Boise Triathlon TEAM

When something bad happens, I have always been one to blow it off and think of it as a fluke; when I got attacked by three-pit bulls, I it was a rare incident that would not happen again and I still do not carry mace. After all, bad things happen to other people (at least that is what I tell myself). Well, something happened last week that has change my perspective. Ladies, I am sharing this with you, in the hopes it will change your view as well.

During a 5 AM run, I noticed a car pull from the neighborhood and park along side the road that I was approaching. It wasn’t that odd of an occurrence, but for some reason, the hair on the back of my neck stood up and I had an uneasy feeling. Telling myself that I was just being paranoid, I continued on with my normal running route. About a quarter of a mile from where the car was parked, I turned left onto a dark, dirt road that ran beside a tall fence at the end of the neighborhood. As I turned the corner, I heard the car gun it. I just knew he was coming towards me, but I was too afraid to look back! Adrenaline kicked in and I ran like the car was right behind me! I knew I just had to make it to a footbridge at the end of the road and I would be safe. As I approached the bridge, my heart felt like it was going to come out of my chest, but I finally had the nerve to look behind me. The car’s headlights were all I could see, but yes, the vehicle was following me. When, I reached the foot bridge, I ran over a hill down into a well-lit neighborhood. My HR did not go down for the remainder of the run and I remained very hyper-aware. The run left an impression on me!

Since then, I only run in well-lit, busy areas when running solo in the AM. Additionally, I plan to take a self-defense martial arts class and enlist friends to take it with me. Ladies, I know many of you think you can outrun any predator (I was one of them). However, trust your gut, notice your surroundings and take precautions to protect yourself!