One of my very dear friends had an unfortunate encounter with the pavement last week. She was out running and towards the end of her run, tripped on a rock, and fell flat on the ground – palms first. Thankfully, she wasn’t hurt very badly but she did have proper scrapes on both hands that needed First Aid care before she headed to work. Although she felt silly about the whole incident, she bravely shared what had happened on her IG Story and was completely taken aback by how many people reached out to her saying they had had similar experiences on the road! She jokingly mentioned that I should do a blog on the ‘occupational hazards’ of running. Having had a few awkward incidents recently, I quickly jumped on the idea!
1/ The Flashing Man: I was enjoying a morning run along the A1 Road. Fresh air, cool breeze, a beautiful day. There was lots of road traffic that morning but the walking path was relatively free of people, making it even more pleasant. Well. That was short-lived. I saw a man in the distance and thought nothing of it. But when I was just a few metres away, he decided it was the perfect time to relieve himself. Only, he didn’t turn to face the bush behind him. No, he faced the road (and me!) head on. Firstly, eeewww! And secondly, why? Just why?! Why!
2/ A Bra Gone Wrong. One fine day, I decided to remove the cup sponges from my sports bra. After each wash, they always folded in half and I was tired of having to straighten them out afterwards. So I tossed the cups out once and for all… Well. Turns out they did indeed have some purpose. As I entered the shower after my run, my boobs went up in fiery flames! Never, ever, have I felt that painful stinging! I was severely chafed on the most sensitive areas as well as underneath. Let’s just say, I won’t be tampering with my sports bras any time soon!
3/ The Unfortunate Demise Of A Gecko. A rainy day, another 20km run. I cheerfully slipped on my shoes. They felt comfortable as usual. It rained on and of for the duration of the run and we had to go through quite a few puddles making our shoes very squishy at different stages. About 2.5 hours later, we got home in one piece and after posting my photos on social media (as one does) I took off my shoes. As I removed my right shoe, there was a translucent mess at the end of my sock. If you know me, you know the scream I let out. What’s that?!? Hubby and the kids came running in to the room. And then my husband – deadpan, pronounced in front of the kids, That’s a dead gecko. I screamed again, expecting sympathy from the family. All I got, from Kaia in particular, was a death stare before she said in the most unforgiving tone, “Mummy, you killed a gecko!” How did I not feel a gecko in my shoe for 20km of running?!
4/ Epic Photo Fail. I was going to share one of my many photo fails but this story from a close friend of mine is way better! After searching for ways to take the perfect running shot, she had a plan – “I’d prop my phone up, set it on video and record myself running towards, then passed the phone, then proceed to select the most athletic representation of my run. I completed my 10k on a beautifully rainy morning, and had taken the standard pre-run shot with my running buddy. Too embarrassed to ask her to take an action pic, I decided to take one on the way home. I positioned my phone on the car then proceeded to run towards it along a muddy pedestrian path. Approaching the car, I slowed down and reached for the handle, subsequently slipping in the mud and proceeded to go into a clumsy split, my hand hanging on to the door handle, my one knee graciously scraping the mud caked pavement! Cars sped past spraying me as they splashed through puddles and me thinking, “Well, then. Isn’t this lovely.” I got home and hosed off blood, mud, and debris from my knee which now bears the scars of my cinematic exploits.” LOL!
5/ When ‘Holding It’ Isn’t An Option. Halfway through another long run, Number 2 came knocking in the most sudden and intense manner. I had initially thought I could… well, hold it in. However, the more I ran, the more I realised that wasn’t going to work. I looked at the nearby bush. It was too thick and I feared snakes. Not to mention, my lack of toilet paper would not make for a pleasant poop experience. Thank goodness, my dad’s house was a km away so I adjusted my route in the hope I’d make it. Buzzed at the gate, no answer. Rang dad’s cell, no answer. Sister’s cell, no answer. Although both home, dad was in the garden and my sister was enjoying a lie-in, both blissfully unaware of my level of distress outside. Thankfully, my sister eventually came to the rescue. Oh… the relief as I sat down!
Then I took this photo like nothing had happened! LOL. There you have it – five awkward mishaps on the run! Who says running isn’t full of adventure, if not always very glamourous!
What funny (or not so funny!) incidents have you had on the run? Any epic photo fails? Ever had an urgent need to poop? Unintentionally killed a gecko perhaps?
