Runners "hi"

On a day like today it is almost impossible not to run. Okay, maybe if you live in a part of the country where the temps don't hover dangerously close to freezing and you aren't routinely picking icicles off your eyelashes all winter, you might find an excuse. But if you live in the snow belt and you are a runner, odds are you got outside today.

I generally run in one of two areas, my neighborhood, or on campus. Both places are very runner-friendly, but only one is populated with "friendly" runners. I've found that the runners I encounter while out in my neighborhood are the "put your head down and power through it" kind of runners. That's fine, to each his own...but I am definitely in the minority when I smile and offer a nod of my head to them as we pass. There is even a guy who I see almost every time I run in my hood that seems to actively look away when we pass...perhaps my awesomeness is just too distracting for him...I guess I'll never know.

But campus is a different story, especially on a glorious day like today. Everyone I encountered had at least a smile or a head nod. Many waved, winked, or even blurted out a "hi" in between breaths. This is the norm every time I run from my office. Not sure what it is that makes these two groups of runners so different. I don't think it's an age thing, there are folks from all walks of life running on campus. And while most people in my neighborhood are not college-age, there are several younger runners making tracks with us middle-agers. It could be that the on-campus runners are all folks like me, University employees who are sneaking out on their lunch break for a quick jog and are just super-excited to be away from their desks for an hour, so they can't help but share their enthusiasm. Whatever it is, I love it. I love the feeling of that connection with someone else, just for a second. That spark of recognition that says, "yep, we're winning, we rock, we are runners".

On this most wonderful day in the middle of January, when the sun was out and the temps allowed us to run in only one layer of clothing, I got more waves, head nods, and winks than ever before. I even passed by an older gentleman with fluorescent orange shoes, royal blue tights, a bright yellow shirt and a long flowing beard who gave me a huge smile and yelled "Get after it girl!" I couldn't help but run just a little faster after that.

So next time you pass by another runner, consider giving them a quick acknowledgement. Whether it's just a little look, a quick wave, or a loud exclamation of praise. You never know when a runners "hi", might be just the boost they need to keep on running!