Although I enjoy the solitude of running, this is something that I have started to notice. On a long run, people smiling and saying 'good morning' can make such a massive difference. (Conversely, when I am tired and grumpy, someone ignoring my cheery, hopeful 'good morning' can send me into disproportionate paroxysms of utter rage - but that's another story.)
So, a long weeknight run this week. It was cold, windy and dark in a way that it feels like only the British seaside at at night can be. I felt as if I was trying to run through an air mattress, which basically meant that I was doing the running man, practically at a standstill, along the seafront for what felt like absolutely bloody hours.
Until a gang of potentially scary teenagers on bikes* came up behind me and then started cycling alongside.
'How long have you been running for?' one asked.
I wasn't sure in which sense he meant this, so I replied 'nine miles'.
'Wow,' he said (I'm not sure if he was taking the piss or not - probably, but I choose to believe not). Grinning at me over his shoulder as he scampered off,** 'Keep on going - you're doing really well!'
They stayed and cheered me on until they reached their destination - the 24-hour garage, where (if they are anything like I was) they were probably going to buy fags and fizzy drinks.
It was enough to cheer me up for the rest of my run, even when the bastard wind was not only against me but seemed to be blowing me actually backwards.
* I was on a very well-lit and quite busy main road, so it wasn't actually scary.
** I'm not sure that it's physically possible to 'scamper' whilst riding a bicycle, but it seems the fitting word - you get the picture.
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