Danger...DANGER!

Yesterday I had a bit of bad news. As to not bore you too much with the gory details, that certain someone who was supposed to be back in the country around the 18th of September is a bit uncertain as to when he will be making an appearance in good old Oh Canada. One of the many, many projects he has been working so hard to complete is about to come together, and that means in Africa he must stay, at least for a bit longer than expected. Sadness. Tough for sure. I'll admit it...I threw myself a huge pity party and invited my good friends crying and sobbing and lay on the couch feeling sorry for myself for a bit. And then I decided to do something about it. And what better thing to do then to get out into the September sunshine for a mind-clearing, soul-healing run around the reservoir.

This leads quite nicely to the danger part of this post. Those who know me well will attest to the fact that I consider myself a bit invincible. My level of fitness and strength often lull me into a false sense of security with the running alone thing. Of course, I never run at night after dark, but I do run in the morning before sunrise from time to time (only on the streets) and I also love to run a lot of the pathways in Calgary. I love the pathways because they are removed enough from the road ways that they have less pedestrian and bike traffic than some of the more common areas. Yesterday, I ran the reservoir path, and part of that path meanders through the Weaselhead trail area. It was mid-afternoon on a warm and lovely Sunday so the path was far from deserted, but that certainly didn't stop 2 idiots on bikes from harassing me. One of them rode beside me and one of them in front of me, and to my EXTREME annoyance, they wouldn't let me pass. They had several rude comments which I won't get into just right here, and I should also note that this carried on for a good 10 minutes or so. Eventually they did pedal away and left me to run in peace, but it did made me think...do I need to worry about being in the Weaselhead on my own in broad daylight on a weekend day?

I'm relatively certain that these clowns were harmless, but if I were to be attacked, what would I do? I obviously can't out run a dude on a bike (thus the realization that I am not, GASP, invincible) and as the cooler weather draws nearer, there will be less and less people on this part of the pathway. I thought about maybe starting to carry a cell phone, but the thought of carrying a cell phone on a long run is a bit annoying. Also annoying is the fact that these clowns made me feel nervous and vulnerable. And they probably have no clue about that. I'm sure they didn't consider how they were making me feel, and if asked would say that they were having fun or "joking" , but I don't think that men think about things like this very often since they have to worry much less about getting attacked on the running path...and like how their comments, while not intending to cause harm, really did affect me in the long run. It frustrates me that in society today, women do need to consider their safety...even if it is in the middle of the day...on a well travelled path.

Anyhow- I survived. I lived to tell the tale. But I will be more cautious about my surroundings on my runs from now on. Maybe I will carry a cell phone. Maybe I will turn the volume down on my ipod so I have a better chance of hearing someone coming behind me. Maybe I will let someone know where I'm headed on a long run and for about how long I'll be out. After all, you never truly know where danger lurks.