I’m joining Kooky Runner and Zenaida on their link up, Tuesday Topics. I’m also joining the Runner’s Roundup with Mile By Mile, Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Runs with Pugs, and Laura Norris Running! Be sure to read their blogs and catch up with other runners from around the world.
The Gaborone Runner 
Oh my goodness, Shathiso, this is hilarious! A great idea for a post – I might steal that one day.
I’m glad your no. 2 incident ended well. I once had one that didn’t end well. I was only a kilometre from home and it was impossible to hold it in any longer. There were not enough bushes or trees around to save me. So yes…. in my pants. Fortunately, it was winter and I was wearing long pants. EEEWWW! This was by far my most embarrassing and awkward fail ever!
LikeLiked by 1 person
OMG Catrina!!! How awful!!!! And definitely worthy of the title of “Most embarrassing and awkward fail” ever! I was so close to that being my reality. If my sister hadn’t opened up, it would have come to that, only with about 6km to get home! Thanks for sharing! And yes, please feel free to use this post idea – it was so fun to write, LOL!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL! I share mishaps like these on my runfessions posts. Sadly, I have many…or maybe I just am good about oversharing? I will say that I’ve never had a gecko in my shoe, lol!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I need to look for those posts and read through them 😂😂 I shake out my shoes before each run now 😂 But I don’t think the kids have forgiven me yet!
LikeLike
I would definitely not be happy to realize I’d killed a gecko in my shoe on the run! I don’t have a story that even comes close to that one.
I did have one race where I needed a pitstop. Desperately. Never happened before or since. When I realized I couldn’t hold it in, I planned to stop at the next aid station — no portapotty. The next one was like 3 or 4 miles away. I made it, but it was not at all pleasant.
That race is actually still my half PR, LOL!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL!! What gets me about the gecko is that I didn’t feel it when I slipped my shoe on and in 2.5hours of running I was as comfy as ever!
Oh goodness! I can’t imagine that happening on a race and that it turned out to be your Half PR! Too funny – maybe the urgency made your legs push into the highest gear so you finished the race!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, my face plant last week didn’t end well. A hole in my new mittens, a hole in my new tights, and a fractured rib. But I still dusted myself off and got the sunrise photo I wanted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Said like a true runner – “fractured rib and sunrise photo” in the same sentence!
So sorry about that fall though, that’s no fun at all. Wishing you a quick recovery Coco.
LikeLike
Many many mishaps. Several embarrassing falls even during races. Broken ankle. Broken foot during a race. Clothes inside out – my tights the other day. Pockets on the inside!! Two different socks.
I do leave those bra pads in but what a pain getting them straight. If you don’t, then you see those headlight pix. lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ve had quite a few mishaps, LOL! What an adventurous running life!
I’ve learnt my lesson about those bra pads, LOL!
LikeLike
How the heck did that gecko get in your shoe while you were running? Maybe he was there when you put your shoe on?
I’ve had my share of mishaps too. I am not a stranger to falling on my face.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The gecko was most definitely there when I put my shoe on! There was no way he would have gotten in on the run. So he must have gotten in overnight. What gets me is that I didn’t feel it when I put my shoe on and then didn’t feel a thing for 20km of running!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was nodding my head in agreement in most of your mishaps, lol. I feel like runners all have very similar horror stories about nature not wanting to wait. I’ve had quite a few close calls but luckily I was always able to make it home in time. Let’s just say that eating oatmeal before a run was NOT my best idea many years ago, lol.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was so grateful I made it to my dad’s on time and the opened the gate 😂 Glad you were always able to get home on time!
LikeLike
Oh my, the gecko!!! I would scream. Poor little guy! Must have been a small one?
I think 99.9% of runners have an embarrassing poop story. Only running does that, ha! But you’re out there for so long, it’s bound to happen.
This was a really fun post, Shathiso!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was such a gooey unrecognizable mess! He must have slept in shoe overnight.
Running brings out our poop stories 🤣 Not sure what other sport or activity does that! 🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my gosh!
So I don’t have a gallbladder, which means when I have to go, I have to GO. I have had some VERY close calls. it’s terrible.
I also took a nice tumble on one of my runs. Cut up my knee to the point that I now have a gorgeous scar. The best part was that neither my husband or my son noticed the blood and mess when I walked back in the house and neither of them realized I was hurt until they saw the band-aid a few days later. Talk about unobservant!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your hubby sounds like mine!! 🤣
That feeling of Number 2 was so awful and can imagine it feels even worse for you! From the comments here and on my Facebook Page it sounds like poop dramas and falls are clear winners!
