Increase in hobby joggers during "shelter-in-place" is making social distancing nearly impossible

Sad, Frustrated Coach wrote:

Help me to understand how the virus can be transferred from one runner to another without making contact with them or without getting hit with their spittle?

I've been thinking about this but it seems they don't actually know if just ordinary breath of a passer-by could transmit it. If I can't avoid someone I hold my breath until they've gone. Not worth taking a chance. If I see them in time I cross the road, its only if someone suddenly pops out of a back gate without warning that they're close enough to infect me.

The official advice in the UK just says:

"How coronavirus is spread

Because it's a new illness, we do not know exactly how coronavirus spreads from person to person.

Similar viruses are spread in cough droplets."

Sad, Frustrated Coach wrote:

Help me to understand how the virus can be transferred from one runner to another without making contact with them or without getting hit with their spittle?

Microscopic droplets in vapor from all that huffing & puffing hobbyjoggers do as they charge along at their 10+ minute per mile paces.

keeping a wide berth wrote:

Sad, Frustrated Coach wrote:

Help me to understand how the virus can be transferred from one runner to another without making contact with them or without getting hit with their spittle?

Microscopic droplets in vapor from all that huffing & puffing hobbyjoggers do as they charge along at their 10+ minute per mile paces.

Wouldn't that also be present while at the grocery store?

Sad, Frustrated Coach wrote:

keeping a wide berth wrote:

Microscopic droplets in vapor from all that huffing & puffing hobbyjoggers do as they charge along at their 10+ minute per mile paces.

Wouldn't that also be present while at the grocery store?

If you are trying to point out a similarity between a grocery store and running...

Does a running route have food in it that people need to buy? Does it have toilet paper? Just sayin'

Sad, Frustrated Runner wrote:

Sad, Frustrated Coach wrote:

Wouldn't that also be present while at the grocery store?

If you are trying to point out a similarity between a grocery store and running...

Does a running route have food in it that people need to buy? Does it have toilet paper? Just sayin'

Nope, just trying to figure out where I would most likely pick up a virus? I would think the chances are 10000000X greater at the local grocery store than running past a heavy breathing jogger.

Sad, Frustrated Coach wrote:

Sad, Frustrated Runner wrote:

If you are trying to point out a similarity between a grocery store and running...

Does a running route have food in it that people need to buy? Does it have toilet paper? Just sayin'

Nope, just trying to figure out where I would most likely pick up a virus? I would think the chances are 10000000X greater at the local grocery store than running past a heavy breathing jogger.

Grocery store is probably a higher chance but the usual are now like navigating a maze if I don't want to brush shoulders with people.

Ran an easy day in the local park last week at lunchtime and it was mobbed. I had to run arcs to keep distance from most people.

Next day I got up at dawn and ran the 10 mile hill route in the same park and saw the regular early morning runners, bikers and walkers, very few people.

Woke up today to hear all city, county and state parks are closed in my part of California. I can still run on my creek trail, which is not park land. Well, for now anyway.

I am not sure if there is a rule about that in my city/state or not, but I have not seen anyone on my runs (I think I passed one person walking a dog a couple days ago). In general, outside air is about 6 times healthier than inside air, and if there is a little breeze or gusts of wind, there is almost zero chance of contracting something unless someone coughs in your face. I'm gonna go take my kayak out tonight after work and catch my dinner. Maybe go for a run on the old dirt ranch road back behind my house. But I will still wear a mask at the hardware store and at the market. Keep your distance folks.

You’re all hobby joggers now lol

Wake Up wrote:

You’re all hobby joggers now lol

My point exactly! With all the races cancelled - marathons, NCAAs, even the Tokyo Olympics - we're all hobby joggers!

Everybody complaining about hobby joggers taking up space is a hobby jogger taking up space.

It makes sense more people are out running. Days are getting longer, weather nicer, and everyone can go running at 5pm right after work without a commute. I’ve been doing it for years, but it is obvious that working remote allows the average person more time to exercise. It’s a good thing in my opinion. Just vary your route to less busy paths right now. Runners should know all the good routes hobby joggers will not be on if your anything like me.

You just need to change the time you run. Almost nobody here is running anywhere after sunset. And the later you go, the clearer it is. Midnight is a virtual ghost town.

Try doing early morning runs out and back before the sunrise and report back.

Run the hillier dirt backroads, everyone here (walkers and never run before but will now runnners) avoid muddy shoes and hills. Saw 2 people today

burp burp wrote:

Try doing early morning runs out and back before the sunrise and report back.

Been doing that for nearly 12 years, and in a fasted state, to boot. Really the best time to run. Makes the rest of the day so much better too. What's else would you like to know?

be kind. the sport should welcome everyone. just encourage people to respect the rules of the road - run facing traffic on roads. stay to the right on paths. downhill has the right of way, etc.

Seriously, complaining about your sport becoming more popular is insanity.

asdfghjkl wrote:

It makes sense more people are out running. Days are getting longer, weather nicer, and everyone can go running at 5pm right after work without a commute. I’ve been doing it for years, but it is obvious that working remote allows the average person more time to exercise. It’s a good thing in my opinion. Just vary your route to less busy paths right now. Runners should know all the good routes hobby joggers will not be on if your anything like me.

This. God, I don't think I can go back to the office once this Pandemic is done and dusted. I get so much more done professionally and personally working from home.

Yes, it's nice to see more people outside and exercising, which is one of the best defenses against sickness. I guess that I am accustomed to a lazier and more indoor population and will have to adjust.

Well, i have carved out a 4-mile route in the neighborhood that mostly avoids crossing the remaining busy streets and allows me to basically run down the middle of the street. So that will work for the time being.

Also changing my runs to the morning or at lunchtime. Definitely less crowded than the afternoon crowd. Hoping we don't go the way of total shutdown of outdoor activities.