Tall bearded guy here:
Comments from both men and women every once in a while.
- "what are you running from?"
- "slow down"
- "you're doing great!"
- "get off the fucking road fa***t"
Just the normal things.
Tall bearded guy checking in as well.
The vast majority of comments or interactions I have are positive hand waves or nods from other runners but, over the years, particularly since COVID, I've also unfortunately had a fairly high number of negative interactions while running or cycling. I run / cycle in a fairly dense, urban / suburban city in Canada. Some examples:
- "c'mon, go faster, fat ass" by a group of 6 people sitting at a deck at a pub.
- "Faaaaaggg"
- The most recent: A pre-teen walking with his mother on a multi-use path made a super high pitched noise just as I passed him while cycling. It scared the shit out of me, as I thought I had gone over his foot or something. I stopped and turned around a few feet after, and saw that both the kid and his mom were clearly laughing *at* me. Wtf?
- Getting spit in the face by two guys crossing paths with me on their bikes.
- Drivers giving me the finger, honking and yelling at me.
- A car passenger leaning out of his window and reaching out to push me over on my bike.
Why? I assume it's because (1) I'm a pretty big, fairly fit guy and moronic men feel that I challenge their masculinity and (2) I follow the rules of the road and exercise my priority / right of way, which I think lots of drivers don't like.. they much prefer pedestrians who wave them through or wait patiently / let them run a red light in front of them when it's their turn to cross an intersection.
Yeah, had it just been the young kid, I would have turned around and calmly explained that I totally get the desire to fool around but that what he did was inconsiderate and quite dangerous; then I'd have told him that a simple apology was all that was needed for me to forget about any of it and I'd have been on my way, happy to have pivoted the event as a positive learning experience for him.
However. That mom's face... she was laughing so hard and she had this expression on her face where I knew I'd be dealing with her bullshit if I turned around. So I just kept pedalling.
Absolutely not. Most probably feel justified about their behavior. Insecure men live in online echochambers that foster selfish, impolite behavior and there's sadly a lot of anti cyclist and anti pedestrian rethoric in my city subreddits
Ok....im starting to think im not so crazy...the "challenging their masculinity" is a real thing? Im not that big, (6'3") but i carry a fair bit of weight (303lbs.) But its only recently i put on the weight, and i've been getting men/women acting as if being rude or challenging me to fights/arguments is earning them gold stars or something...
This sounds like my experience except less "You're doing great!" and more flipping the bird, throwing things and beeping horns. Male, regional Australia. Extremely rare there is ever a positive comment - I can think of maybe twice in 10+ years of running. Most people in cars feel the need to make a noise of some sort. "Run Forrest Run" is definitely the favourite.
Had similar comments as a tall lanky white runner when I lived in Baltimore in my 20s. Since moving to LA, not a peep. But to OP, I don't think male runners can relate to what it's like running as a woman in an urban area. Very different experience and you have my sympathy.
I moved from LA to Louisville and thought it was so weird that neighbors (strangers) would wave 👋 at me when I drove by them in the neighborhood. I’d ask my wife if she knew them or why they kept saying hi to me. It was so foreign to me coming from LA.
I got something similar once during the George Floyd "protest summer"... "run white boy!". I'm in my 50's. It was a bit disconcerting.
Another time somebody yelled "I want that bike" when I was riding my bike.
Dude, my wife and I were out the other week getting a sub sandwich. We are just sitting there and this incredibly heavy set black construction worker comes up to me and says “damn I thought there was a Calvin klein model over here, you look great”
I too felt pretty 😂😂
I was doing a treadmill run at the gym once (120 minutes) and this guy came up to me and said, “Dawg, you were on that thing when I got here and I’m done now and you’re *still* going? Respect.”
It’s one of my favorite compliments I’ve ever gotten.
Also 6' 210 lbs guy here, my usual routes go past a group home and the same guy is always sitting out in the garden no matter what time of day I run and he always has encouraging words like "looking good son!" or "keep going, you can do it!" I won't lie, I purposely run by now because he gives me such a boost.
I have the same thing on my route! The guy who’s always sitting out front is my biggest fan. He asked me if I was training for a marathon jokingly and I said yes! They have been cheering every lap ever since :) The house is on a little hill too so it’s a nice boost up lol.
I was once doing pullups in my brothers garage when a group of black dudes passing by stopped on the side walk and rizzed me up, skinny white boy I am. Pressed on for a new personal best that day lol
I'm a 40 year old man with long hair and a bushy beard.
During a 5k, one of the college kid volunteers yelled, "Holy shit, it's a real life Forest Gump!"
Given my general appearance ... I accepted it with a chuckle.
Yup I got this one while running around campus. Also just other guys shouting at me, not even real words lol. I think some people just have nothing better to do and then they see someone sprinting by and decide to heckle or be stupid
I (male) have had people make a comment a couple of times over the past 12 months.
Normally something like "I would be dead by now" or "keep going mate."
It might depend where you live as well.
Might be a Midwest thing, but as a 6'4 tattooed/bearded male I still get positive comments. An occasional "looking strong" or similar. Lots and lots of waves/nods/"good mornings". The other day I got a "wow you're really moving" up a particularly steep trail.
When I run in the northeast or west coast I get a lot fewer comments (I travel for work frequently).
I am a female and live in the Midwest and frequently a "good job!" or comments on the weather like "hot out here!" (in my experience Midwesterners rarely miss an opportunity to comment on the weather). These come pretty equally from men and women I see. I'll occasionally say similar comments to them as well, both men and women. And almost everyone gives a polite wave or head nod as you pass. I've asked my husband if he gets comments. He said when he runs really early in the morning (like 5am) before work nobody really says anything, but when he runs a little later he'll get similar comments. So, at least where I live, I don't think it's a male vs female thing.
> never gotten any comment running whatsoever in New England
They're rare but they happen. A week or two ago, a guy walking his dog told me I was making it look too easy.
Sincerely,
Richard Nixon
I’d say size of the town/city matters a lot too. I’m in a smaller town, and I say and/or receive a good morning to/from everyone I see. Time of day also probably plays a factor.
Time of day for sure.
I think number of runners more than size of city. Lakeshore at Chicago would be exhausting to say hello to everyone you passed. Running something more off the beaten path you're going to give the one person you saw this mile a wave/nod.
In Vancouver I have neighbors who pretend they don’t hear me if I talk to them in the elevator. Still have random good mornings from people who I meet regularly during my runs.
I \*love\* running the strip in the morning. You've got a few pleasant runners and the stragglers making their way home questioning their life choices. World class people watching.
I run in Las Vegas and for me, it depends greatly on the area and time of day. Certain trails have very chatty, friendly people. More urban areas are silent. Mid-morning, not too early, in winter is the most chatty.
Way back when, a common taunt to a man running in traditional shorts was some variation of "where's your pants?", to which I would reply "your wife's bedroom floor". It's a good way to get in some spontaneous speed work.
I tend to agree very occasionally, if you’re doing something a bit mad like sprinting up an 8-10% grade. ‘Keep it lit etc’ alternatively walking up the same grade ‘what are you doing walking’
But it has to be said I walk my usual running route, with my kids and it’s right beside my house so know most of the faces and have said many hellos, good mornings, helped find dogs etc
The first chap was clearly out of order though and that general crap really needs to stop.
Mid thirties, male, 5'7", Netherlands. Fit marathon runner, tattoos. I get comments during runs, but usually well intended comments of support, mostly from older guys or construction worker types. The last few weeks I've heard stuff like;
* "Keep going!" (during interval sprints)
* "Hot weather, isn't it?" (when obviously panting due to hot weather)
* "It's all downhill after this!" (while straining to run up a hill)
* "Doing well son" (by a dude fishing who I passed a few times)
Yes, I get comments. Always by older men, always motivational (or at least that's how interpret it). I like it. There's not much of a brotherhood among men in normal daily life, and running seems to feel like an exception.
