In this week’s Training Tip Tuesday post, I’m going to discuss etiquette. I want everyone to exercise and a couple of good places to walk or run are school tracks and public walkways. Usually, these spaces are safe and shared by a variety of people with different fitness levels performing their workouts. So, here are some observations on sharing these spaces.
The Track
The Track. Photo Credit: Greg Fowler
Most weeks I have a workout at the local high school track. For me, this is usually Sunday afternoon. In January and February, it is highly likely I have the track all to myself, especially when the winds are strong. Brrr.
Warmer weather this month has attracted more folks to the track, though. I completely understand and encourage it. It is safe and flat. For me, there are several rules to observe at the track.
Number one, if you are walking, stay in the outside (right) lanes. If the track is empty, then fine, use the innermost left lanes. If a runner shows up, just work your way to the outer lanes.
Second, and this is really the same rule as number one, I suppose: If you’re not the fastest runner, move toward an outer lane. On more than one occasion, I’ve relinquished lane one.
Finally, if you take a youngster to the track (and I’m all for kids playing outside and burning off energy), please keep them from squirreling in front of runners. Not that this has ever happened to me.
Walking Paths
As I mentioned in Monday’s Mental post, I ran the Lake Murray dam over the weekend. This is a very popular location in Lexington County, South Carolina for walkers and runners. Roughy two miles across, the dam’s walkway is also flat and offers wonderful views – the lake and boats to the west and downtown Columbia in the distance to the east. I used it a few times during marathon training for a change from my usual routes. It is especially useful when I don’t want to deal with hills and need a flat stretch longer than the quarter-mile track loop.
Like the track, as the weather warms, the dam becomes more crowded. Saturday had a decent crowd for early in the morning, and I was reminded of this bit of etiquette: do not to block the entire walkway with your group. The dam walking path is wide enough for three people. If three of you are walking side by side, then you’re blocking the entire path.
I had one group Saturday that didn’t want to clue in the few times I had to work around them. Even had a couple of twosomes who spread out and didn’t pay attention to what was coming up behind them. So, pay attention and be aware of your surroundings on paths.
That’s it. Start moving!
Thanks for reading,
Greg
