The spooky run
I ran my 9 miles last night, but I didn’t get out until 7:30 pm. By the time I hit my turn around point it was pitch dark. I brought a small flashlight and the Dog Dazer, but even these didn’t keep me from getting the heeby-jeebies.
It was all on back dirt roads so there are no street lights, and the houses are spaced far apart and set back from the road, so not much light to go by. The moon was out but most of the run was under the trees, which are my friends during the hot running days. At night, they become giant, evil monsters that hide the creatures lurking in the bushes that are waiting to pounce on me.
Running in the pitch black with just a light on my shoes is incredibly nerve wracking. I could hear rustling in the bushes but the flashlight didn’t reach far enough to see what was rumbling around in there. All I could think about was coyotes and bobcats.
Deer don’t see you are night very well. They come charging out of the bushes right in front of you and make you scream. I saw eight of them. Jerk deer.
Every old stump in the dark, is a giant monster, crouching in the shadows and waiting to eat you.
The only joy of the night was getting to daze Idiot and Springer twice each. Dazer worked marvelously once again, although I was so hyped up during the run that I probably could have killed them both with my bare hands if they got close to me.
And my legs hurt like hell! My left shin was screaming and right hip was all screwed up. If I didn’t need the mileage I would have stayed home, like I did tonight. Despite all that, running with my adrenaline on maximum flow seemed to keep the pain to a minimum. And I found I run faster when goblins are chasing me.
Average pace going out in daylight: 10:23
Average pace returning in darkness: 9:40
Today my left shin still hurts as does my hip. Dead legs and lots of pain tell me I need an extra rest day, so I’ll give up tonight’s run, hoping to salvage my 18 miler this weekend.
September 15th, 2005 19:24
Sorry you are hurting…rest up. I ran in the dark this morning…and it is different. Weird! But fun in a weird way:)
September 15th, 2005 19:47
I have done meny runs at night. It can be very scary…but it did exactly what you said…makes you run faster. I used to try to do workouts at night just for that reason. The worst was when ia deer did jump out in front of me and a dog. Yes they were all jerks. Good thing i do rest room breaks before i go for a run. By the way is this your first hip and shin problem?
September 15th, 2005 20:55
Yup. Evil tree monsters here too. And mailbox monsters. Shudder. Totally makes me pick up the pace.
Stupid darkness.
September 15th, 2005 21:41
I enjoyed 95 things of the 100 and I believe I share about 30 of them. One includes thrashing a seventh grader I teach every day. Time after time he harasses other students who occassionally throw a quip back his way. On the outside I say, “No, be nice.” On the inside, “Well said.”
Anyway I am training for my second marathon and am disappointed I am not significantly faster than the first. I am not sure I can blame the torn groin muscles from March. I have run about 480 miles so far this year.
The dark scares me too. I don’t mind the dark of the morning, but the dark of the night is ominous and frightening. I believe I have gotten younger since I started running, about 6 years, although I know that is not possible.
September 16th, 2005 01:48
lol, I have run in the dark, but am afraid of tripping over rocks.. To many nights checking cows in the middle of the night takes aways the heebie jeebies. lol tho unless your son starts freaking you out cause they watched Dawn of the Dead,, and your other son shows up unexpected and scares the ……..out of you…
Heather
September 16th, 2005 06:09
If it is so dark you cannot see I’d call the coroner.
I’m glad the cost per daze is dropping. Idiot and Springer must not have good pained muscle memory recall.
September 16th, 2005 08:47
The dazer sounds completely cool. Although I cannot get one - I’d be liable to turn it on my own dog just to observe the effect.
My after-dark running buddy? The iPod, with its fancy, glowing screen. Turn the screen forward, and it’s just enough light to make sure I don’t trip over anything.
OK, rephrase that - it’s just enough light so I can see what I’m going to trip over. I’m clumsy enough that i’m tripping regardless.
September 16th, 2005 09:40
don’t you have bears there? See my only real worry running here is the very over populated BEAR community we have.
September 16th, 2005 10:02
Deer jumping out at me would make me scream too! Heck, I scream when I am driving and they jump out ahead of me, even when I have plenty of time to stop! Hopefully the hurting stops soon.
September 16th, 2005 10:45
You should have Dazed those deer. Reminds me of that movie with Chris Farley and David Spade where the deer comes back to life in their backseat. I’m always afraid of trees at night thinking the branches will become creepy arms with claws and grab me from behind.
September 16th, 2005 13:40
Jerk deer! Is that like jerk chicken?
September 16th, 2005 13:46
I am so completely afraid of the dark. This post, though I feel your pain, had me laughing right out loud. I know where you’re coming from, that is all.
September 16th, 2005 14:48
gotta get me one o’ them dazers.
September 16th, 2005 16:43
Nothing like some adrenaline to make you run faster.
The fastest pace I’ve ever gotten my bike up to when I wasn’t in a race was when I was by myself on the bike trail and thought some strange-looking guys were going to come after me.
After that, I seriously considered hiring a spookey-looking person to chase me through my race just to make me go faster!
September 16th, 2005 16:50
I run in the dark every morning. I have a led head lamp I bought at Wal Mart, really bright. I run in a rural area with coyotes,deer, bobcats and wooly boogers. When the coyotes start yelping and howling I run a 7 min mile usually I’m between 8 and 9. I try not to make whining sounds because I think that may initiate an attack. If a wooly booger wants you there is no escape but they only feed between 1 A.M. and 2 A.M…..stay well
September 16th, 2005 18:28
Those dang leaves rustling always have me looking behind me for the boogieman that is about to pounce. But my running partner tells me the bad guys are still sleeping when we run (5:30am). I only believe him in the winter.
September 16th, 2005 19:57
Haven’t had to do a dark run yet this season, bu remember them well. Late night is worse than early morning - maybe because the scary people stay up late but sleep in!
My favourite runs are when you see dawn break (if I can drag myself out of bed).
September 16th, 2005 21:36
Spooky! Spooky! It sound like you should be running obstacle courses with EVERYTHING you havae to contend with. But damn…that adrenalin really makes us kick up the pace! Sorry to hear the shin and hip are acting up. Smart call to take some extra rest before the 18. Good luck with the long one!
September 17th, 2005 09:47
uh. yeah I don’t run at night…strangely I can runin the dark in the morning…but not at night. Too scary
September 17th, 2005 12:32
Hey. I am really sorry your legs are bothering you.
I appreciate your honesty that you get joy out of zapping the dogs that are bothering you. At least you are candid about your emotions! It makes for a good read.