Sunday, September 25, 2011

My Close Encounter With A RATTLESNAKE

Monday, September 19th 2011: Rest. My legs were still crazy sore from the Top of Utah Marathon a few days ago. My legs hurt when I blinked.

Tuesday, September 20th 2011: Rest. (And a pack of Hostess Donuts. Mmmm.)

Wednesday, September 21st 2011:
14 miles @ 12:19 minutes per mile. My legs were still a little stiff but it felt good to get them moving again. The worst part of this run was the obscene heat (mid-90's the whole time). After a few hours it felt like my skin was melting off the bones.

I ran around the JEM Trail and Hurricane Rim Trail which has become my favorite place in the world to run. The scenery is so amazing. Many times you find yourself running along the edge of a cliff with river weaving below.


For the first time I experimented with a black and white setting on my camera. I liked how it gave some contrast to the views.


I'm still trying to make friends with my Camelbak. It was too hot to just rely on my handheld bottles. Me and Camelbak are at least on speaking terms.


I was sporting some nice tan lines around my ankles when I got home. (Tan lines = dirt lines.) (Pedicure courtesy of my 7 & 8 year old little girls.)


Thursday, September 22nd 2011: Rest.

Friday, September 23rd 2011: 15 miles @ 11:30 minutes per mile. I headed out for my run right after work Friday evening and the temp was still in the mid-90's. I ran a different section of the JEM trail. You know, there is nothing better than trail running. I would take dirt over road in a heart beat. You have to let down your pride a little on trails because your 9 minute mile on the road can easily turn into an 11 or 12 minute mile on a trail. Running up hills like this will slow you down a bit:


This is my favorite overlook of the whole area. Pictures can't do it justice. You are high on a cliff overlooking amazing desert scenery and red rippled mountains. It is incredible. I experimented with a bandanna over my ears and neck to see if it would keep me cooler. I think it did, even if it cost me looking more nerdy than usual.


I ran 9 miles on the trail then met Kelly, Micah, Michelle, Braydon, and Mel for a 6 mile night run. The run was followed by amazing pie and Taco Bell - certainly a highlight of the day.


Saturday, September 24th 2011: 14 miles @ 11:24 minutes per mile. I heard MC Hammer on the radio while I was running. Really! Any run is a good run when it's Hammer Time.

I went back to the JEM trail again. Again, scorching hot. I didn't take my camera this time because I had already taken 119 pictures over the last few days and figured I'd be able to go faster without the camera. Big mistake.

I ran a section of the trail that I have never done before. There was weeds and growth surrounding a few miles of the trail which limited visibility. I was just moving along minding my own business when I came around a corner and then....

Came one step away from running over a RATTLESNAKE!!!!!

I screamed like a little schoolgirl and then it rattled at me some more. I was completely terrified. It didn't slither away, it just stayed right on the trail so I went wide around it. I couldn't believe how big it was. It stayed curled up ready to strike. I didn't have my camera but looked up a picture and this is exactly what it looked like:


This is positively the scariest thing that has ever happened to me while running. It still gives me the willies every time I think about it. I probably won't run that section again.

Other than the snake incident, it was a good week. I was happy that I was able to do a 14, 15, and 14 miler less than a week after the marathon. Only six more days until the St. George Marathon!

What is the scariest thing that has happened to you while running?

18 comments:

  1. Cory! you amaze me! some awesome runs this week with some gorgeous views...minus that snake. EEEEEEEEK. i would have been screaming a lot more than just a schoolgirl scream. haha!
    scariest thing that happened to me...hmmm...as of now...just the time i thought i was lost. i have seen snakes a few times but i try to repress those memories ;)

    ST. GEORGE = THIS WEEK. craziness.

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  2. YIKES! My friends son (12 years old) just got bit by a rattle snake down at Flaming Gorge and had to be life flighted to Primary Children's and needed five bags of antivenom and 3 days in the hospital, plus a week on crutches. NO FUN. SO GLAD it didn't bite you!