LikeLike
These are great! (Well great stories…not so great when they were happening!) A few years ago I was running with my sister and I tripped over a bump in the sidewalk. I was right in front of someones townhouse and the person was sitting on his stoop and saw it happen. My knee was all bloody and I he brought me out some paper towels. It was very nice but I wish no one had seen it happen!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was such a sweet gesture! But I know exactly what you mean whne you say you wish no one had seen it!
LikeLike
I don’t know if you’ve ever listened to the Ali on the Run podcast, but one of her standard exit questions for runners was “do you have a running poop story? You don’t have to say what it is, just do you have one?” and the answer was always yes. My worst running disaster is pretty tame. I was about half a mile from home when it started hailing. It was coming down hard and fast and there really was no place to shelter from the hail. I don’t believe that I’ve ever run a half mile so fast.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Runners bonded by poop of all things 🤣🤣🤣
Glad you weren’t further than half a mile from home when it started hailing! What a way to get a PB 🤣
LikeLike
The best line from this, is the caption on your final pic “then I took this photo like nothing had happened” LOLOLOLOL I have often thought about a post with photo fails, or all the times I was “busted in a selfie” (like, just yesterday). Thanks for fun post!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🤣🤣A post of photo fails would be so good! Do it!! 🤣
LikeLike
OMG! This is so good. All of these stories are hilarious! Thank you for sharing them with us. I have fallen a few times but have no other funny stories to share.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Zenaida! I had such fun writing this piece 🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a perfect blog post/topic for us too!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great stories! I’ve fallen often and I always swear, which is the embarrassing part (mind you, I was right, I had broken my &£$%* rib that one time).
I have two poop stories, both related to the Manchester marathon I didn’t do – I was early with the virtuals! My last long training run I’d done too much that week anyway and had to run in the afternoon, I forget why. Too close to my lunch. So my system shut down, I was in pain, none of my gels absorbed, they just sat on top of my lunch, stomach cramps … did a bit of the run with my friend T, had to use the loo at her house HORRENDOUS I was so embarrassed. Had never even BEEN to her house before. She was fine about it but I was horrified.
During the actual “race” I took friends along and we found the loo in the swimming pool on the way fine. Then I needed. Was there a pub open? No. A leisure centre? No. SOmeone we knew nearby? Nope. And we’re in the suburbs, no bushes to hand. So I ran into a tiling and bathroom shop and begged to use their staff loo. They pointed to the wall – a row of toilets to choose from! Nooo! But no, the door was there, next to the display. And it was a loo that several men and obv no women used. Ewwwww. But also ahhhhh! Ha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha!! I love these stories! I love that “Ewwww. But also ahhhhh”! When you’re that desperate, anything will do!!! It’s funny before running I was so picky, even snobbish, about the toilets I used. Public toilets were just a no-no for me. I’d hold and hold. But since I became a runner with all those porta-loos at races… let’s just say, I’m not a toilet snob anymore, LOL!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
OMG the Gecko! Wow that’s crazy. I have experienced the flasher, the minor fall, and having to go on the run. Great stories!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The gecko was just crazy. I’m just thankful it wasn’t a scorpion or something like that! Glad your fall was minor – I’ve had one on a trail and luckily only my ego was hurt!
LikeLike
Oh that gecko – that had to be a shock! I have had some close calls with digestive issues but thankfully I never had to duck and find a bush.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you haven’t ended up in the bush! I was so grateful my dad’s house was so close! The gecko was a huge shock! LOL
LikeLike
Back when I lived in the metro Seattle area, there were often snails and slugs out on my route. More than once I felt the nauseating sensation of a snail shell crunching underfoot! I feel your discomfort about the gecko situation because it is so unpleasant!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no about the snails crunching!
I just don’t know how my shoe felt so comfortable with a gecko inside it for 2.5 hours! I’ve started inspecting inside my shoes before each run now, LOL!
LikeLike
These are so fun to read! Except the fall, of course. I fall a lot. I once fractured my patella when I landed on a rock (on a trail run!). And still, I popped up because I was embarrassed. I’ve also have had a few potty emergencies, which are not fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s funny/weird how falls make us embarrassed and “pop up” as you say even when we are seriously hurt! This was not running related but I once tripped when I was walking up a staircase and all I worried about was that people had seen me!
LikeLike