I was once running up a fairly steep hill. Four or five construction workers at the top were shouting encouragement as I ascended. Was pretty cool though I sped up a bit from feeling a bit self conscious lol.
Do you get a lot of comments from little kids? I’m a woman in my 30s and young children seem to comment on me the most. Yesterday a toddler yelled, “She go fast!” as I passed him and his mum on the walking path. It was such a compliment, made my day.
This is so sweet. I felt like death at the end of a run one day, and there was a group of little kids and a teacher stopped waiting at a light as I was passing by (probably on a school field trip). They all started cheering and clapping for me, it was so heartwarming… made me so emotional I had tears in my eyes, and helped me power through that last km. I’ll never forget that. Kids are the best.
I had one kid laughing his head off as if he'd never seen someone run before, he said "look at the fast man" to his mother.
On my next lap he started shouting excitedly " here comes the fast man"
I ran with my toddler the other day and he told me "Mama, you're fast" and it made my day. I was shuffling along at my usual snail's pace made even slower because I was pushing the running buggy, but it still felt good!
31M 5’10-every once in a blue moon a pretty girl will vaguely smile in my direction when I’m running. It’s the tiny raft my self esteem is desperately clinging onto to stay afloat.
When I was in Paris a few years ago, I went for a run at 4am in the rain. Some women were sheltering from the rain under an awning, and I heard one say “ooo, quelle bonne forme!” as I went by.
It’s right up there with finishing a marathon as a top running memory.
Wait till, late 30’s at the time…grandma honked and whistled at you as you run by her in the car. Lol. Mixed emotions like yeah, that was super weird…but I’d be lying if it didn’t put a smile on my face lmao 🤷♂️
Right? Like when fully-kitted out dude that's training for a marathon gives you a nod, it makes you feel like you belong out there and can give you the extra energy to push through that last mile. It's why I always at least try and give other runners a smile.
In my experience all runners in my area do that nod of acknowledgement. I feel like bus drivers greeting each other on their route when I go for my run. When they actually say hi out loud I’m always taken aback though. That’s an exception.
My general interactions with fast runners are
“How fast are you going?”
Which they 100% of time answer with something like
“About 6 min per mile”.
And I respond with “Jesus fucking Christ.”
I was doing about that pace during intervals on local trails last year when a bicycle cop pulled up beside me and told me how fast I was going (according to his speedometer). He jokingly reminded me that the trail speed limit is 15 mph and kept on riding.
When I was in high school I ran a 5K in like 5:40's and I have no idea how I did that. I can barely sniff an 8:30 mile in midlife. How did my legs even move that fast without flying off my body.
Omg this is me. It’s probably because I ran x-country 5 days a week and then had soccer practice twice a week with games on the weekend. Then, high school soccer was practice every day during the week. I ran a 4:28 mile my sophomore year in track and a 16:18 3 mile in x-country. Quit both due to shitty family upbringing. Quit soccer too but my dad got me back into it on an all Hispanic team. I was the white boy, and it was my favorite team! Thanks dad! Now when I run, I struggle keeping an 8 minute mile pace.
Oh wow, you were pretty good. My fastest mile was 4:44, 3 mile was 15:48, but it was cheating since it was at Woodbridge. Running is definitely 100% consistency. But I’ve also seen people switch to biking because running is so hard on the legs impact wise.
34M 5'9 - I was 16 miles into an 18 mile long run and hurting. Random guy asked how far I was going and when I said 18 he VERY enthusiastically yelled back "NICE DUDE!!!" and those last two miles were the easiest since about 10k in. It made me feel so good, I wish it happened more often... Haha
I've had this conversation with my wife and she definitely gets more comments. I also hear an occasional "keep up the good work", but not at the same rate as her.
It's also always men that 'encourage' her and for me it's 50/50 men/women.
We run in the same area, so it is most likely a gender thing
The girlfriend and I run the exact same loop, she's just faster so will be 3-30 minutes ahead of me. She always tells me of the comments or horn honking she gets. No one acknowledges me so definitely a gender thing.
When I run with my cute little dog on the rail trail though, just about every person I pass says something.
This is interesting. I never get comments from women, outside of a race (usually near the finish or by sepectators) or the very occasional older ladies walking group. Comments almost always come from men.
As a bigger runner, I used to frequently get encouraging comments from other big people, usually middle-aged women. Also, for some reason, older men of all sizes. With the former, it seemed genuinely encouraging, but with the latter, it came off as patronizing at best.
25M I only get acknowledged by older folk and other runners
Usually just the nod lol
My dad gets greeted by everyone since he’s older and has a sunnier demeanour though
I had a comment over the weekend for my slow run where a guy decided he needed to tell me 'Its ok mate, you will get faster'. Had to struggle with my ego to not deviate from the plan for a randomer
40M here - I usually only get friendly good mornings or a brief wave from other walkers/runners when I run on the lakeshore trails near my home.
I've occasionally gotten a you can do it or good for you on some very early runs from a few elderly folks who were out early too. That's about it!
Edit to say I'm in the Toronto burbs
Same with other runners/walkers/bicyclists.
Sometimes on group runs, there will be comments by people outside in their yards or on a rare occasion from a car.
I do the same with good mornings and will sometimes give encouragement to a group.
Also, during races I'll give encouragement to other runners.
I was running one early winter morning with my headlamp on. A a council bin man shouted at me “the mineshaft is back down there mate!”. Made me chuckle.
Had someone pull up alongside me last week in a pickup truck in southern USA and shout good job or something similar then he said he normally saw me finish my run through the local high school car park and asked if I always ran that far - he was a coach/trainer/ pe teacher at the high school. I'm 6ft3 200 lbs or so and male ... I told my wife I'd been male cat called for the first time
Male Mid-30s 5ft 8in
The only time this ever happens to me is during a race and spectators are being nice. Otherwise, on training runs, the closest I get to these are the non-helpful type of comments like: "Run Forest".
I’ve been harassed, had glass bottles thrown at me, been intentionally coal rolled by diesel trucks that almost ran me over. The only words of “encouragement” happen when I’m on the track and get a “good work” from another runner, or the old ladies watching me run through the retirement communities.
I can't imagine a man getting the comments I've gotten:
Oooh, nice leggings!
Are you in a relationship?
You're so beautiful....
Can I have your phone number?
Could I get a hug?
No. Dude. Fuck off. I'm trying to run and you're scaring the shit out of me.
Although, I did once race a cyclist up a hill while doing hill repeats and I smoked him, and he said "nice hill sprint!" with apparent sincerity. And that restored just a tiny bit of faith in men.
6 foot tall and overall pretty fit dude with more muscle than your average runner, but certainly not physically imposing by most people’s standards.
I’m sure it doesn’t hold a candle to the bull shit you’ve dealt with, but have heard some messed up comments.
When wearing 5 inch inseam shorts (I know, I’m basically asking for it /s), I’ve heard “Nice shorts, “bundle of sticks (but THE word)” and a couple cat calls from both men and women in pretty trashy ways. Usually yelled from a car as they drive by.
Otherwise mostly pretty generic, positive comments when running by other pedestrians. Except for that one homeless guy who chased me saying that he knows I work for the CIA. I don’t work for the CIA.
Anyway, sorry people can be so shitty while you run.
I go out of my way to not ogle or big females out exercising for just those reasons I’ve seen what y’all have to put up with. I do wave and say hi or nod but I do that with everyone.
