Robert Cook asked about how to handle running in Old School Essentials style combat:

Running: B/X does not REALLY indicate whether or not you can run in combat or any context outside of evasion but I guess it could be implied because the running speeds are in the evasion section. Also, I don't think it states that you can't attack, etc. if you run, so the only drawback if you allow running in other contexts is the penalty for running for too many rounds (which they are unlikely to hit). OSE resolves this by saying that you ONLY run your encounter speed during an encounter and that this is just for evasion. In the past running Labyrinth Lord I would allow running if you did not take any other action. This has two effects: missile weapons are less effective because it is easier to get into melee and it is easier to run away from an encounter, especially considering B/X does not really have an opportunity attack, it just grants the bonus when the attacker's turn comes up that round. If you are allowing "running" but not an attack, this means that the person giving chase will likely never attack unless they can catch up on their "Encounter" movement. It certainly seems as though the OSE approach is the cleanest, but then, how do you manage a party escaping by the book after combat is joined? The Rules Cyclopedia allows you to evade with the running rules as long as you are outside of melee.