Ya better watch out.....


A few weeks ago I was reading about a runner who happened to come across a snake during her run. She claimed that snakes were one of her fears, but they were quite common where she lived. Other runners chimed in and said how they are fearful of snakes as well.

Snakes are not real common where I run but I suppose they could pop up. I can
only remember one time where I've encountered a snake. It was many years ago and I was running on the rail trail.   I don't know anything about snakes so I couldn't even tell you what kind it was, but it was only a tiny one. Anyway, I didn't even notice it until I was right up on it so all I did was jump over it as I continued to run.

 I've never really had a fear for snakes because the way I see it in my convoluted mind, they don't have legs and there for I can out run them...haha.  So really, snakes are the furthest thing from my mind when I think of things I am frightened of while running.

So what is it that I do fear while running?  I don't know why, but I do fear wild animals. I don't mean just a squirrel or a ground hog. I mean large animals like bears.  There really is no reason for me to think that I am going to encounter a bear on a run, I never have before. But I do know that my dad has encountered a bear near the river at our Pappy's house and one of my favorite running trails is close to that. Also, a lot of my favorite places to run are near fields or woods and I just always think that maybe, just maybe, there is a wild animal in there.   There is even a really great trail near my house but I won't even attempt it because it backs up to some woods and about 8 years ago I saw a bear run across the street from there. What is it that you fear when you run? -M


Since the Wednesday Word is "Fear" I thought it was a perfect time to link up with Deb Runs!

39 comments:

  1. I don't like when I encounter a fox in my neighborhood. There was one that stalked me and followed me all the way around the block.

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  2. Dogs are my biggest fear. Having been bitten three times, I am so scared of dogs that show their teeth and act mean.

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    1. Fortunately I have never encountered any dogs on my runs.

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  3. I've encountered a couple of deer while out running, so I usually fear a repeat encounter with them. Or vicious dogs. I just don't understand why some owners don't have any control over their dogs.

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    1. Oh, I've definitely had my share of deer encounters. Very frightening!

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  4. We don't have a lot of snakes here (fortunately)! What I do fear is creepy people. I know I take a risk running on the bike paths around here--some of them are quite isolated--and sometimes I see sketchy people. I always hope I can outrun them...

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    1. I agree, creepy people are high on my list of fears too!

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  5. I am sad to say that I do fear snakes a lot and it is one of the reasons I don't trail run as much as I would like to! Have seen snakes on the trail maybe 5-10 times but the real scary thing is I probably passed snaked 100s of times and just didn't see them! EEEEK!!!

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    1. I run trails all the time an now you have me nervous!

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  6. I've never seen a snake on a run but I did have a couple runs where I saw a lot of snake skins so I was on the look out! I probably fear people more than animals for the most part.

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  7. Oh wow! If I saw a bear near any woods, I would be terrified! So, don't watch The Revenant, that has me scared of hiking on the woods right now.

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    1. For some reason I'm a bit less scared when i'm with someone!

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  8. Snakes can totally jump. Totally.

    I am terrified of bears, wild boar, chupacabras, coyotes and all of that. Which, of course, are all local to me. Maybe not in my immediate neighborhood, but they are out there. Lurking.

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    1. Okay, I hadn't thought of that but now I'll totally be thinking about that on my run now! Great, one more thing to worry about...lol

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  9. haha... I cant even imagine a bear ... but I do keep an eye out for snakes myself.
    & oddly, for deer to jet out. Living in the country, wild animals are always running out of the tree lines.
    I've actually become a little fearful of coyotes recently... yikes!

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    1. Oh no, I hope I don't have to worry about coyotes. I never thought off that.

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  10. Snakes are everywhere in the South so I try to be careful. I always feel better running the trails with my dog because she is way more observant than me. A bear would freak me out! Eek!

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  11. I would not like to see a snake at all, but I am phobic of bats, and am terrified of happening onto one on an early run.

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  12. I'd lose it if I saw a snake. The other day it rained and all worms were partying it up on a sidewalk. I thought I was gonna go crazy! lol!

