Running Against Gravity

I have one key frustration with running – gravity! It must be that, its the only reason I can think of! People naturally gravitating towards me when I am running.

For instance, I’m running behind a couple on a 1.5 meter width path (or there abouts) and there is loads of room for the couple and me. They are facing the other way and are nicely over to one side so plenty of room to run past them so I start moving to that side of the path (at this point I’m about 15ft behind them), out of the blue they move too! I doubt they can hear me yet, I’m not a loud panter when I run (as far as I know) or a heavy footer, so why do they suddenly move. Fine, I move to the other side of the path and, sure enough, they do too! What’s wrong with these people? Are they heavily under the influence and struggling to walk in a straight line? If that’s the case then so is every other individual or couple out and about at 8am in the morning!! I move again, and by now I am literally just about to pass them, and they knock into me and glare at me as if I did it on purpose – rude, bolshie runner that I am!

So, I try saying “excuse me” but they don’t hear as they are deep in conversation or whatever so I say it again, but a little louder this time. They jump about a mile as I’ve half scared them to death. Maybe my manic, out of breath squeal sounds like a psychotic murder excited by his next kill? By now I’m right on top of them (literally, because they jumped into my path in fright!) and again, I get the glare! Particularly from old ladies this one!

So, yesterday, I ran on the road to avoid the pavement dancing and guess what? Someone decided, right as I was about to pass them (but with me on the road and them on the pavement), yes, just at that precise second, to cross the bloody road! Why???? Have I been magnetised? Is there some magic in those running shoes of mine? Perhaps the toes emit the female version of Linx and projects it forward where men and women are instantly drawn to me!? OK, I’m just dreaming there – if that were true, I’d never take them off.

I wouldn’t mind but I don’t make a point of running down a busy street with everyone walking to work or college or whatever, I run down side streets, down the beach, through public gardens. Whatever it is, I’m either going out with some kind of advancing alarm next time or megaphone!

Is it just me or are there any other runners out there that shares this running phenomenon?