Yesterday I went out for a late lunchtime run. While my neighborhood has plenty of runners, bikers, and dog-walkers out in the morning and evening, my weird-ass work-in-a-different-time-zone schedule means that the roads are pretty lonely during my mid-afternoon "lunchtime" runs. So it was extra special that not only did I cross paths with another runner, he flashed a peace sign at me, and I gave a thumbs-up in return.
So this thanks is for the little things, like greetings and
"good mornings" from strangers, that make each day a little sunnier...
...especially when those greetings are from fellow runners. Those make me feel a little bit like we're on the same team. No matter what our political or philosophical differences are, we speak a similar language. The exact form of greeting may be different from person to person, but the "hey, we've got something in common" part of the greeting is the same. I've seen the:
- runner's nod
- thumbs up
- peace sign
- quick wave
Plenty of runners just keep their head down and pass by without a glance. But we all have days when it's a struggle to just keep the feet moving, so I don't take those non-greetings personally.
(Except in London a few years ago, where no one made eye contact at all. That was creepy... but that's another story for another time.)
So...What's your favorite runner's greeting?
