I ran farther this afternoon than I have in a long time. It was a nice day to run. Something happened during my run that I have thought about, but never experienced before this afternoon.
When I run on the bike trail there are often animals nearby. Here is a list of creatures I have passed at very close range so far this year:
- Humans
- Deer
- Dogs
- Cats
- Hawks
- Buzzards
- Snakes
- Groundhogs
- Rabbits
- Skunks
- Squirrels
- Chipmunks
- Moles
It’s a jungle out there.
I’ve wondered: What would happen if a creature veered onto the path in front of me and a collision ensued? Before today I have had close calls with a snake, a groundhog, a cat, and a chipmunk. But no actual contact was made. Until today.
This afternoon I encountered a chipmunk on the trail. It darted in front of me, directly under foot. I stepped on it. As soon as my foot started to hit the chipmunk I stopped putting weigh on it, causing me to come dangerously close to faceplanting on the trail as I suddenly hopped back to my off foot. I staggered very awkwardly, turning to see if the little creature was okay (it seemed fine, I think my reaction was quick enough to prevent it from getting much weigh put on it). I managed to twist my knee in the process, so I’m curious how that will feel tomorrow. Not exactly a good injury story. I was out running and a chipmunk beat me up on the bike trail.
Now that I’ve collided with a chipmunk I’m ready for a mid-size creature (e.g. groundhog, cat, or skunk). By the end of the summer maybe I’ll be ready to take on a deer?