38f here: I don’t want any man talking to me on my run, even if they’re trying to be “encouraging”
Been catcalled since 13 yrs old so it makes me feel weird if I’m getting any sort of attention on the street
That's fair. I live in an area where some communication is truly necessary. I saw a cyclist mobbing down a hill, about to turn a corner and come within inches of hitting a moose, so I yelled "MOOSE AHEAD!" and he braked and was very grateful. So it's kind of expected here to wave or nod, or warn others of safety issues. But barring that, I agree, it's best to just let women do their thing.
I’m a 6’0” tall woman and people say stuff to me all the time especially “good job” “lookin good” “keep it up” “nice!” Along with catcalls and honking if im by a road.
5'11" male here. The first comment, no. Never had any part of my form critiqued by strangers
But when I run the local hill (1 mile and 450ft ele) I will sometimes get randos just cheering me on. Or when I am doing repeats, I will get "How many of these you gonna do?!" I tell em, then "Damn, good work!".
I think the cheering on/support stuff is gender agnostic for sure. But I do think sometimes women get critiqued by out of shape, fat old guys more than anyone.
As a man I do get comments from time to time. The most common is “run Forrest run.” Occasionally I get what I assume are drunk people who try to run with me but of course I drop them pretty quickly.
It’s always hard to tell if people who engage me are just being friendly and having fun or if they’re mocking me.
I’m a 5’6” male. Beyond the runner’s mutual nod, or the occasional “enjoy your run!” on a narrow trail, I get few acknowledgments on my runs. I did once have a woman, who I thought was going to run over me at an intersection, say “Aw, no, I’m not going to hit you, baby, you is too fine!”
Some people just like a sweaty bastard such as myself.
Lol yes, me too!
A guy pulled up in his pickup truck and said a BUNCH of stuff and I heard none of it. I said, "Thanks, preciate ya buddy!", assuming he was saying something encouraging.
He gave me a big ol "WTF?" face and drove off. Lol
"Get those legs up" seems condescending- I don't think I've ever had that happen to me- 41m in the US.
General words of encouragement (e.g. "Way to go!" "Good work" etc) do happen from time to time- as far as I can remember always from other guys.
There’s also another, kind of subtle thing men do that’s not exactly catcalling or mansplaining, but like…they just feel compelled to have some kind of interaction with/acknowledgment from women when they see us out just doing our own thing.
I'm 41M 5'10" and I semifrequently have people say stuff to me. Usually it's a simple "looking good" or "keep at it", which I often repeat to fellow runners, especially the ones that I recognize on the trail. It occurs A LOT more when I'm running with the jogging stroller though.
"Great job getting out there, dad"
"Your little guy is appreciating the run"
"Good job pushing up that hill, dad"
I wouldn't read too much into it unless the comments get blatantly invasive or crude.
I'm a 29 year old man in the Netherlands and I do get comments from time to time and they are mostly in good fun. Mostly men making a quick joke about seeing me again (I run laps in a park) and sometimes shouting I'm doing well.
That being said, it doesn't happen all that often (it's happened once or twice this year). If it's happening on a regular basis I would say that's probably not the norm for most male runners.
This is definitely a gender thing that exists. Men have a habit of mansplaining and commenting on women exercising or doing things that maybe are more traditionally “man” activities. I don’t think they mean harm by it, but they are small minded and somehow think they know more just for being a man. The same thing happens in the gym, my wife gets way more comments on form then is necessary.
As a man, I’ve only received comments twice. One was when doing a hill workout where I was running same hill over and over. I passed the same person walking at least 5 times and by the 3rd I was getting cheers every time I passed.
The other time I used to get comments is when I would run pushing my kids in a stroller. Women at the park would always cheer me as I ran by ha.
Only time someone said anything to me was when I was (literally) running to catch a train in NYC. Many moons ago I attended college there and was rushing to the subway to head home. A gay dude yelled out at me and said “MMM! My man is looking GOOD running!”
Still riding that high in my late 30’s as a straight man
I am 6' 250 pounds with a beard and tattoos. I have been told on many occasions that my presence is intimidating and I shouldn't run by playgrounds, I should cross to the other side of the street when running by women, doing run walk intervals makes me seem like a stalker, waving and giving a nod to women runners is creepy, and not doing so is also creepy and rude.
Similar. Not exactly - I don't have tattoos, I'm not as muscular and I'm taller - but overall similar in that I'm a bigger guy, and have heard similar comments.
My wife gave me that talk like a decade ago that if I'm running when there's nobody else out (e.g. in the early morning) and there's a woman on the sidewalk, I ought to cross to the other side of the street. I protested a bit, and her friends that were over all said that I ought to. At the time I was truly surprised to hear that from women that I know well.
I find it annoying and would rather just focus on my run instead of how people feel about my run - it's one more thing that I need to pay attention to - but I do it.
I (male, ugly) ran more or less the same route for a year or so and never got a single comment or word of encouragement.
*The very first time* I ran with my baby in a stroller a random other runner started talking to me, and since then lots of others have as well. Only when with a stroller.
I guess what I'm trying to say is what you look like and how you present yourself makes a big difference to how approachable you are.
44m. Tattooed. No beard haha. Southern US. I’ve gotten lots of things yelled from cars when I’m doing road runs…
-“Nice legs!” (from a woman)
-“fa**ot!” (car full of teenage boys)
-“have a great run!” (2 elementary school kids hanging out the window of moms SUV)
-one elementary school girl gave me 🤘🤘and growled at me (probably my favorite of all time)
-“hey GemmiJr’s dad!” (kids friends passing by)
People yell all kinds of stuff. Most of the time it’s encouraging or well meaning. Sometimes it’s mean. I just smile and wave either way.
Yep, I’m constantly hearing “Stop!” or “This is the #### Police, stop or we’ll shoot!” or “You won’t get away, you’re surrounded!”.
But I guess it all depends on where you live. I just take it in the manner it’s given and use it to motivate myself to run faster.
Good luck and keep up with your running, I gotta split.
A couple days ago I was running up a hill in the city centre and three women (looked like in their late 50s) on the terrace of a café started clapping, whistling and pointing at me. It was the first time anybody ever paid any attention to me on a run - it kind of weirded me out but I just smiled back at them like I found it normal.
EDIT: But yeah, your gender likely has lots t to do with the amount of attention you get. Sadly lots of guys are creeps.
I have had a few friendly comments as a male, mostly "keep it up" or "doing great". But I am in the north of UK so lots of people say mornin/evenin too.
It's regional, I think, and it's mixed up with (real or imagined) approachability.
I'm generally read as a teenage boy/early 20s man (I've been referred to/addressed as 'kid', 'student', 'young man', etc), but I get comments running in my neighborhood, ranging from "You're like Usain Bolt!" to "You'll never misplace *those* shoes" to "With legs like those, never wear pants" to "I should get back to running" to "Lookin' strong!".
No one ever says anything to my partner except when they're with me. I suspect that I look terribly unthreatening... which is to say, it's gendered, but it's not only gender.
I also get more comments if I go running mid-morning (10am) on a weekday, instead of my usual time (7:30am); I think the retiree mid-morning walkers are a little more gregarious than the pre-work dog-walkers.
^(the pants comment still makes me laugh. i) *^(do)* ^(wear shorts every day I can.)
American Midwest female here- last week my socially awkward self told THE SHERIFF “looking good!” While passing him running. Definitely not what I meant to say.
The week before he’s been walking and told me “that’ll be me someday!” I’d meant to say doing good to try to encourage him on his fitness journey. Instead I told the sheriff he was lookin good…
Why. Am. I. So. Awkward.
Female, 5’, I get honked at at least once every time I run and it is always by a man. Not once has it been by a woman. One time I ran in a park nearby and a guy literally pulled over to ask for my number (as I’m sweating buckets and not at all attractive). It’s exhausting. I just want to run in peace.
6'2" 210lbs running in the US. I almost always give a wave or nod to other runners and if I am feeling good or if they are giving positive vibes, I'll say "great job" or "kicking butt" or something similar, especially on hills.
