M.O.R.E.: A Racer?

Monday, April 19, 2010

A Racer?

I don't know what the heck is going on this year, but we have encountered more snakes in these last few weeks of running than any other time and it's going to give me a heart attack. Today the four of us (me, Patty, C, Sea-n-Sun) headed out from Bridgeport and ran toward Lowes to the new Riverpark Community. As we just started running behind the Lowe's parking lot, a man greeted us and said "hi". I was a few feet up ahead and the sun was in my eyes as I looked to the man to say "hi" back. Just as I passed him, I hear all of the ladies screaming behind me, which automatically caused me to start screaming. As I look behind me, I see them stopped dead in their tracks as a huge brown snake comes up from the riverbed and into the bushes next to the parking lot. I swear my heart was jumping out of my chest. We probably scared the Sh*t out of the poor guy walking past us. According to the ladies, I ran right over the snake (not stepping on it) and didn't even notice. I'm usually the one to notice everything on the ground, but I think I was momentarily distracted by the man and that's when I had passed the snake. I'm surprised the guy didn't see it either. Well after that we were really paying attention to where we were stepping and kept to the center of the trail. Even a twig in the middle of the trail had Patty screaming a bit. I think the burst of adrenaline got us running a little faster too. We finished our run with just over a 9.2 pace. I thought that was pretty good considering we just ran the day before and it was windy and hot at the same time.

I went online to look up what type of snake it was because I had never seen one like it before. I think it looked very much like the one in the above picture, which is very ironic because it's called a racer and it was moving rather fast. Maybe it just wanted to join us on our run? No thank you, I don't think my heart can take anymore of this!

2 comments:

Patty said...: I am over the snakes on our run! I seem to be the only one who screams, and I was very loud today, because I wanted to warn you. I can't believe you didn't see him, but it is probably for the best, he was literally running right past you. It was a pretty miserable run today, hot, windy, and not much in the legs. I am looking forward to having a day off tomorrow.; April 19, 2010 at 8:46 PM
marathon mom said...: You know what's funny is that most people say you come across as very calm. I guess they've never seen you with a snake before. Like I said, I was screaming before I knew what I was screaming about just because I heard all of you screaming.; April 20, 2010 at 5:49 PM

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Favorite Trails

South Fork 3.1: Start from dirt parking lot on Magic Mtn Pkway and run to the loop at Wiley Bridge and return the same way.

Tesoro 3.25: Start in Albertson parking lot and take sidewalk/trail until it ends and then enter the water tower road to the top two towers where the ends. Return the same way.

Chesebrough 3.25/4.60: From Chesebrough Park, N. to Copperhill, So. on Bike Trail, turn around at Decoro, back up trail to power lines to bridge at park. Turn around at Heritage will give you 4.6 miles.

Chesebrough 3.5: Chesebrough Park down to McBean, south to Northpark Dr., the paseo trailhead. Take the paseo to Helmers and back. Very hilly.

Bridgeport 4.0: Fairly flat, run toward Lowes and under Bouquet bridge to RiverPark community until you reach the closed gates and return. For a hilly run, go north into Helmers and run up the paseo switchbacks into Northpark where the paseo ends and return the same way.

Chesebrough 4.0: N. to Copperhill to west side of river trail, run S. on Bike Trail past Decoro bridge, across Decoro to the east side of river trail, up back to power lines trail, back to park.

Chesebrough 4.0: From park down power line trail to Heritage Park and back same way.

Bridgeport 4.0: From School, cross McBean via bridge or street and head into industrial center on Ave. Scott Bridge and enter bike trail going south toward the train bridge. Turn around at train bridge and return same way or cross the bridge and head toward Peet's after crossing train bridge and back onto the Lowes Trail.

Heritage 4.0: From park, run up bike trail to Decoro, over McBean Bridge into Helmers, and into Bridgeport through lake trail back to park. Can be done in reverse. Moderately hilly.

Chesebrough 4.25: Chesebrough north to Copperhill, left to Albertson side of bike trail. Run south on trail to Decoro and cross over bridge and head north all the way to Copperhill on east side of river trail and back to the park the same way as started.

Cheese/Decoro/Helmers 4.25: From the park, down dirt trail to bike path, south to Decoro. Leave bike path at Decoro and cross paseo bridge at McBean. Stay on paseo up hill towards Helmers. Run up water tower trail once then continue on to switchbacks and paseos back to park.

Heritage/Bridgeport 3.3: Heritage Park south to McBean Bridge @ Panera. Cross and head toward Lowes bike trail and head east toward Bridgeport Park. Halfway mark is at park bathroom, head back by entering trail along the lake and back onto the bridge.

Lowes 4.25: Lowe's parking lot to McBean, cross the bridge and to South Fork. At Valencia Bridge, enter trail behind Hart Baseball diamonds. Continue on trail to Bouquet and across the bridge on the east side and back under the bridge again towards Lowes.

Peet's & Decoro 5.2: Peet's Coffee to train bridge path; to Decoro and across bridge; back down McBean side of bike trail back to Peete's.

Peet's & Wiley 6.0: Start at Peet's Coffee and head east toward South Fork trail and past the Wiley Bridge. Keep running another 200 yards to where the trail forks left and right. Turn back same way.

Peet's & Copperhill 6.0: From Peet's to bike trail heading north to Copperhill and back.

Albertson 7.0: From the Albertson parking lot on Copperhill, enter the westside bike trail and head south until the train bridge. Return the same way.

Peet's 8.5: Run to Copperhill on east side of river trail and return via train bridge on other side.

Lowes 10: Start in the Lowes parking lot. Enter the bike trail heading west. At McBean, cross the bridge and head east toward SouthFork trail. Continue on trail until you come to the Wiley bridge and head back the same way.

McBean 14: This route can be done from anywhere along the trail route. Starting from McDonald's across the post office, run to the end of the South Fork trail and return the same way, cross the McBean bridge and run on the Lowes trail until you hit Bridgeport Elementary and then cross Newhall Ranch via the bridge or street and run back towards McBean. Continue north on McBean until you hit Copperhill. At Copperhill, cross McBean and enter San Francisquito bike trail and run south on the trail until you are back at McDonalds.