You may think I'm paranoid, but I always try to be prepared for bad situations. Some people think that I am on this "healthy lifestyle" kick (which could factor into it), but that is not the case. I workout a lot, actually more like religiously. After every workout, I try to max myself out. My thinking is this:
"What will happen if you have been pushed to your limits and then something bad happens?"
I run almost everyday and after every run, I do sprints. I have been doing this for about eight months now. I have noticed that it actually improved my running and endurance. It doesn't matter if I run two miles or four; I always do sprints. I want to make sure that I can outrun someone and then give it a little more. Paranoid? I think realistic. I know how ugly this world is, I'm not in some naive little bubble, I want to be prepared to either fight or take flight.
Tonight I decided to go for a run at 10:40, which is not the latest run I have ever taken, because I wanted to blow of some of the energy that was within me. I have taken this route quite a lot; straight shot and it is just a mile to the end of the road. I was not going to take my dog, but I had this feeling that I should; so I did. Getting into my run, I hit the top of the hill going over the highway and I realize how quiet it is. I live in Eugene, it is never that quiet; it was never that quiet on my previous runs either. I shook off the weird vibes I was getting because I really wanted to run and tire myself out. Once I hit the end of the road I decided to take a right and keep going. I was thinking about just clocking in four miles for good measure. I'm not even half-way down the next mile stretch of road, and some guy jumps out in-front of me. He was on a bike and popped out of the bushes; he came from freakin' no where. He rode by me really slowly and smiled. After having a mini-heart-attack, I continued on my way for about 15 seconds more and then stopped. I got the worst feeling ever. I was not supposed to continue that run; that is all I can tell you. I don't really know how to explain the feeling that overcame me. A lot of people can probably say that it was my adrenaline peaking from that guy jumping out in-front of me, but I think that it is more than that. I turned around and hauled ass. I have never run that fast before, ever. I went faster than I have ever gone doing sprints before. I easily ran half a mile in four minutes. I was flying.
My dog couldn't keep up, so I had to slow down. I should have kept going. I heard this whistle from a street I passed and I saw another guy on a bike. He turned and went the opposite direction as me, but I was starting to get really concerned. I had my phone on me and I went to call my mom, but she didn't pick up. Typical, right? I keep jogging and at this point I am freakin' out on the inside. As I am jogging, I see this reflection off of something metallic. I was coming up on some parked cars, so I thought I was just seeing something. Nope, I was seeing another guy on a bike. Taking his sweet-ass time riding towards me. All the guys that I saw tonight were wearing dark colors on dark bikes. People only wear dark colors at night if they don't want to be seen.
I had the worst feeling in my stomach. I started sweating and I know it wasn't because I had been running. I was freakin' nervous. After the guy passed me, I kicked it into high gear and bolted it home. I was basically dragging my dog, but I didn't care. If need be, I would have dropped her leash to go even faster. I don't know why she didn't bark at those guys, she usually does bark at people.
So, tonight I have realized that I can absolutely haul ass.
Oh and just for the record, I clocked my first mile in at 8:40. Finally getting my time down. I took me way less than that to get back home...
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