Mother Runner Amy S. sent in an interesting quandry that also has an audio/visual component.
Mr. Chompy wants to go for a run?
“This video was shot in the city where I live,” she writes. “I personally don’t run in this area; however, one of my good girlfriends does. The day after the video was posted to Facebook she cancelled her run because, let’s get real, the thought of coming face-to-face with that guy is TERRIFYING!”
Your new BRF.
Dimity says: I pretty much go by the cliche that animals are much more scared of you than you are of them—even if they are surprisingly agile reptiles that seem to be oblivious to the world as they cross a busy road. That said, I would have done some very serious research, and would go by the helpful information like from the expert Captain Jack’s Airboat Tours: There is no documented evidence of alligators running after human beings or any other land animal to prey upon them. So I doubt I would’ve changed my route, but I won’t lie: I would’ve been a little more high stepping and observant. (Now, a Burmese python in Florida? Different story. I still can recall this New Yorker story from 2009. )
What would you do if you? Run or bail?
Run. It’s big enough that you can keep an eye on him and see where it’s headed. They’re still able to give some quick bursts of speed but as long as I’m able to head away from it I doubt it could catch up. A big but here…….could you imagine if you were kind of zoning out and skipping along before you realized you’re just about to trip over it?!? Different story for sure!!!!
I ran in a 50K trail race where the alligators are one of the attractions. The advice is to never get between the alligator and the water. If you have to jump over or go around the alligator, go around its tail, not head. They can jump up and grab something with their powerful jaws. They are also pretty fast runners for short distances. But, they run the fastest in a straight line. So, if you are running away, run in a zig zag pattern. :) The trail race was fantastic if anyone is interested in running it: http://www.trailracingovertexas.com/brazos-bend-50/
Bail. Every time I go to Australia I hear “go in the ocean, shark attacks are overblown” and LITERALLY the next day someone is attacked by a shark. That is the Universe telling me that I, Nebraska-born-girl, has no business in the ocean. I put gators in the same category.
i grew up in AZ and almost stepped on a rattler once, but now living in FL I have to say that I would definitely go the other way if I saw one of these guys while running. I recently went on a canoeing trip where we spotted three alligators, two were swimming and one was 12 feet long and sunning on the other bank. My daughter asked me to row closer so she could get a better picture of it and I told her “no way!” as well as gave her a lecture on why we don’t get closer to wildlife of any sort! Instagram isn’t worth it.
I would run. I wouldn’t swim with alligators but I would run with them.
Since the science says they are unlikely to chase a runner, I would run and keep my eyes peeled. If I had a BRF in town, I would see if she would go with me that day. I live in Montana and run on trails where bear and mountain lions are sighted somewhat frequently. I carry bear spray if I am out alone and do try to keep my eyes open. I went to a training on how to behave if I do see a bear, and try to keep the rules I learned in mind.I have always been a little more freaked out about running into a human with bad intent than an animal. Like Dimity said, they are mainly more worried about you and tend to disappear pretty fast.
I’d run. I’d probably be more observant that if I ran the day before this guy showed up, but I’d run.
Run. There was a gator loose in my area on my route once & it didn’t keep me home!
I am irrationally terrified of gators and crocs, even when they are safely ensconced in our local aquarium. (My son, of course, finds this hilarious.) I’d be OUTTA THERE!