Well just when you think you've heard and seen everything in running, a story comes along that just floors you--or in this case, floors Jerry. I'll let him tell the story:
"Sunday morning I planned on a run of the mill 90min or so. I didn't get out until ~1pm and it had started raining and I scoped out a new route on some roads I don't normally run on and ~25min into the run something way out of the ordinary happened.
Yes, a Red-Tail Hawk dove down and hit me. It made full contact with my neck and head, basically tried to take me out. As best I can t
ell it slammed into me and then talon'ed me on the way out. You know, after it hit me I was too busy trying not to fall face first onto the ground to take a swipe at him but I did feel the whoosh of the wings etc as it took off with my hat in its talons, dropped it a few wing beats later. As soon as I stopped stumbling I found myself in a "ready" stance without thinking about it, really is amazing how we are just like any other mammal with our fight or flight response to something totally unexpected and threatening. I was totally swivel-headed for the next mile or so of the run.Of course I got a good look at it, it only flew about 50ft away onto a tree branch and we eyed each for a few minutes. It was a red tail because, well, it has reddish tail feathers. They are actually pretty common, I see them around fairly regularly. Bigger than your average bird, this one was big even for a hawk. Felt like I got hit in the back of the neck with a large duffel bag. Called blue cross blue shield, no worries on rabies and my tetanus shot was fairly recent (football split open eye injury couple years back) so I'm all set.
ell it slammed into me and then talon'ed me on the way out. You know, after it hit me I was too busy trying not to fall face first onto the ground to take a swipe at him but I did feel the whoosh of the wings etc as it took off with my hat in its talons, dropped it a few wing beats later. As soon as I stopped stumbling I found myself in a "ready" stance without thinking about it, really is amazing how we are just like any other mammal with our fight or flight response to something totally unexpected and threatening. I was totally swivel-headed for the next mile or so of the run.Of course I got a good look at it, it only flew about 50ft away onto a tree branch and we eyed each for a few minutes. It was a red tail because, well, it has reddish tail feathers. They are actually pretty common, I see them around fairly regularly. Bigger than your average bird, this one was big even for a hawk. Felt like I got hit in the back of the neck with a large duffel bag. Called blue cross blue shield, no worries on rabies and my tetanus shot was fairly recent (football split open eye injury couple years back) so I'm all set.Not to worry though, I finished the 95 min run; which ended up being anything but run of the mill."
No confirmation, but rumor has it the winged beast was wearing a blue singlet with a unicorn on the front...? All kidding aside, that's pretty messed up and we're just glad Jerry didn't sustain any serious damage.
6 comments:
You might want tho include where this happened in the blog.
it looks like the eagle took a chunk of hair too?!!
On road adjacent to Honey Pot Orchard in Stow, MA
You're right! YES! That is what happened to my hair up there...
Woah, how wild, how exciting. I'm glad to hear you're alright. How's that Eagle?
I know I'm the oldest guy that anybody in NETT knows (except for Marshall) so not surprisingly ... this has happened to me; (train in Amherst, 1979) though only my hat and not my scalp got ripped. I wouldn't run on that trail again for months, and when I finally did a friend running behind me took off his glove and flapped it loudly behind my head. I dove off a bank and into a muddy pit. Unlike Jerry, I'm more 'flight' than 'fight'.
Rick C.
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