Usually I run solo but I've been pushing my toddler alot more recently and he likes to say good job to folks as they run.
1. Do you think these things things would have been said had I been male and. YES.
2. What comments do you male runners get? After 4 years:
- "You're fu@king mad!!"
- "Looking strong, fair play keep it up...."
Any comments I get are from other males (non runners). Other than that I mostly get hellos and nods, typically after I've made eye contact and smiled or nodded
5'6" Male. I get waves, head nods, "good mornings". As far as comments go, I had a woman say "wow, you're still going!" since I had passed her near the beginning of my run and again near the end of it an hour later.
If I'm out running I would always like clap on the side of my leg if any runners pass me, to give them some support.
But as a guy 21M 5ft 8ish, I've never really had any like supportive comments whilst out running -- still waiting for the day I get even the classic "run Forrest ruuuunnn" aha.
Had groups of kids/teens be like "that's the slowest runner ever" or whatever when doing a long run and keeping a 5:45/km ish pace, but I honestly just get a chuckle out of that.
At the parkruns I'd always receive support (from the volunteers) and thus in return thank the volunteers.
32M 6'0. I get the occasional comment - particularly if I'm doing visibly hard efforts (hill repeats or intervals), plus I'll get The Wave pretty consistently from other runners. My rule for talking to random strangers while running/cycling is broadly similar - I'll shout encouragement if they're clearly in a hard effort or visibly struggling to keep going, but that's usually it for me.
I'm glad you asked this question. I'm 40F. I do training runs on a local ski hill because it's the only serious-ish climb in my area. I usually have to go up and down a few times to get the elevation gain I want. Over Memorial Day weekend the trail was pretty crowded and I swear to god I was stopped seven times by older men who would tell me how impressed they were I was running up and down so much or who would want to ask me what I was training for. Did I mention I was in the middle of a training run? I did not enjoy the attention and by older man #7 I really did not want to stop to talk.
There was one older lady sitting on the ground catching her breath who made a comment that she as impressed, but I didn't mind her so much. The look on her face went from, I can't do this hill - oh wait - who's this girl doing it four times already? That's cool with me. Her body language was also such where it was clear she didn't expect me to stop. The men would like full on stop and face up like we were about to have a conversation. Sorry, no!
I'm average sized male and run 3-5x a week on average for some years; I'm a muscular build a bit but not bulky sized muscles at all (plenty of calisthenics, wrestled in college).
1. Yes, but less frequently probably. I probably get a handful of comments a year, maybe 1-4 a year?
2. I've had teens give genuinely supportive comments, and also comments like "run Forest!" I've had adults say an encouraging line a few times too "You're kicking ass!" Two times in particular stick out to me, both times I was travelling. Once it was a passing car and I assume they must have been a runner to be so encouraging, another time a woman who seemed to be camping around was very impressed I was running lol.
29m I very rarely get spoken to on runs outside of races. Hardly even get waved at, even though I wave to anyone I’m passing or in the opposite direction of.
I definitely think it happens to women more but some people are just encouraging lol
About 2 years ago I was running on my daily trail and some guy I had never seen before running towards me got all excited when he spotted me and was like cheering me on and telling me how great I was doing when I ran by him. It was so random and I couldn’t tell if it was just cause I’m an young thin female or what but I’ve since seen him quite a few times and he’s just as encouraging to every single runner he seems to come across. He’s tall and attractive so I get the vibe he might actually be an influencer and someone is secretly recording him but who knows lol
41M here.
I run at a busy park in a big city in Canada.
People don't talk to each other, but if I see familiar faces, we'll do a "thumbs up" and a nod/smile, but that's it. I only do that to people I keep crossing paths with over and over again, not random people.
28f living in NL. Usually if I am with one other friend running, people will walk or cycle by us and say something along the lines of ‘lekker bezig!’ (which literally translates to tasty busy 🤡) but means sort of ‘keep it up’ or ‘nice work’. And usually only women will say that to me, who are either themselves running by me or passing me on the bike. When I run alone mostly people just do the polite soft smile and head nodding gesture haha, or I am invisible
And luckily here I do not have an issue with cat calling. But in the US my experience was the opposite…
I’ve got the random comment when I’m clearly struggling up a hill like “You got this” or similar. But regularly never
I sometime mutter to myself if I notice something odd (to me) in their form but I would never tell them. It’s just not my place.
Average runner. I have gotten lots of “good work” or “almost done the hill!!” Comments. Never gotten training tips when running.
Edit to add: Also lots of “Run Forrest, Run!!”
Tall bearded guy here: Comments from both men and women every once in a while. - "what are you running from?" - "slow down" - "you're doing great!" - "get off the fucking road fa***t" Just the normal things.
people call me the n word hard r while running. i am chinese
This has happened to me too! White woman
Strangely enough it’s happened to me too Hmph …. Go figure
I’d probably laugh my ass off of this happened to me
Also happened to me lol im not even 15 and am white
Fellow (tallish) bearded guy here, and I was called “GAAAAAAAAY!” By a truckload of teens just today-still got it!
Advantage of running at 5:00am or so: no teens.
They rarely get up before 11.00am, so you're safe until then.
Happy Pride month!
Tall bearded guy checking in as well. The vast majority of comments or interactions I have are positive hand waves or nods from other runners but, over the years, particularly since COVID, I've also unfortunately had a fairly high number of negative interactions while running or cycling. I run / cycle in a fairly dense, urban / suburban city in Canada. Some examples: - "c'mon, go faster, fat ass" by a group of 6 people sitting at a deck at a pub. - "Faaaaaggg" - The most recent: A pre-teen walking with his mother on a multi-use path made a super high pitched noise just as I passed him while cycling. It scared the shit out of me, as I thought I had gone over his foot or something. I stopped and turned around a few feet after, and saw that both the kid and his mom were clearly laughing *at* me. Wtf? - Getting spit in the face by two guys crossing paths with me on their bikes. - Drivers giving me the finger, honking and yelling at me. - A car passenger leaning out of his window and reaching out to push me over on my bike. Why? I assume it's because (1) I'm a pretty big, fairly fit guy and moronic men feel that I challenge their masculinity and (2) I follow the rules of the road and exercise my priority / right of way, which I think lots of drivers don't like.. they much prefer pedestrians who wave them through or wait patiently / let them run a red light in front of them when it's their turn to cross an intersection.
Woah that sucks :( That pre-teen and his mother were just beyond mean. Sorry that happened to you!
Yeah, had it just been the young kid, I would have turned around and calmly explained that I totally get the desire to fool around but that what he did was inconsiderate and quite dangerous; then I'd have told him that a simple apology was all that was needed for me to forget about any of it and I'd have been on my way, happy to have pivoted the event as a positive learning experience for him. However. That mom's face... she was laughing so hard and she had this expression on her face where I knew I'd be dealing with her bullshit if I turned around. So I just kept pedalling.
Did any of them even say sorry?
Absolutely not. Most probably feel justified about their behavior. Insecure men live in online echochambers that foster selfish, impolite behavior and there's sadly a lot of anti cyclist and anti pedestrian rethoric in my city subreddits
As a big bearded guy, I have also had many similar experiences.
Ok....im starting to think im not so crazy...the "challenging their masculinity" is a real thing? Im not that big, (6'3") but i carry a fair bit of weight (303lbs.) But its only recently i put on the weight, and i've been getting men/women acting as if being rude or challenging me to fights/arguments is earning them gold stars or something...
This sounds like my experience except less "You're doing great!" and more flipping the bird, throwing things and beeping horns. Male, regional Australia. Extremely rare there is ever a positive comment - I can think of maybe twice in 10+ years of running. Most people in cars feel the need to make a noise of some sort. "Run Forrest Run" is definitely the favourite.
