Slippery Encounter

A cold wet day, but I needed to get out. For some reason it's been really hard lately to haul myself out of the house, get on the road and get running. So I got home from work, hummed and hawwed, changed into my running clothes, grumbled a bit, took a deep breath, and charged out the door. (Wasn't so hard, was it?)

Tonight I went down 10th Street, and straight across the river. Down the promenade, up Centre Street bridge and homeward. But there was a bit of a difference.

When I come up to an intersection, I watch for cars. Drivers in this town can be so focused on watching for that gap in the oncoming traffic that they're oblivious to anything else. So I watch, when I approach an intersection, and try and make eye contact, so I know they're aware of me.

When it's overcast like it is tonight, it's hard to see anyone through a car's windows. The reflection of the sky and surroundings dominates those windows in such flat lighting. You can't see them to see where they are looking.

And on the other hand, it was one of those times that my attention was more inward than it should have been.

As I stepped off the curb at 13th Avenue, I was suddenly backpedaling and sidestepping and trying to get a grip on the wet slippery sheet metal of the hood, to try and climb up on it, and just generally trying to keep from slipping under the front of this car. Then after a few seconds, when he stopped and I finally regained my footing, I kind of blew up at the guy for a minute, but he didn't hang around.

My intention was for a slow easy run, but it ended up being a bit adrenalin fueled.

Today's run:
Distance: 8.01 km. Time: 42.46. Average speed: 11.2 kph.
Rest distance: 507.7 m. Rest time:4:00.
Total distance: 8.52 km. Total time: 46:46.

Weather: Light rain and 9C. Kinda wet, and it felt better that I thought it would considering. I'll see if I develop a bumper shaped bruise or two on my shins.