use `<br />` 


A <br /> B <br /> C

> so how would it even know what i'm typing is to be formatted as code


It doesn't using backticks makes it apply syntax formatting. Else prefixing 4 spaces does the same.

    like so

This is [how I][1] entered this post


  [1]: http://meta.superuser.com/revisions/5db5f237-9391-481d-a8e9-6c448325c766/view-source