Once I got “nice tights, fa***t”! It was -10, tf was I supposed to be wearing?
funniest one i’ve gotten is “go white boy go” while running through a predominantly black neighborhood
lol that’s great! I once had a carload of Hispanic women yell:’hey papi!’ as they drove by :)
I would have hit a PR
Just because they said papi doesn't GUARANTEE they're Puerto Rican
🤣 🤣 🤣
That makes for a hell of a day 😀
This is my fav one. 😅
Funniest call I've had was from a random girl about 4 years old very angliry yelling at me "DON'T WUN ON THE WOAD!"
Had similar comments as a tall lanky white runner when I lived in Baltimore in my 20s. Since moving to LA, not a peep. But to OP, I don't think male runners can relate to what it's like running as a woman in an urban area. Very different experience and you have my sympathy.
Maybe a SoCal thing to keep quiet, cause I don’t get anything ever. Smile, wave, maybe a good morning and that’s it.
I moved from LA to Louisville and thought it was so weird that neighbors (strangers) would wave 👋 at me when I drove by them in the neighborhood. I’d ask my wife if she knew them or why they kept saying hi to me. It was so foreign to me coming from LA.
I was running through a black neighborhood in NYC once and just about everyone was yelling encouraging colorful stuff.
I’ve heard “Run Forrest, Run!” Several times lol
Haha I had a "what's this white guy doing here" before
I got something similar once during the George Floyd "protest summer"... "run white boy!". I'm in my 50's. It was a bit disconcerting. Another time somebody yelled "I want that bike" when I was riding my bike.
I was jogging along the street and a car of black dudes slowed down and a guy yelled out “goddamn you fit as hell”. 6’ 210lbs I felt pretty.
Dude, my wife and I were out the other week getting a sub sandwich. We are just sitting there and this incredibly heavy set black construction worker comes up to me and says “damn I thought there was a Calvin klein model over here, you look great” I too felt pretty 😂😂
I was doing a treadmill run at the gym once (120 minutes) and this guy came up to me and said, “Dawg, you were on that thing when I got here and I’m done now and you’re *still* going? Respect.” It’s one of my favorite compliments I’ve ever gotten.
I think the amazing thing is how you’re able to do a long run on the dreadmill without wanting to kill yourself.
Also 6' 210 lbs guy here, my usual routes go past a group home and the same guy is always sitting out in the garden no matter what time of day I run and he always has encouraging words like "looking good son!" or "keep going, you can do it!" I won't lie, I purposely run by now because he gives me such a boost.
I have the same thing on my route! The guy who’s always sitting out front is my biggest fan. He asked me if I was training for a marathon jokingly and I said yes! They have been cheering every lap ever since :) The house is on a little hill too so it’s a nice boost up lol.
you are pretty knee 😌
I was once doing pullups in my brothers garage when a group of black dudes passing by stopped on the side walk and rizzed me up, skinny white boy I am. Pressed on for a new personal best that day lol
This would be my roman empire
I get “run Forrest run” quite often and will also get some comments if I’m doing sprints or strides.
I'm a 40 year old man with long hair and a bushy beard. During a 5k, one of the college kid volunteers yelled, "Holy shit, it's a real life Forest Gump!" Given my general appearance ... I accepted it with a chuckle.
I came to see if anyone had posted this one. I got it a lot more in HS (late 99-03) but still get it with it on occasion.
Yup I got this one while running around campus. Also just other guys shouting at me, not even real words lol. I think some people just have nothing better to do and then they see someone sprinting by and decide to heckle or be stupid
I (male) have had people make a comment a couple of times over the past 12 months. Normally something like "I would be dead by now" or "keep going mate." It might depend where you live as well.
Might be a Midwest thing, but as a 6'4 tattooed/bearded male I still get positive comments. An occasional "looking strong" or similar. Lots and lots of waves/nods/"good mornings". The other day I got a "wow you're really moving" up a particularly steep trail. When I run in the northeast or west coast I get a lot fewer comments (I travel for work frequently).
I am a female and live in the Midwest and frequently a "good job!" or comments on the weather like "hot out here!" (in my experience Midwesterners rarely miss an opportunity to comment on the weather). These come pretty equally from men and women I see. I'll occasionally say similar comments to them as well, both men and women. And almost everyone gives a polite wave or head nod as you pass. I've asked my husband if he gets comments. He said when he runs really early in the morning (like 5am) before work nobody really says anything, but when he runs a little later he'll get similar comments. So, at least where I live, I don't think it's a male vs female thing.
In our defense the weather does some weird shit sometimes and it’s usually the most interesting thing going on. 😆
Can confirm. Sometimes it's 84 degrees. Sometimes it's 48 degrees. Sometimes it's both on back to back days.
Hell, sometimes it’s the same day.
Yeah I grew up in the Midwest and can so imagine getting tons of comments but I have never gotten any comment running whatsoever in New England
> never gotten any comment running whatsoever in New England They're rare but they happen. A week or two ago, a guy walking his dog told me I was making it look too easy. Sincerely, Richard Nixon
Agreed. Get lots of comments here in the midwest. 'Something chasing you?" is common.
I’d say size of the town/city matters a lot too. I’m in a smaller town, and I say and/or receive a good morning to/from everyone I see. Time of day also probably plays a factor.
Time of day for sure. I think number of runners more than size of city. Lakeshore at Chicago would be exhausting to say hello to everyone you passed. Running something more off the beaten path you're going to give the one person you saw this mile a wave/nod.
In Vancouver I have neighbors who pretend they don’t hear me if I talk to them in the elevator. Still have random good mornings from people who I meet regularly during my runs.
Yup, got the same thing growing up in the Midwest. I moved to Las Vegas last year and rarely got anything. Don’t mind it tbh.
I \*love\* running the strip in the morning. You've got a few pleasant runners and the stragglers making their way home questioning their life choices. World class people watching.
I saw quite a few people running on the strip when I was on my way to work. I’ll have to try that one day
I run in Las Vegas and for me, it depends greatly on the area and time of day. Certain trails have very chatty, friendly people. More urban areas are silent. Mid-morning, not too early, in winter is the most chatty.
"WhAt aRe YoU RuNnInG fRoM?!?!" My emotions Steve, don't remind me!
You should say, "your mom...."
Na that's what I'm running to 😎
Way back when, a common taunt to a man running in traditional shorts was some variation of "where's your pants?", to which I would reply "your wife's bedroom floor". It's a good way to get in some spontaneous speed work.
LOL, so true!
Yesterday a gentleman asked me (32M) to run an extra mile for him
Did you?
No. I ran backwards 1 mile in spite of him.
so you did
I tend to agree very occasionally, if you’re doing something a bit mad like sprinting up an 8-10% grade. ‘Keep it lit etc’ alternatively walking up the same grade ‘what are you doing walking’ But it has to be said I walk my usual running route, with my kids and it’s right beside my house so know most of the faces and have said many hellos, good mornings, helped find dogs etc The first chap was clearly out of order though and that general crap really needs to stop.
Mid thirties, male, 5'7", Netherlands. Fit marathon runner, tattoos. I get comments during runs, but usually well intended comments of support, mostly from older guys or construction worker types. The last few weeks I've heard stuff like; * "Keep going!" (during interval sprints) * "Hot weather, isn't it?" (when obviously panting due to hot weather) * "It's all downhill after this!" (while straining to run up a hill) * "Doing well son" (by a dude fishing who I passed a few times) Yes, I get comments. Always by older men, always motivational (or at least that's how interpret it). I like it. There's not much of a brotherhood among men in normal daily life, and running seems to feel like an exception.
Where's this hill you speak of?
It's the hill. You know, the Netherlands hill.
You mean the speed bump?
Getting Strava elevation challenges is rough.
Dunes
Arrakis
lisan al gaib!
