running funnies--keeping in step in Bangkok

Gotta share this--BT folks would appreciate as there have been recent discussions about ideal run cadence and lack thereof, running on vacation, etc.

Early Saturday AM I did a long run in Lumbini Park in central Bangkok. Had zillions of people, locals and expats, for company, including one memorable running club composed entirely of what appeared to be Thai men over 60, some possibly well over 80. Many wore Bangkok Marathon T-shirts. They were slowly circling the 2.5 km running loop in neat, two-abreast formation. The two guys in front beeped large blue air horns to keep everybody in cadence--I timed it--180 strides per minute.

Several greeted me enthusiastically as I ran past; I accidentally said, "Sabaidee! ("Hi" in Lao instead of Thai.)  One of them corrected me, "Sawadee kaa!" Unfortunately, this is what women say (men use a different ending), so his buddies gave him heck for it, not realizing he was just correcting my attempt at Thai.  Merrily laughing along, they still kept their cadence.  What a great show!

I did pretty well against the geezer parade and the Lumbini Park denizens in general--but got my butt kicked by what looked like a Kenyan guy. Embarassingly stuck for a lap and a half next to two handsome expat guys with M-dot tatoos who matched my pace exactly but otherwise ignored me while debating vigorously whether someone (female) was, or was not, an Ironman. If it was me you were discussing, dudes, no, I'm not, you could've asked, and if you're gonna use me as pace booty, how about a little eye contact and a "Sawadee kaaap?"

The park was full of runners, walkers, swimmers, people joining clubs and classes for tai chi, weightlifting, yoga, etc. etc. In Saigon I almost never see more than one or two people running at any given time. It was great to see so many people out there doing something healthy and fun!