Yesterday I went for my weekly long run. Wait…let me back the train up. 3 weeks ago I went on my weekly long run, came home and promptly caught some kind of Cold From Hades, did lots of sleeping and drinking of fluids and absolutely no running for 3 weeks. The cold finally leaves my chestal area, I give it a couple more days of rest just to be sure and then Saturday hop on the treadmill for a 30 minute run. So I decide Sunday that I’m good to go for my long run, I scale it back some but decide I can handle a 50 minute run. And I did, but that’s not the point of this story.
About 20 minutes in, I’m feeling good, and then I see a guy in a hoodie walking down my side of the street toward me. Now I have a decision to make. Do I cross the street and show my judgment (which can also be perceived as fear)? Do I stand my ground and show my “I’m not afraid of you face”? Do I take a side street thus avoiding an encounter, but take a chance that he will follow and now I will be in a less populated area? Do I ponder how a man out running wouldn’t have to think through all of these scenarios?
In the end, I stand my ground and stay on my side of the street so as not to seem intimidated, but I give him a wide berth. Far enough away that he would have to move faster than me to grab hold, but close enough that I can still see his creepy glass eye and hear him say “You lookin’ good”.
(An aside here: When I hear people yell/cat call/whistle at me while I'm running I am so flabbergasted. I want to stop and yell back "Really? I've been running for an hour, my hair is a giant frizz ball, I'm sweating in places I didn't even know I had, and there's a strong possibility that I sharted during that last mile...but really? I'm looking good to you?" But I digress.)
I pass people on the road all the time. I’ve had all manner of things yelled at me out car windows. But this guy here, he Freaked. Me.
