The runners wave?

[mas_runner]

I almost always wave or greet an oncoming runner when out running. It's a sort of "we;re all in this together" and "hey enjoy your run" type feeling but I often don't get a wave back.

- usually they look as if to say "who the heck is that?"

Sometimes it's even a dirty look.

- usually a jock looking at me as if I have violated him by daring to act like we might have something in common

or

- a young lady or two saying, "ughh some old guy just tried to pick us up".

People who often wave back are:

- runners who seem to be roughly in the same physical shape as me
- older folk

Are any of you out there wavers or do you not wave back, why not?

I am a waver and proud of it, I even try to at least grunt and nod when in the middle of an interval or tempo.

Thoughts?

[AjaxRunner]

I tend to wave or nod. Sometimes I get a response, sometimes I don't, can't say I have found any correlation like you have though.

[Joe Dwarf]

My sister and I are both wavers and have talked this over while running. We agree that someone gets a wave under two conditions:

1. Must obviously be a regular runner. Jogging in jeans doesn't count.

2. Must actually be running. Sorry, if you are stopped or on a walk break you will be denied the wave.

[QuickChick]

I pretty much always either wave or smile when I pass another runner. Usually I get some form of acknowledgment back but if the person looks really focused on their workout sometimes I don't- I don't take that personally. The other people that often don't wave back are people who look like newbies. I don't take that personally either- I remember feeling like I was going to pass out or die at any moment and just wanting to get through my half hour (only partly hyperbole). It's the average everyday denials that make me go "humph! FINE then".

Funny enough I find TO to be very friendly, or maybe it's just my neighborhood. When I've been in other Canadian cities I'm more frequently "denied" by non-speedster-non-newbies.

[Jwolf]

There are so many people on the routes I go on here that I'd be waving the whole time. I mean like on the seawall, Richmond dyke, etc. I notice many people do, but others keep to themselves and that's cool. Sometimes I do, though, and even got a nice wave from Dylan Wykes once.

One time I did what I thought was the innocently friendly runners' wave to someone on the jogging/walking path near my house (around the golf course)-- the guy was really creepy and DID think I wanted to get picked up. Ew. (He turned around on the next loop and started running with me and asking me to go home with him. Seriously.)

I did notice more wavers when I ran near my parents' house in central Mass. last week. I even got friendly waves from cyclists there.

[Habs4ever]

When we lived in Bonnyville I would wave at everyone I came across, that was usually about once every two weeks. Here in Medicine Hat, I've noticed a few more people and do the wave or acknowledgement and so far everyone has acknowledged back.

[MrBond]

I got waved at and called 'Sir' the other day.....?

[FishPants]

I wave/smile/say hello to everyone I see. Most other runners give me the nod. I don't take it personally if I don't get the wave or nod back. I've done my part to be friendly

[marymac442]

Like Jen, I usually will smile/nod when passing a single runner or small group but at times there can be so many people out running it just gets too tiring to acknowledge everyone. I try to return greetings if folks don't get by me too fast.

[Jump145]

in my experience,

a woman running by herself will never acknowledge the wave.

3 or more women over 50 running together is a guaranteed dirty look.

There is a group of older guys that runs by my house that I am positive are actually ghosts, in a couple years of seeing them every few weeks I've yet to have them even look my way when I say hi....and I've ran right beside them and said hi...they aren't running fast, they just don't seem to know I'm there...

[Jwolf]

in my experience,

a woman running by herself will never acknowledge the wave.

Seriously?

I still do even though I had that one creepy (definitely exceptional) experience.

[mas_runner]

in my experience,

a woman running by herself will never acknowledge the wave.

Seriously?

I still do even though I had that one creepy (definitely exceptional) experience.

For me it depends. I can never tell if I will be blanked, waved back at or given the look of disgust, "uhhh, are you trying to pick me up?" look.

I don't take it personally. I started the thread as a bit of a laugh just to see whether people had similar experiences or had reasons for not waving.

[La]

I almost always wave, more so in the morning than the evening, though (not really sure why). I never think that a guy who waves at me as he runs by is trying to pick me up.

I don't get offended if someone doesn't wave back. As Lisa said, sometimes they don't notice or are too focused or shy.

[Jogger Barbie]

I almost always wave or smile or nod, and most of the time get a response. And if someone does a wave-smile-nod first, I respond in kind. There are probably times I've been too focused or miserable or self-absorbed, and have missed the signal, but I don't think too many.

Also, similar to what La noted, other runners seem to be that little bit friendlier and more apt to wave or even say "Hi" in the morning. Especially early on weekday mornings. Which is when quite often I'll exchange "good mornings" with walkers and people walking their dogs as well, which rarely happens at any other time of day.

[Spirit Unleashed]

We usually do a head nod or a grunt.

[QuickChick]

I do find myself feeling a bit awkward now when I get waves/smiles- I keep thinking people are looking at me funny because of the belly! They probably are... I should just assume they're impressed, instead of thinking they think I'm a weirdo (or worse, judging me badly for running). I still haven't gotten any "you shouldn't be running" comments, at least not that I've heard (I run with music 99% of the time).

[Darth Tater]

We usually do a head nod or a grunt.

We?

[Jump145]

in my experience,

a woman running by herself will never acknowledge the wave.

Seriously?

I still do even though I had that one creepy (definitely exceptional) experience.

Maybe I just have a creepy way of saying good morning?

[Joe Dwarf]

in my experience,

a woman running by herself will never acknowledge the wave.

The clearly experienced runners usually wave back or say hi. I think the inexperienced ones are wondering why the hell these strangely dressed weirdos keep waving at them.

[BJH]

I usually nod and people acknowledge me back. There are a lot of runners in my area (mid town Toronto) and if I actually waved at everyone, my hand would be flopping around constantly. When I run near my parents' place in Mississauga I get a lot of blank confused looks back.

[Avis]

I usually nod, wave or say "bonjour" to everyone I cross--runners, walkers, dog-walkers, even the occasional deer. In the park, I almost always get a greeting in return (except from the deer). On the street, most people, except for perhaps teenagers, return my greeting. And I always return, or at least acknowledge, any greeting given to me!

[getfit]

When I was running in Florida I very rarely received a wave or nod from other runners. As soon as I was back home in Burlington it was so nice to go out for a run and be greeted by almost every other runner. There's a very active running community here and people of all ages, which is great.

[West Grey Runner]

There are so few runners on the roads around West Grey I don't just wave I stop and chat or run after them just to find out who they are.

[daddy_runner]

I religiously do the wave. My results are typical of other men in their mid-30s:

1. Young women never acknowledge you exist.
2. Groups of women shriek and call the police.
3. Young men think you're challenging them to a fight.
4. Old men smile and wave back.

[Jwolf]

I religiously do the wave. My results are typical of other men in their mid-30s:

1. Young women never acknowledge you exist.
2. Groups of women shriek and call the police.
3. Young men think you're challenging them to a fight.
4. Old men smile and wave back.

You guys need to be less creepy looking. I don't know any women who react like that.