    Beautiful pics though and glad your legs are feeling better.

    We live on the border of the national forest so we have literally run into bear and moose (scary) but the skunks and mean farm dogs scare me worst of all

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  3. That was a close call! I'm glad you didn't get bit, but I wish you had brought your camera with you to take some pictures of the actual snake. Oh well. Way to go on all the runs! That pushes me to amp up the mileage a little bit. You're going to do great on your next race...especially since it's downhill!

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  4. The worst thing I have had to deal with is a dog although I know we have mountain lions in the area and bears occasionally, soon I am sure we will have the wolves.

    Great job on your runs. I am thinking of getting a Camelback for long runs. Do you like it or hate it and why?

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  5. Holy cow - I would have totally screamed too! Glad it stayed away from you. Luckily I haven't had any scary experiences while running - except for running by a drug deal. But that was kinda more funny.

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  6. Man ... the snake is CRAZY!!! That would probably change a run quite bit. Occasionally, I'll almost step on a snake in the street gutter or something, but never a rattler! I LOVE my Camelbak - use it EVERY RUN ... but not for races ... I couldn't live without it!

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  7. ohhhhhh SNAP! I wanna scream like a school girl just looking at that pic! I have a Nathan water belt but I love my Camelbak better I think. Not sure why but I do.

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  8. Wow, I am in awe that you could run so well a few days after your last marathon. I always take a mandatory week off, and even then I move slow!

    Rattlers are so scary, you were lucky you didn't run into one in the scrub when you went wide to avoid him on the trail. Yikes!

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  9. As always, gorgeous photos. I like taking my camelback for everything 2+ hours. The camelback gives me freedom to travel anywhere. On occasion I will also take a water filter for rivers, or ditch water (if I am desperate) when I am particularly adventurous.

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  10. Fortunately the scariest things I've had to deal with on runs have all been in my head (mostly involving mountain lions). I'm glad you avoided that snake.

    Oh, and those are some crazy miles post-marathon!! Wow--I'm impressed.

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  11. Wow look at that mileage you are awesome!! I would have seriously cried and peed my pants at the same time if I saw a rattle snake. ahhhh!!! so so crazy.

    I'm glad it didn't get you. :)

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  12. That is terrifying!!! I hate snakes. (Truth be told, I hate spiders even more). You are pumping up your mileage... I'm guessing you decided to do the ultra????

    Scariest thing I've had happen was almost running into a skunk. Skunks are no bueno; my Mom was sprayed by one and stunk for weeks.

    How in the world can you stand that heat?! I would make it approximately 1/10 of a mile in 90 degrees. Maybe even less. You are tough.

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  13. Okay...
    Love MC Hammer.
    Love the NY hat.
    HATE Rattlesnakes
    and any Dad that lets his girls paint his toes is AWESOME!!!
    Good luck in St. George this weekend. I will be there to cheer you all on.

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  14. WOW! That snake is HUGE! I don't know what I would do if I saw one of those!! PS - your mileage is crazy high so soon after your big race! Awesome! I remember not running for a LONG time after my first marathon. So much pain. I really don't get how people do back-to-back long races!

    I almost got hit by cars a couple of times but that wasn't too scary. I fainted at the gym after a treadmill workout too. That was probably worse. Fainting = no bueno.

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  15. oh my!! I was scared of just stepping over a little tiny snake the other day. Holy smokes, I would have peed my pants!

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  16. I saw a rattlesnake earlier this summer while building a trail. It freaked me out so much I didn't go back and run on it for 2 months. It wasn't so much that it was a rattlesnake, we have lots of those around here, but it was where it was placed. It was right next to the trail coiled up under a sagebrush. I wouldn't have even seen it and would have just run right up next to it. Luckily people before us heard it and saw it and directed us all around it.
    I am so amazed by your mileage so soon after and right before a marathon! You are a machine!
    And you're so right about having to lose your ego on trails. They're just a lot different!

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