    How Running Makes Us Happy, But Happiness Makes Us Better Runners: https://candiesandcrunches.com/2016/05/04/how-running-makes-us-happy-but-happiness-makes-us-better-runners/

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  13. Fox and deer are my fear while running.

    -Tamieka@fitballingrunningmom

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  14. Creepy people, snakes, and now, alligators, thanks to my friend's suggestion while we were walking next to a swampy area of a park. Not that there ARE alligators here, but maybe?? EEK!!!

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  15. Snakes also creep me out - I saw one yesterday, as a matter of fact! They are common in my area as well. Things like bears however are not so common!

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  16. I've made giant LEAPS over sticks I thought were snakes before XD Actually, yes I've seen snakes on the run. They're usually just black racers and not a big deal, but they are surprising!

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  17. I see deer all the time when I am running. There are some foxes around here too! I would definitely be freaked out if I saw a snake!

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  18. We don't have bears, but we have snakes, armadillos, foxes, deer, possums, and I suppose the wandering cattle could make its way out of the pasture if it wanted to. Someone even said there are mountain lions and feral hogs in the area. Gulp. Luckily, I haven't met one of those. I fear falling...again. Because I've done it so much and afraid I will break something one of these days.

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  19. I worry about dogs! Some of my favorite running routes go through neighborhoods with some pretty fierce sounding dogs. I haven't seen a snake while running but I did come across one while hiking. It was pretty scary!

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  20. I've never thought about what I'm afraid of when I run...probably rolling an ankle or something and having to limp back home. We don't have too many wild animals in my little corner of the universe (unless I've just been lucky and avoided them).

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  21. For me, it all depends on the size of the snack. Cats have brought in baby snakes over the years -- they're quite easy to get out of the house. Give me a baby snake over a chipmunk any day!

    I'm not afraid of wild animals on a run. We don't have a lot of bear here (although one was spotted in a neighborhood close to where I had a group run last year).

    I'm afraid of my knee tightening up when I still have a long way to go. I've also been caught in thunderstorms a couple of times -- now THAT's scary!

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  22. Have you ever seen a black racer snake? THEY ARE FAST. It's terrifying. One ran across the road in front of me one day when I was running and I turned around and hauled butt in the other direction!We used to have wild hogs where we lived. Oh also I'm scared of big dogs chasing me/biting me. I've been chased but thankfully never bitten.

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  23. I think I'd be more afraid of encountering some weird person in the woods over an animal. But, if I see a bear I just my change my mind.

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  24. i haven't really had too many fear moments on my runs, thank God...don't really have to worry much about wild animals here in NYC. i was a bit nervous after a young girl in her 20s got attacked with scissors running the path i run in the mornings, only a half hour after i'd just run that same path that day -- freaked me out, how crazy people can be. i'm definitely conscious of trying not to run in unpopulated areas, especially when it's dark. i'm always looking around me at the people where i'm running.

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  25. I'm kind of afraid of Canadian geese haha -- we have a TON around Columbus and some of them are very aggressive and will hiss and charge at you if you get too close. I try to clap to make them go away, but that only works part of the time. There aren't any bears (that I know of) in my area, so I can't imagine what I would do if I saw one on a run! I do fear them when we go to the Smokies.

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  26. I fear getting hit by a car... people just don't look!

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  27. Yikes! I run in the city in we'll populated areas so I'm assuming I won't see a wild animal. But I do fear running into a mean dog. And I am mostly afraid of bad people... Lol. The other day I ran through a parking lot of our local sunrail so I was a bit back from the street, and there was a truck of four men (even though the train was not running that day) and they all just stared at me the whole time. I ran super fast out of there!!

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  28. I'm a bit fearful of wildlife, too. When it comes to snakes my primary concern is not stepping on them, since they are hard to see from a distance.

    But honestly my biggest fears while running are other people with bad intent and dogs. I was nearly attacked by a big dog (150 lb. big) while trail running back in December and I'm still not over it.

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  29. I am very caution of wild animals when I run while visiting my mom. Bears and coyotes are regularly spotted there. Here where I live, my biggest fear is getting sprayed by a skunk while out on a run.

    Thanks for linking up!

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