* How do you run in this weather?
* Are you staying warm enough?
* Are you crazy?
* Why do you do it?
* Why do you do it?
Last night a friend asked me a question that was a first for me...
"Do you ever fear for your life when you're running in a snowstorm?"
Honest answer....YES! Every time I head out there. Okay, maybe fearing is the wrong word. I'm not actually afraid that I will die, but I do think about it every time I head out.
You see, right now, with ALL the snow, the sidewalks haven't really been plowed very well. In fact, the sidewalks on the main road that connects a bunch of other roads are completely covered. They haven't even tried to plow or shovel those sidewalks. And on other sidewalks where they have plowed, there are still 2 - 3 inches of ice, which is usually covered by the latest fresh snow.
And I really don't like running on ice. I'm scared of slipping and falling. I'm scared of twisting an ankle. However, I still run on sidewalks, unless I can't, which is when I hit the road. And that's where the fear comes in.
I consider myself a very safe runner. I run a reflector vest when it's dark. I ALWAYS run in the opposite direction of traffic. I am very aware and will move over as far as I can. With ALL the snow there isn't much of a shoulder, so it gets tight. I'll do whatever I can to give cars the space they need.
But accidents can happen. And I worry that one of them will hit ice and head towards me. Or that I will slip on the ice and get run over. These thoughts aren't my primary thoughts while I'm running, but they certainly cross my mind when things get tight.
Well, this morning, I left the house at 5:45 so I could get 4 miles in before my husband had to leave for work. Although it was dark, it was nice because there wen't a lot of cars, so I was able to run on the streets almost the entire time. I was 1/4 mile from home, running at a pretty good pace when I see a car ahead of me, coming in the opposite direction. Next thing I know, the car is swerving towards me. There were no other cars on the road. There was no reason for him to head in my direction. And yet he did. I had to jump up on the big pile of snow because I wasn't sure exactly what he was going to do. He passed by me (too close for comfort) and kept on driving. Scared me so bad. My heart was racing, and it wasn't from the running.
The exact same thing happened to my friend this morning on a different road about 2 miles away. So now not only do I have to worry about cars accidentally slipping on ice, I also have to worry about the drivers who are apparently out to get runners.
Has this ever happened to you?! Suggestions?
Oh that is scary. We run at 5 am a lot and wear headlights etc... I swear that it makes people come toward you. We don't have sidewalks either which stinks, all road running. please be careful. it is definitely dangerous in the winter.
ReplyDeleteHoly Smokes that's scary! I had a very close call 2 weeks ago w/a woman in a Land Rover who was too busy on the phone to be paying attention - I practically dove into a snow bank to avoid getting hit!
ReplyDeleteStay safe!
That's scary! Sounds like a drunk driver!
ReplyDeleteThis summer, I had a teenager see me and then purposely start swerving toward me. He swerved back away from me and was laughing. It was really disturbing.
And by the way- I found your blog from the 1000 mile spreadsheet. I'm running the National, too, but the half. See you there!