Forums >General Running>Describing Your Worst Falls ....
Camp Muir
Made the mistake of running on a trail right after sunset. It was about a year ago. I thought I could squeeze in that trail as I was planning on putting that into my route. I was only about 15 minutes too late.
I stumbled over an exposed root and went down hard fairly early in the trail portion. Though I was fairly well hurt - nothing was serious. I realized right away that I had been totally stupid and headed out of there slowly and carefully. I then jogged home to nurse my injuries.
Won't do that again!
I just fell for the first time--today, doing something I NEVER do--running on sidewalks.
I watched the stinkin' Vikings game until the 4th quarter, before I quit in disgust and went for my run. I didn't start early enough to get it all in at the forest preserve before it closed at dusk. I usually drive the 2 miles because the street is a busy, 4 lane, and although it has a raised, paved path next to it (narrower and closer than a sidewalk) I don't like being that close to traffic. But with the time crunch, I decided to run out the FP, run the loup once, and run back to my house, which would be just as it's getting dark, grab my knuckle lights and finish the 1.5 mile I'd still need in my own neighborhood. Where I run four mornings a week, at 4AM on the STREET, not the sidewalk. It's completely deserted at 4AM, but 4:30/5:00 PM is far too busy to run on the street, so I reluctantly ran on the sidewalks.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. It's probably fine to run on sidewalks down south where there's no freeze and thaw cyle to break them up. Or a new sidewalk that hasn't gone more than one freeze and thaw cycle. Not the case in my neighborhood; the sidewalks aren't bad, but they're nowhere near new. I tripped on a raised seam not a block from my house. Not a particularly bad fall; skinned my knees enough to seep a bit of blood, but no damage to the running tights, which is the big thing, because tights don't heal!. But it hurts. And I'm mad that it screwed up my time!
It's all the Viking's fault, I tell you.
Fistmaster General
About a year ago it was my first morning run with my newly adopted dog. He was on my left, and we were running on the left side of the street in the dark. 3 cars came around the corner one after another and when the first car came past, my dog jumped right in front of me to try to get to the car. I tripped on him, fell right on top of him and hit the ground hard. The 2 cars passing next didnt even stop, they just slowed down then kept going.
I see the same cars every morning, but I still to this day wish I knew which ones saw me fall and didnt stop.
I run with the dog every day and he's never stepped in front of me again.
"I... am a fucking moron." - MattM
Turkey Trot a couple of years ago now. I fell during the 1st mile of a 4 mile race. I messes up both knees and both hands pretty bad. After that race every year we go directly to meet family for breakfast. Mind you it is Thanksgiving morning and pictures will be taken. I was a bloody mess. The photos were priceless. Not for the last time though. The pictures the next year had me and my neice in our matching boots (due to our foot fractures not dress boots or snow boots).
Return To Racing
Stumbled on a gas station apron that I didn't see and I would have recovered, except that my foot then hit a crack in the pavement as i was stumbling, and fell flat on my face. It was at a red light at a major intesection and I'm sure the stopped drivers got a good laugh. Luckily, I was holding a water bottle and that broke the fall.
Regional championships in HS, was holding 2nd place when I caught my spikes in a tree root coming down a steep hill and flipped over, hitting my head. I did come to in time to see the last couple runners go by and the medic and course marshal then dragged me out of the woods. Several scrapes on hips and elbows, had headaches off and on for a few days, still felt flat the next week at the state meet. Oh yeah, when I fell I took out a teammate who was running 3rd, he sprained his ankle. With me out and him limping in way back we ended up losing the meet by 1 point.
Yes that could have been a concussion in cross country though I never did go see the doctor as recommended to find out. Have played ice hockey hundreds of times since - no concussions.
As for the little falls that occasionally happen running at night in the winter, I don't count those if no one saw them and I didn't get hurt. Even in a small town at 11PM I still look around after it happens hoping no one was outside or driving by.
Proud Calgarian
Getting hit by a vehicle doesn't count as a fall, does it?
2015 Goals and PRs:
5k - 17:59 (18:05); 10k - 35:59 (36:42); HM - 1:19:19 (1:19:59); FM - 2:49:59 (3:05:46)
I've been fortunate...and maybe wiser...to have seen others take some falls before I could make the same mistake.
We have an annual race that climbs the face of a dam, then up the hill next to it....after that stress test, it's a steep down hill trail for the next mile. You will come across a few men who out run their legs and do face plants in the gravel...virtually assuring a DNF. Funny thing...never see women make the same foolish mistake.
I now take the steep down hills in low gear and wait for the inflection point air it out. I'm not going to win any races, so why listen to your ego when running steep down hills?