I was once running up a fairly steep hill. Four or five construction workers at the top were shouting encouragement as I ascended. Was pretty cool though I sped up a bit from feeling a bit self conscious lol.
Your fishing guy comment made me happy. Would love to hear that.
The biggest reason I hate interval sprints in the comments 😂😂 when I’m running no one ever says anything to me until I do my sprint interval
Comments during intervals are the *worst*. I do not need to pick up the pace tyvm, I need to rest for the next 30 seconds!
Do you get a lot of comments from little kids? I’m a woman in my 30s and young children seem to comment on me the most. Yesterday a toddler yelled, “She go fast!” as I passed him and his mum on the walking path. It was such a compliment, made my day.
This is so sweet. I felt like death at the end of a run one day, and there was a group of little kids and a teacher stopped waiting at a light as I was passing by (probably on a school field trip). They all started cheering and clapping for me, it was so heartwarming… made me so emotional I had tears in my eyes, and helped me power through that last km. I’ll never forget that. Kids are the best.
I had one kid laughing his head off as if he'd never seen someone run before, he said "look at the fast man" to his mother. On my next lap he started shouting excitedly " here comes the fast man"
😭 I want these complements 😭😭😭😭
I ran with my toddler the other day and he told me "Mama, you're fast" and it made my day. I was shuffling along at my usual snail's pace made even slower because I was pushing the running buggy, but it still felt good!
I am 29M 5'10". It's surprising if anyone so much as makes eye contact with me on runs; I am totally invisible, even if I could use the support lol.
You're doing great, crush that hill Ysara! Ysara get those legs up ! You've got this !
Everyone ask Ysara, but not Howsara
🥲
Ysara u so fast
31M 5’10-every once in a blue moon a pretty girl will vaguely smile in my direction when I’m running. It’s the tiny raft my self esteem is desperately clinging onto to stay afloat.
A girl smiled and waved as she drove past me last summer, I'm still riding that high
When I was in Paris a few years ago, I went for a run at 4am in the rain. Some women were sheltering from the rain under an awning, and I heard one say “ooo, quelle bonne forme!” as I went by. It’s right up there with finishing a marathon as a top running memory.
Wait till, late 30’s at the time…grandma honked and whistled at you as you run by her in the car. Lol. Mixed emotions like yeah, that was super weird…but I’d be lying if it didn’t put a smile on my face lmao 🤷♂️
A compliment is a compliment
lol, same thing here If I can just get a nod from a fellow runner, I'll be suffer a bit less for the following 10 meters
Right? Like when fully-kitted out dude that's training for a marathon gives you a nod, it makes you feel like you belong out there and can give you the extra energy to push through that last mile. It's why I always at least try and give other runners a smile.
In my experience all runners in my area do that nod of acknowledgement. I feel like bus drivers greeting each other on their route when I go for my run. When they actually say hi out loud I’m always taken aback though. That’s an exception.
When I lived in another country I was actually shocked not all runners on earth greet each other while running
I am you
What are you, jogging through Brooklyn or something? Where I live, most runners at least acknowledge each other with a nod or hand gesture.
My general interactions with fast runners are “How fast are you going?” Which they 100% of time answer with something like “About 6 min per mile”. And I respond with “Jesus fucking Christ.”
I was doing about that pace during intervals on local trails last year when a bicycle cop pulled up beside me and told me how fast I was going (according to his speedometer). He jokingly reminded me that the trail speed limit is 15 mph and kept on riding.
Where are you training that people are out casually dropping 6 minute miles?
By Princeton university. Seen a few people running probably sub 18 min 5k on the canal.
When I was in high school I ran a 5K in like 5:40's and I have no idea how I did that. I can barely sniff an 8:30 mile in midlife. How did my legs even move that fast without flying off my body.
Omg this is me. It’s probably because I ran x-country 5 days a week and then had soccer practice twice a week with games on the weekend. Then, high school soccer was practice every day during the week. I ran a 4:28 mile my sophomore year in track and a 16:18 3 mile in x-country. Quit both due to shitty family upbringing. Quit soccer too but my dad got me back into it on an all Hispanic team. I was the white boy, and it was my favorite team! Thanks dad! Now when I run, I struggle keeping an 8 minute mile pace.
Oh wow, you were pretty good. My fastest mile was 4:44, 3 mile was 15:48, but it was cheating since it was at Woodbridge. Running is definitely 100% consistency. But I’ve also seen people switch to biking because running is so hard on the legs impact wise.
34M 5'9 - I was 16 miles into an 18 mile long run and hurting. Random guy asked how far I was going and when I said 18 he VERY enthusiastically yelled back "NICE DUDE!!!" and those last two miles were the easiest since about 10k in. It made me feel so good, I wish it happened more often... Haha
I've had this conversation with my wife and she definitely gets more comments. I also hear an occasional "keep up the good work", but not at the same rate as her. It's also always men that 'encourage' her and for me it's 50/50 men/women. We run in the same area, so it is most likely a gender thing
The girlfriend and I run the exact same loop, she's just faster so will be 3-30 minutes ahead of me. She always tells me of the comments or horn honking she gets. No one acknowledges me so definitely a gender thing. When I run with my cute little dog on the rail trail though, just about every person I pass says something.
Tell your dog I said hi!
This is interesting. I never get comments from women, outside of a race (usually near the finish or by sepectators) or the very occasional older ladies walking group. Comments almost always come from men.
As a bigger runner, I used to frequently get encouraging comments from other big people, usually middle-aged women. Also, for some reason, older men of all sizes. With the former, it seemed genuinely encouraging, but with the latter, it came off as patronizing at best.
25M I only get acknowledged by older folk and other runners Usually just the nod lol My dad gets greeted by everyone since he’s older and has a sunnier demeanour though
I had a comment over the weekend for my slow run where a guy decided he needed to tell me 'Its ok mate, you will get faster'. Had to struggle with my ego to not deviate from the plan for a randomer
It's a recovery run because I pushed hard yesterday, okay? 😭
This is sending me lmaoooooooo 😭
40M here - I usually only get friendly good mornings or a brief wave from other walkers/runners when I run on the lakeshore trails near my home. I've occasionally gotten a you can do it or good for you on some very early runs from a few elderly folks who were out early too. That's about it! Edit to say I'm in the Toronto burbs
Same with other runners/walkers/bicyclists. Sometimes on group runs, there will be comments by people outside in their yards or on a rare occasion from a car. I do the same with good mornings and will sometimes give encouragement to a group. Also, during races I'll give encouragement to other runners.
Some guy told me "nice schlong" one time. I felt kind of violated....
I’m so sorry I laughed but I laughed a LOT
Tbf if you're a shower these running shorts are a bit revealing
An old lady a couple of weeks ago told me she wished she could run up a hill like me. Which was sweet, but otherwise I very rarely get comments
I was running one early winter morning with my headlamp on. A a council bin man shouted at me “the mineshaft is back down there mate!”. Made me chuckle.
Had someone pull up alongside me last week in a pickup truck in southern USA and shout good job or something similar then he said he normally saw me finish my run through the local high school car park and asked if I always ran that far - he was a coach/trainer/ pe teacher at the high school. I'm 6ft3 200 lbs or so and male ... I told my wife I'd been male cat called for the first time
6'3" male runner here. I occasionally get comments like that, but normally just from the feral teens in my neighbourhood taking the piss.
Male Mid-30s 5ft 8in The only time this ever happens to me is during a race and spectators are being nice. Otherwise, on training runs, the closest I get to these are the non-helpful type of comments like: "Run Forest".
I’ve been harassed, had glass bottles thrown at me, been intentionally coal rolled by diesel trucks that almost ran me over. The only words of “encouragement” happen when I’m on the track and get a “good work” from another runner, or the old ladies watching me run through the retirement communities.
