When thinking back on runs, I've been lost, chased (by humans, cars, and animals), cursed at, heckled at, whistled at, and have had things thrown out of moving cars at me. I've been dehydrated, disoriented, disinterested, and mentally detached from the run. I have had so many different experiences happen to me over the countless runs I've been on since I first laced up a pair of running shoes, but this is the first time I have experienced what I did this past Saturday.
I went for a twenty-two mile run with a friend on some unbelievably amazing trails. The trail was challenging, uniquely rustic, offered log bridges across streams, was fashioned by a person who truly could understand the land, and was probably overall one of my favorite trails I have yet run at this point. Eleven miles of running out and then a turn around to come back. We did not quite reach the steep climb we wanted to hit, but I just do not have what it takes at present to run much further than we did that day.
As it turns out the eleven miles out took longer than I expected and so when I started seriously taking on snacks and fluids I was already way behind.... way behind. But don't worry because this literally bit me in the ass pretty hard close to our finish.
In the last mile of our run my running partner got ahead of me. I got caught on a branch and took the opportunity to drink most of the rest of the water I had - less than a mile to go! Then something strange happened, which has never happened to me on trails before... I lost the trail.
On the clearest marked part of the trail, and around twenty-one miles into the run, I apparently just missed the turn and ran off into the woods on a would-be trail. But it gets better. When I realized my error I could not correct it. What?! How does this happen?! I could not find the trail or any trail at all for that matter.
No water. Tired. Very tired. Confused. I walked towards a clearing and hit a fence. But I heard cows. We had passed our trail head in the car and I had seen cows. Maybe they were the same cows?! They had to be.
So I jumped the fence and started moving through a field. No cows, only sheep. Where were the dang cows. Another fence. I went to jump it when....whammy. I got a low burst of electricity in my hands. Ow! Not too bad but when tired and confused it was not pleasant. Ok, don't do that again. But just in the course of jumping the same fence somehow I managed to do it again.
Another field with no cows and terrified sheep that ran from me as though I was wearing a hockey mask with a knife in my hand. Great. Hills, trees, scared sheep, and endless fields... where was I going and where were the darn cows?
I finally made it to a road/drive and I was pretty sure it was the one we had driven on when we saw the cows. One last climb. Looking to the side I saw a way to avoid this larger fence by simply passing over a few strings. Sweet. I took both hands to push down the string. Damn!! Apparently these "strings" is where all of the electricity for these fences begins or flows through. The double fisted jolt was stronger and one whole leg seized up. Seriously, enough is enough.
I turned back to the large fence, scaled it quickly and jogged tentatively to my left where I hoped the car park and my friend would be waiting, and where I could find an electricity-free zone. Cows!! Thank
I still do not know quite what happened or how I lost the trail. I know I was thoroughly disoriented and it was scary, certainly much scarier than it should have been in consideration of how close I truly was to the car. I was not quite right for a few days but am finally able to share this story as my body seems somewhat back to normal.
I have no idea if it will ever help you, but when you're lost and confused maybe just listen for the cows (oh and avoid the electrified fences - they don't look like much but they will get you).
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