The awkward moment
Lately, I noticed something pretty special about running which I will call the ‘awkward’ moment. Specifically, I find it really difficult to make up my mind on what to do when passing by a total stranger. Talking about first world problems.. ;)
Imagine yourself running and someone is walking or running your way. You start to wonder what to do; look at the person? Look down? Look away? Help! I usually don't know how to behave, act and think which doesn't really contribute to the moment to make it less awkward. Therefore, I have set up some guidelines for awkward persons like myself to survive this somewhat graceless moment.
#1. The most easy way to avoid this awkward moment is to wear sunglasses. However, this is of course only an option when the sun is shining. Since I, for example, come from a country that is not particularly sunny, this option will rarely work unless you want to look like a complete weirdo who wears sunglasses in the pouring rain.
#2. One tip my sister gave me when she experiences the awkward moment is: start staring. Yep, you've heard it right, staring. My sister just stares at total strangers as if she participates in a staring contest. According to her, eventually the other person will look away and the awkwardness is gone. Mission accomplished I should say. Though not totally sure if this tip will make the moment even less awkward.
#3. Make a game out of it. This releases the tension by making it more fun. For example, if one person catches your stare, smile! If the other person smiles back, run an extra minute. If not, do 10 crunches. This will help your running routine in multiple ways, no awkward moments and a killer work-out.
#4. Go running with your BFFF. When running together with your BFFF you will not even notice that there is an awkward moment since you are completely focused on how much fun you are having. Again, running with your BFFF will result into more motivation and it will make running a lot more fun. Talking about killing two birds with one stone!
Of course the awkward moment shouldn't hold you back from going for a run. The most important part about running is enjoying yourself. And just in case that ‘awkward’ moment pops up, think about these tips or, most importantly, try not to think about the awkwardness of the whole situation and enjoy yourself.
