Attacked
Saturday was our 8 mile run on the training schedule. Burke demolished it and in no time was back to swap the headphones and phone (try the free Cardio Trainer AP on your Android - it GPS tracks where you are running, how fast, and how many calories you are burning - LOVE it!) while I dashed out the door before it got too hot outside. I hadn't been feeling very well all week, so I was feeling really proud of myself as I started getting into the rhythm at mile 3 and decided to follow Burke's route up the killer hill by Virgin Valley High School. I was about 50 yards from the crest of the hill when suddenly 3 large dogs came tearing down a hill in an empty lot on my right running straight at me! In the seconds before collision I had time to process a few things:
1) Dogs know when you're afraid - so maybe if you keep running they'll just leave you alone.
2) Holy crap! That big guy is a pitbull!
3) I'm about to be eaten alive!
In an instant the 3 dogs had surrounded me and were snarling and snapping at my legs. I had a water bottle in one hand and the Droid in the other and I started flailing at the dogs' heads with all my might while screaming at the top of my lungs, "GET OUT OF HERE! HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME!" I'm sure I looked like a total idiot, but who cares what you look like when you're trying to keep all your limbs intact.
By this time, in an effort to get away from the beasts, I had skirted my way out into the middle of the street, still screaming for help and hoping that any second someone would burst from their house and figure out a way to save me. At this point, one of the dogs circling around me, jumped on my back and sent me stumbling forward right at the exact moment that a car came up the street and DROVE AROUND ME. I am still in absolute shock about that. I don't know what the people were possibly thinking, but they didn't honk or slow down or anything, just drove right on around me as I was being attacked.
I was near hysterics when the dogs either got bored or decided I wasn't worth the effort with my continually flying water bottle smacking at them and they finally took off running the other way. It took about ten seconds for what just happened to sink in and I started cruising back down the hill, away from the dogs while desperately calling Burke as fast I could. I pretty much had a melt down and bawled my eyes out while I tried to tell him what happened and asked him to come get me.
As I continued to walk down the hill, looking behind me every once in a while to make sure they hadn't come back to finish me off, I had a couple of horrible memories boil to the surface, frustrating all my efforts to calm down and causing me to cry harder than ever.
I remembered the horror of being attacked by a man with blood-shot eyes when I lived and taught school in Mexico back in 2008. I remembered being just 2 blocks from my school, in the middle of a residential area and screaming, "Ayudame! Ayudame!" (help me!) while struggling in his vice-like grip. I remember that same feeling of shock and disbelief that no had come to my aid and the absolute miracle that after turning to face him and screaming, "Dejame ahora!" (Leave me alone now!) that he had starred at me with dead eyes for a moment and then turned and ran, just as these dogs did, leaving me unscathed physically, but emotionally pitching in a black tumultuous sea.
I remembered the terror of being surrounded by a pack of small feral dogs later that same year when I lived in India. I was jogging alone on a dirt trail when, in similar manner to my attack on Saturday, five dogs fanned out around me, snarling and barking while making aggressive moves towards me. In that case there was no one to hear and no to help, so I prayed fervently for protection and used a long stick from the ground to swipe at the dogs until I was able to back far enough away to turn and sprint my way back to the Rising Star Outreach property.
In all of these dangerous instances, I had felt so panicked and alone in the moment, but in the aftermath of each, I have felt such overwhelming gratitude that I made it through unscathed. I know that a very real and very aware Father in Heaven watches over us and hears our prayers. I know that he has protected me in all these experiences and many, many others. I am grateful that he comforts us in the moment and even when the memories ripple 4 years later and send fear shooting into our hearts all over again.
This morning I woke up, afraid to go running. So I prayed that my fear would not control my life. I put on my tennies, fed my sweet baby, put her in the jogger and hit the trail. It felt good to face my fears, especially as I clutched the hand-held pepper spray that Burke purchased for me on Saturday. :)
1) Dogs know when you're afraid - so maybe if you keep running they'll just leave you alone.
2) Holy crap! That big guy is a pitbull!
3) I'm about to be eaten alive!
In an instant the 3 dogs had surrounded me and were snarling and snapping at my legs. I had a water bottle in one hand and the Droid in the other and I started flailing at the dogs' heads with all my might while screaming at the top of my lungs, "GET OUT OF HERE! HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME!" I'm sure I looked like a total idiot, but who cares what you look like when you're trying to keep all your limbs intact.
By this time, in an effort to get away from the beasts, I had skirted my way out into the middle of the street, still screaming for help and hoping that any second someone would burst from their house and figure out a way to save me. At this point, one of the dogs circling around me, jumped on my back and sent me stumbling forward right at the exact moment that a car came up the street and DROVE AROUND ME. I am still in absolute shock about that. I don't know what the people were possibly thinking, but they didn't honk or slow down or anything, just drove right on around me as I was being attacked.
I was near hysterics when the dogs either got bored or decided I wasn't worth the effort with my continually flying water bottle smacking at them and they finally took off running the other way. It took about ten seconds for what just happened to sink in and I started cruising back down the hill, away from the dogs while desperately calling Burke as fast I could. I pretty much had a melt down and bawled my eyes out while I tried to tell him what happened and asked him to come get me.
As I continued to walk down the hill, looking behind me every once in a while to make sure they hadn't come back to finish me off, I had a couple of horrible memories boil to the surface, frustrating all my efforts to calm down and causing me to cry harder than ever.
I remembered the horror of being attacked by a man with blood-shot eyes when I lived and taught school in Mexico back in 2008. I remembered being just 2 blocks from my school, in the middle of a residential area and screaming, "Ayudame! Ayudame!" (help me!) while struggling in his vice-like grip. I remember that same feeling of shock and disbelief that no had come to my aid and the absolute miracle that after turning to face him and screaming, "Dejame ahora!" (Leave me alone now!) that he had starred at me with dead eyes for a moment and then turned and ran, just as these dogs did, leaving me unscathed physically, but emotionally pitching in a black tumultuous sea.
I remembered the terror of being surrounded by a pack of small feral dogs later that same year when I lived in India. I was jogging alone on a dirt trail when, in similar manner to my attack on Saturday, five dogs fanned out around me, snarling and barking while making aggressive moves towards me. In that case there was no one to hear and no to help, so I prayed fervently for protection and used a long stick from the ground to swipe at the dogs until I was able to back far enough away to turn and sprint my way back to the Rising Star Outreach property.
In all of these dangerous instances, I had felt so panicked and alone in the moment, but in the aftermath of each, I have felt such overwhelming gratitude that I made it through unscathed. I know that a very real and very aware Father in Heaven watches over us and hears our prayers. I know that he has protected me in all these experiences and many, many others. I am grateful that he comforts us in the moment and even when the memories ripple 4 years later and send fear shooting into our hearts all over again.
This morning I woke up, afraid to go running. So I prayed that my fear would not control my life. I put on my tennies, fed my sweet baby, put her in the jogger and hit the trail. It felt good to face my fears, especially as I clutched the hand-held pepper spray that Burke purchased for me on Saturday. :)
Comments
"Sorry, your dog followed me all the way back to my house"
"What is loose dog protocol...shouldn't I be allowed to gently kick your dog if it starts to mount my dog?"
Sometimes I'm ashamed of other dog owners out there!
What idiot dog owners. Good work on beating the fiends with your water bottle. I'm glad that Burke made you pepper spray. Did he make it extra extra potent? I would also recommend an air horn. Those are pretty shocking, and if you get close enough to the attacker's head, it can temporarily make them deaf.
Glad you made it out okay!