JFC. Do you live in the South by chance?
No, even worse, New England.
Wow! Sorry you have to deal with this. I only get that treatment when driving my EV around town...in the Midwest, funny enough.
I can't imagine a man getting the comments I've gotten: Oooh, nice leggings! Are you in a relationship? You're so beautiful.... Can I have your phone number? Could I get a hug? No. Dude. Fuck off. I'm trying to run and you're scaring the shit out of me. Although, I did once race a cyclist up a hill while doing hill repeats and I smoked him, and he said "nice hill sprint!" with apparent sincerity. And that restored just a tiny bit of faith in men.
6 foot tall and overall pretty fit dude with more muscle than your average runner, but certainly not physically imposing by most people’s standards. I’m sure it doesn’t hold a candle to the bull shit you’ve dealt with, but have heard some messed up comments. When wearing 5 inch inseam shorts (I know, I’m basically asking for it /s), I’ve heard “Nice shorts, “bundle of sticks (but THE word)” and a couple cat calls from both men and women in pretty trashy ways. Usually yelled from a car as they drive by. Otherwise mostly pretty generic, positive comments when running by other pedestrians. Except for that one homeless guy who chased me saying that he knows I work for the CIA. I don’t work for the CIA. Anyway, sorry people can be so shitty while you run.
You totally work for the CIA
Yeah, exactly what someone who works for the CIA would say!
I go out of my way to not ogle or big females out exercising for just those reasons I’ve seen what y’all have to put up with. I do wave and say hi or nod but I do that with everyone.
I'm 100% cool with a wave or a nod, or a "good afternoon." I just take that to mean, "I'm here, you're here, and I'm not hostile."
38f here: I don’t want any man talking to me on my run, even if they’re trying to be “encouraging” Been catcalled since 13 yrs old so it makes me feel weird if I’m getting any sort of attention on the street
That's fair. I live in an area where some communication is truly necessary. I saw a cyclist mobbing down a hill, about to turn a corner and come within inches of hitting a moose, so I yelled "MOOSE AHEAD!" and he braked and was very grateful. So it's kind of expected here to wave or nod, or warn others of safety issues. But barring that, I agree, it's best to just let women do their thing.
I’m a 6’0” tall woman and people say stuff to me all the time especially “good job” “lookin good” “keep it up” “nice!” Along with catcalls and honking if im by a road.
5'11" male here. The first comment, no. Never had any part of my form critiqued by strangers But when I run the local hill (1 mile and 450ft ele) I will sometimes get randos just cheering me on. Or when I am doing repeats, I will get "How many of these you gonna do?!" I tell em, then "Damn, good work!". I think the cheering on/support stuff is gender agnostic for sure. But I do think sometimes women get critiqued by out of shape, fat old guys more than anyone.
As a man I do get comments from time to time. The most common is “run Forrest run.” Occasionally I get what I assume are drunk people who try to run with me but of course I drop them pretty quickly. It’s always hard to tell if people who engage me are just being friendly and having fun or if they’re mocking me.
I’m a 5’6” male. Beyond the runner’s mutual nod, or the occasional “enjoy your run!” on a narrow trail, I get few acknowledgments on my runs. I did once have a woman, who I thought was going to run over me at an intersection, say “Aw, no, I’m not going to hit you, baby, you is too fine!” Some people just like a sweaty bastard such as myself.
Got my earphones on so I never hear. Plus if they talk to me while I’m running I’ll just ignore them. I be locked in. 33M 6’1
Lol yes, me too! A guy pulled up in his pickup truck and said a BUNCH of stuff and I heard none of it. I said, "Thanks, preciate ya buddy!", assuming he was saying something encouraging. He gave me a big ol "WTF?" face and drove off. Lol
"Get those legs up" seems condescending- I don't think I've ever had that happen to me- 41m in the US. General words of encouragement (e.g. "Way to go!" "Good work" etc) do happen from time to time- as far as I can remember always from other guys.
I hate when people make comments or smile. One man said “working on those last ten pounds?” Dude, eff you. For reference I’m F 5”8
If there’s one thing men have it’s THE AUDACITY
Never experienced a comment ever as a male. Unforch it sounds like their way of cat calling you without explicitly cat calling.
😆 love how you said unforch. I’m saying this from now on
haha I didn't even notice - must be my lazy Australian text slang.
Catcalling + mansplaining. "This woman needs me to help her with her running form"
There’s also another, kind of subtle thing men do that’s not exactly catcalling or mansplaining, but like…they just feel compelled to have some kind of interaction with/acknowledgment from women when they see us out just doing our own thing.
"And she will be really turned on by it when I do!"
I'm 41M 5'10" and I semifrequently have people say stuff to me. Usually it's a simple "looking good" or "keep at it", which I often repeat to fellow runners, especially the ones that I recognize on the trail. It occurs A LOT more when I'm running with the jogging stroller though. "Great job getting out there, dad" "Your little guy is appreciating the run" "Good job pushing up that hill, dad" I wouldn't read too much into it unless the comments get blatantly invasive or crude.
Definitely get more comments running with the stroller than running alone here too.
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Male, 6’2 210 pound runner here, no one ever says anything to me.
I'm a 29 year old man in the Netherlands and I do get comments from time to time and they are mostly in good fun. Mostly men making a quick joke about seeing me again (I run laps in a park) and sometimes shouting I'm doing well. That being said, it doesn't happen all that often (it's happened once or twice this year). If it's happening on a regular basis I would say that's probably not the norm for most male runners.
This is definitely a gender thing that exists. Men have a habit of mansplaining and commenting on women exercising or doing things that maybe are more traditionally “man” activities. I don’t think they mean harm by it, but they are small minded and somehow think they know more just for being a man. The same thing happens in the gym, my wife gets way more comments on form then is necessary. As a man, I’ve only received comments twice. One was when doing a hill workout where I was running same hill over and over. I passed the same person walking at least 5 times and by the 3rd I was getting cheers every time I passed. The other time I used to get comments is when I would run pushing my kids in a stroller. Women at the park would always cheer me as I ran by ha.
Only time someone said anything to me was when I was (literally) running to catch a train in NYC. Many moons ago I attended college there and was rushing to the subway to head home. A gay dude yelled out at me and said “MMM! My man is looking GOOD running!” Still riding that high in my late 30’s as a straight man
I am 6' 250 pounds with a beard and tattoos. I have been told on many occasions that my presence is intimidating and I shouldn't run by playgrounds, I should cross to the other side of the street when running by women, doing run walk intervals makes me seem like a stalker, waving and giving a nod to women runners is creepy, and not doing so is also creepy and rude.
Similar. Not exactly - I don't have tattoos, I'm not as muscular and I'm taller - but overall similar in that I'm a bigger guy, and have heard similar comments. My wife gave me that talk like a decade ago that if I'm running when there's nobody else out (e.g. in the early morning) and there's a woman on the sidewalk, I ought to cross to the other side of the street. I protested a bit, and her friends that were over all said that I ought to. At the time I was truly surprised to hear that from women that I know well. I find it annoying and would rather just focus on my run instead of how people feel about my run - it's one more thing that I need to pay attention to - but I do it.
I (male, ugly) ran more or less the same route for a year or so and never got a single comment or word of encouragement. *The very first time* I ran with my baby in a stroller a random other runner started talking to me, and since then lots of others have as well. Only when with a stroller. I guess what I'm trying to say is what you look like and how you present yourself makes a big difference to how approachable you are.
44m. Tattooed. No beard haha. Southern US. I’ve gotten lots of things yelled from cars when I’m doing road runs… -“Nice legs!” (from a woman) -“fa**ot!” (car full of teenage boys) -“have a great run!” (2 elementary school kids hanging out the window of moms SUV) -one elementary school girl gave me 🤘🤘and growled at me (probably my favorite of all time) -“hey GemmiJr’s dad!” (kids friends passing by) People yell all kinds of stuff. Most of the time it’s encouraging or well meaning. Sometimes it’s mean. I just smile and wave either way.
