Criticism of runners highly unfair

I’m speaking not only for myself but for fellow runners and running friends, all of whom are extremely courteous and aware of their surroundings when doing their permitted exercise (‘Joggers are getting too close’, letters, May 7).

For the most part, we runners are the ones who have to run across roads and in the roads, to avoid people out for a walk who refuse to either go in single file or move to the inside or the edge of the path to enable a runner to safely pass.

If I see a person in front of me walking, I would never “appear at their elbow panting”.

Mr Bullen has no right to tell us how to do our exercise - why doesn’t he “find a field” and walk round that? All of us have to be aware of other people and the majority of us do just that, whether walking running or cycling. risk due to things such as their living conditions (for example sharing small caravans, limited washing spaces, poor access to hygiene etc.) This is not an entirely altruistic enquiry because the increased risk to this part of the community will also have implications for the wider population. Whilst we are grateful for their labour, if we are to encourage and continue the practice, there is an onus upon us to do more for their welfare generally. I would be interested to discover what our farmers are doing to reduce the human costs of food production. criminality?

We must all condemn such claptrap, social media must ban conspiracy theories from their sites and I trust that the police apprehend these criminals swiftly. this was cancelled. So instead of staying at home doing nothing he offered his services for which I personally am very grateful. He observes social distancing and sanitising his hands. He does not expect and won’t accept any payment for this service.

We hear a lot of negative comments about the younger generation but you have to give credit where it’s due.

Most runners are ‘extremely courteous’, our correspondent argues