I’m an impulsive person.
Sunday, I decided to go for run alone at night in the woods. Sometimes, I wish I’d take time to rethink my decisions.
It started with the New York City Marathon. I watched it on tv and managed to get myself all riled up. I’m very much in awe of Paula Radcliffe, by the way.
I decided I too would run a marathon – this isn’t a new desire by any stretch; but I wanted to run badly.
I have a long way to go (I wanted to make a marathon pun here but none comes to mind) in terms of training. I feel like a blob and my new scale confirms this, so and this isn’t me being self deprecating.
I did a little research online and decided to order the Garmin Forerunner 305 to help me train.
I tried to relax comforted by things to come, yet I felt restless – like I needed to start right away.
I decided to go for a long run just before sunset. I should have thought a little, we just switched back to Standard Time hence it gets dark sooner. Running inside Stanley Park at night is never a good idea.
By the time I got into the thick wooded area it was pitch dark. I had no phone or whistle or anything for that matter to ward off attackers, just headphones blaring on. I envisioned all sorts of horrible things happening to me; right there in the thick dense forest with no where to run. I couldn’t turn back… I’d come too far.
Once in a while a car would pass by and those were the most frightening moments, clearly anyone in a car could see a defenseless woman running in the woods – who knows what kinds of people are out there.
There was this particular car the slowed to a halt behind me, I run so fast my feet hurt. Another car came up behind and it started moving, only to go a little further and park in some secluded parking area ahead. I prayed fervently and as if someone was actually listening a succession of cars came to pass. The lone car started up again and drove off.
They probably were lost and looking for directions but at the moment all I could think of was how I was going to be killed, raped, beaten, maimed or something as gory.
It’ll so break my mother’s heart, I thought as I ran through the harrowing night.
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