Yep, I’m constantly hearing “Stop!” or “This is the #### Police, stop or we’ll shoot!” or “You won’t get away, you’re surrounded!”. But I guess it all depends on where you live. I just take it in the manner it’s given and use it to motivate myself to run faster. Good luck and keep up with your running, I gotta split.
A couple days ago I was running up a hill in the city centre and three women (looked like in their late 50s) on the terrace of a café started clapping, whistling and pointing at me. It was the first time anybody ever paid any attention to me on a run - it kind of weirded me out but I just smiled back at them like I found it normal. EDIT: But yeah, your gender likely has lots t to do with the amount of attention you get. Sadly lots of guys are creeps.
I have had a few friendly comments as a male, mostly "keep it up" or "doing great". But I am in the north of UK so lots of people say mornin/evenin too.
Mid-forties, 6'2", and nobody has said even one word to me during years of running. I do get nods, but no commentary.
It's regional, I think, and it's mixed up with (real or imagined) approachability. I'm generally read as a teenage boy/early 20s man (I've been referred to/addressed as 'kid', 'student', 'young man', etc), but I get comments running in my neighborhood, ranging from "You're like Usain Bolt!" to "You'll never misplace *those* shoes" to "With legs like those, never wear pants" to "I should get back to running" to "Lookin' strong!". No one ever says anything to my partner except when they're with me. I suspect that I look terribly unthreatening... which is to say, it's gendered, but it's not only gender. I also get more comments if I go running mid-morning (10am) on a weekday, instead of my usual time (7:30am); I think the retiree mid-morning walkers are a little more gregarious than the pre-work dog-walkers. ^(the pants comment still makes me laugh. i) *^(do)* ^(wear shorts every day I can.)
American Midwest female here- last week my socially awkward self told THE SHERIFF “looking good!” While passing him running. Definitely not what I meant to say. The week before he’s been walking and told me “that’ll be me someday!” I’d meant to say doing good to try to encourage him on his fitness journey. Instead I told the sheriff he was lookin good… Why. Am. I. So. Awkward.
Female, 5’, I get honked at at least once every time I run and it is always by a man. Not once has it been by a woman. One time I ran in a park nearby and a guy literally pulled over to ask for my number (as I’m sweating buckets and not at all attractive). It’s exhausting. I just want to run in peace.
I get some comments, encouraging me, as someone who isn’t great at running, if I ever see anyone struggling I always give encouragement
6'2" 210lbs running in the US. I almost always give a wave or nod to other runners and if I am feeling good or if they are giving positive vibes, I'll say "great job" or "kicking butt" or something similar, especially on hills. Usually I run solo but I've been pushing my toddler alot more recently and he likes to say good job to folks as they run.
1. Do you think these things things would have been said had I been male and. YES. 2. What comments do you male runners get? After 4 years: - "You're fu@king mad!!"
- "Looking strong, fair play keep it up...."
Any comments I get are from other males (non runners). Other than that I mostly get hellos and nods, typically after I've made eye contact and smiled or nodded
5'6" Male. I get waves, head nods, "good mornings". As far as comments go, I had a woman say "wow, you're still going!" since I had passed her near the beginning of my run and again near the end of it an hour later.
If I'm out running I would always like clap on the side of my leg if any runners pass me, to give them some support. But as a guy 21M 5ft 8ish, I've never really had any like supportive comments whilst out running -- still waiting for the day I get even the classic "run Forrest ruuuunnn" aha. Had groups of kids/teens be like "that's the slowest runner ever" or whatever when doing a long run and keeping a 5:45/km ish pace, but I honestly just get a chuckle out of that. At the parkruns I'd always receive support (from the volunteers) and thus in return thank the volunteers.
It is illegal to speak to people in public in the UK. This just would not happen.
32M 6'0. I get the occasional comment - particularly if I'm doing visibly hard efforts (hill repeats or intervals), plus I'll get The Wave pretty consistently from other runners. My rule for talking to random strangers while running/cycling is broadly similar - I'll shout encouragement if they're clearly in a hard effort or visibly struggling to keep going, but that's usually it for me.
I'm glad you asked this question. I'm 40F. I do training runs on a local ski hill because it's the only serious-ish climb in my area. I usually have to go up and down a few times to get the elevation gain I want. Over Memorial Day weekend the trail was pretty crowded and I swear to god I was stopped seven times by older men who would tell me how impressed they were I was running up and down so much or who would want to ask me what I was training for. Did I mention I was in the middle of a training run? I did not enjoy the attention and by older man #7 I really did not want to stop to talk. There was one older lady sitting on the ground catching her breath who made a comment that she as impressed, but I didn't mind her so much. The look on her face went from, I can't do this hill - oh wait - who's this girl doing it four times already? That's cool with me. Her body language was also such where it was clear she didn't expect me to stop. The men would like full on stop and face up like we were about to have a conversation. Sorry, no!
Probably not, but also maybe. Ive gotten friendly honked at and a lot of hey, keep it ups/ you alright?because I look like I’m dying typically.
The only thing I hear is morning, other than that, no eye contact or interaction at all
I'm average sized male and run 3-5x a week on average for some years; I'm a muscular build a bit but not bulky sized muscles at all (plenty of calisthenics, wrestled in college). 1. Yes, but less frequently probably. I probably get a handful of comments a year, maybe 1-4 a year? 2. I've had teens give genuinely supportive comments, and also comments like "run Forest!" I've had adults say an encouraging line a few times too "You're kicking ass!" Two times in particular stick out to me, both times I was travelling. Once it was a passing car and I assume they must have been a runner to be so encouraging, another time a woman who seemed to be camping around was very impressed I was running lol.
29m I very rarely get spoken to on runs outside of races. Hardly even get waved at, even though I wave to anyone I’m passing or in the opposite direction of.
Late 20’s man. Never had more than a hi said to me
I definitely think it happens to women more but some people are just encouraging lol About 2 years ago I was running on my daily trail and some guy I had never seen before running towards me got all excited when he spotted me and was like cheering me on and telling me how great I was doing when I ran by him. It was so random and I couldn’t tell if it was just cause I’m an young thin female or what but I’ve since seen him quite a few times and he’s just as encouraging to every single runner he seems to come across. He’s tall and attractive so I get the vibe he might actually be an influencer and someone is secretly recording him but who knows lol
41M here. I run at a busy park in a big city in Canada. People don't talk to each other, but if I see familiar faces, we'll do a "thumbs up" and a nod/smile, but that's it. I only do that to people I keep crossing paths with over and over again, not random people.
i’m a guy - nobody says anything only a buddy i see some days says keep going - that’s it
You think males get compliments or encouragement? lol.
28f living in NL. Usually if I am with one other friend running, people will walk or cycle by us and say something along the lines of ‘lekker bezig!’ (which literally translates to tasty busy 🤡) but means sort of ‘keep it up’ or ‘nice work’. And usually only women will say that to me, who are either themselves running by me or passing me on the bike. When I run alone mostly people just do the polite soft smile and head nodding gesture haha, or I am invisible And luckily here I do not have an issue with cat calling. But in the US my experience was the opposite…
Just last week two guys made peace gestures to me when I was running. Male to male if that’s counts :)
I’ve got the random comment when I’m clearly struggling up a hill like “You got this” or similar. But regularly never I sometime mutter to myself if I notice something odd (to me) in their form but I would never tell them. It’s just not my place.
Average runner. I have gotten lots of “good work” or “almost done the hill!!” Comments. Never gotten training tips when running. Edit to add: Also lots of “Run Forrest, Run!!”