Of Mice and Marathons

i'm glad you didn't get hit.

i'm probably going to get into trouble someday, because i tap on the backs of cars a lot -- at least 1-2 times a week. the really bad ones get a harder whack to increase the startle factor and wake them up to the reality that their phone preoccupation just might kill someone someday. a lot of times the driver will look me right in the eye and then go anyway.

It was dark out, but it was a non-busy intersection and I turned to flash my headlamp to show I was crossing. It looked like I was in the clear. I heard the engine and a few quick beeps and they cut in at me. It was pretty clear it was intentional.

Did you have such persistent problems in Utah?

I once slammed a big chunk of cement with rebar sticking out of it onto the hood of a Chevy Monte Carlo on Pinehurst Ave. in Dunedin, Fl.

It was very satisfying. Car load of drunks throwing beer bottles at me on a run.

Jason, good call. Florida is an outlier, but still...don't underestimate your fellow human.

it's far worse in ATL, but we live right downtown so every running route has a lot more traffic, stop lights, and general city chaos.

rob - ha!

I was only 21 at the time and kind of dumb.

Rob: Jake briefly made reference to it once and at one point I was going to bring it up but didn't know if you would want me mentioning it where your runners might read it (just in case). But I'm glad I now have the full story!

I basically said my "peace." Well, I started to berserk a little and started running down the middle of a more crowded street before I snapped out of it. Lost myself for a moment. The run also took me out of my easy zone for a time. I prefer to run 8:30+ or faster than 6:30. Oh well!

Allie: this is technically in the suburbs, but it's basically the same thing with trees. You couldn't pay me enough to run in Center City (downtown). Except during races. It's pretty good then.