Don't be shy, say hi.

It is incredible how one sport can bring so many stories and people into your life. The things you learn about people and those you get to know simply by asking how their day is when you are at the gym is amazing. 
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I have always had a tendency to say hello to a lot of people I bump into. Whether I’m in the gym, in the pool, at the track, or out on a run, I will always say hello to the people I pass, just because I enjoy a chat. Some of the time I say hello and get no response, but the majority of the time you are so pleased you started the conversation as you can learn some incredible things from other people.

Aqua jogging in most people’s eyes, is not the most invigorating of activities. Whilst I will admit it isn’t ‘exciting’, I do enjoy the people I meet from it and the interesting conversations I have. It is amazing how much faster the time goes when you have someone with an interesting story to tell to chat to. More often than not the conversation starts with someone wondering what it is exactly I am doing. From there the conversation begins to flow. I have met some incredible people, and made some true friends through simple saying hello when aqua jogging, because you never know where the conversation may go. 

Whilst some people don’t want to be disturbed in the gym, others are open to a chat. Again, a core workout goes a million times faster if there is someone to talk too. Talking to people in the gym has confirmed to me, you can never judge an individual before you have spoken to them. The individual experiences people have been through are all unique, and everyone has a story to tell. This is what makes it interesting.  It is great to hear about the different goals people have, some for fitness, some for performance, some just for enjoyment.

However, being on a run tends to be a different story. Whilst on a run, I don’t particularly want to start a full on discussion with someone I’ve never met before, a polite hello doesn’t go a miss. One thing I have learnt is not to be afraid to be ignored. There are plenty of times I run past someone, say hello or morning, and they continue to run straight past you as if you are invisible. However, there are times when you get a jolly hello in response. Sometimes a simple hello is all it takes to brighten your day. It is crazy how much such a small thing can influence an individual's mood. 

We are all out there with a similar goal, whether it be in the gym, the pool, or on a run. Why not learn about each other’s goals and journey’s, running related or not, it makes the whole process a lot more exciting, and I promise you, you will meet some incredible people. 

Next time you fancy a chat, but don’t know anyone around you, just say hello to a random stranger. It is amazing how easily the conversation will flow and how much you will learn. Oh, and, you’ll find those non running activities go a lot faster.