider it rude when a random runner joins your run?

Just last week I was just doing a easy jog at the park. There was a out of shape middle age guy doing what I'm assuming was intervals. He had his hands on his knees as I was approaching him. He started his next "rep" and I was jogging next to him for about the next half mile. He thanked me for running with him and told him to have a nice day as he paused for his next rep.

banana sprouted bread wrote:

I was enjoying my long run today on a somewhat popular trail and just getting settled into a comfortable pace. Listening intently to a Sam Harris podcast. Out of nowhere, I can hear this other runner approach me from behind and match my pace. I kinda didn't want any company because I wanted to concentrate on the podcast and didn't want any distractions. What followed kinda pissed me off because whenever I would slow down a little to open a gap, the dude would do the same. When I put in a little surge, he would speed up. I kinda gave some subtle hints that I was getting annoyed but whatever, I eventually lost him.

Not many runners in my area, but it happened to me often while biking.

There are two ways you can separate yourself from the follower:

1) If you are a fast-twitch runner, insert a short but very fast effort. This will drop him easily, but has the danger of him coming back. Then just do it again after some recovery. Few reps should be enough to drop him.

2) If you are a slow-twitch runner, put him on a test. Slowly increase your pace every 30s a bit, until he can't hang anymore. This strategy is a very fun one, you can hear his breathing increase time after time and when you hear it get more and more silent you know he is dropped. At that point, you can easily drop back to your easy-run pace and it is very unlikely he will come back again.

Sure, you might say - but I'm on my long run, I don't wanna go faster! First, runners hanging on really doesn't happen THAT often. And second, inserting those surges or acceleration are great training for race preparation, when you need to separate yourself from someone or are trying to hang in a group that picked up the pace.

Carry a tazer next time.

Yeah, I pretty much did what you describe on #2 but that sort of thing just ended diverting my attention to what I was focused on. With biking, I would think most cyclists that pull this would be content with hanging on your wheel or even a runner would just sit back and let someone else carry the pace. Having someone next to shoulder to shoulder breathing hard is a bit too much.

It happpened to me a couple days ago and was not only rude but very annoying. There's just not enough room on a treadmill for two people even if all the other treadmills are being used.

Yes, extremely rude, and I cannot imagine why an interloper would not understand that.

Rude and annoying yes.

Usually on the trails when bombing a downhill some female race walker starts running downhill really fast just to show how amazing she is, and usually I let her pass before destroying the fatty on the first uphill that comes next. Why do females only run the down hill parts?? Reminds me of mountain bikers who only ride downhill.

He even tried to change the tv..... wrote:

It happpened to me a couple days ago and was not only rude but very annoying. There's just not enough room on a treadmill for two people even if all the other treadmills are being used.

I thought this was funny.

You are too slow, fast people don't get followed

In outward bound survival training they tell you it is always wise when in the outdoors to pair up with someone, and then they mention that it is even better if that someone is slower, weaker, maybe a little less alert, and frankly just more overtly dim-witted than you, in the hope that a predator will settle upon them as prey when it has to chose. Not saying you fit the part, but maybe you want to think about how you look next time.

I don't mind at all if someone joins me while running. How else are you going find new running partners?

Yep. This morning this jogger with headphones listening to a Sam Harris podcast suddenly tagged along. What a turd this jogger was, not to mention the headphones which was a dead giveaway.

I like to catch up to younger women and then smell their hair and plant a long slow kiss on the back of their heads. There is nothing inappropriate about this.

old runner Joe B wrote:

I like to catch up to younger women and then smell their hair and plant a long slow kiss on the back of their heads. There is nothing inappropriate about this.

JOE'S RUNNING?! FINALLY.

BIDEN 2020

This one had me laughing out loud.

Would you be complaining if smoking hot woman joins you?

Why is the OP calling himself me with sprouted in the middle of my name?

Something similar happened to me yesterday.

I was jogging on a somewhat popular trail when a jogger settled in on my pace with headphones on. I thought I could hear the voice of Sam Harris. I didn't want any distractions but this headphone jogger kept following my pace even when I did little surges.

Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to figure out what other people are thinking.

If you don’t like it, you can always pull over and let them pass. Doesn’t get more clear than that.

I tend to run with someone long enough to say “hi” and exchange pleasantries. After that I’ll ask if they’re doing a workout today.

If “yes” then you can encourage them to get back to it. If they’re significantly faster you can say a simple “well...have a good run!”

There is nothing wrong with telling someone “I’m just sort of enjoying doing my own thing right now” or “sorry I’m not feeling super social today. I need some quiet time by myself”. Runners will understand.