have you ever stopped to help someone on a run?

A buddy and I were on a 10 mile run one morning in mid July. Its a nice, cool morning with slightly humidity; nice running weather. A half mile into it, he's complaining about blurry vision and light-headedness. He says its happened before but never lasts longer than 15-20 seconds. So we keep on. A mile and a half into it he says this stuff's still bothering him. At two miles he starts to lose his vision, but wants to keep running (we're hardasses). So he's using the silhouette of my shoulder that he can just barely see to stick on my shoulder and keep running.

We're deep in a neighborhood with grid-like streets and absolutely no traffic. We come up to a small intersection and my friend just stops. He starts jogging in place and looking back and forth as if he's about to cross the I-94 expressway. He stutter steps forward just a little faster than walking pace, but starts out slanted toward the other side of the street. I yelled at him to watch out for curb, as I was laughing. Just as i say that he turns in my direction and BAM! Trips right over it and falls in the grass, breaking the fall with his arms. Not a big spill at all, not even a scrape on him.

Thinking he's just f*cking with me, I asked him what the f*ck he was doing. He rolls towards me, curls up, and just starts shaking. His body locked up so tightly that the veins in his forearms are popping out from clinching his fists. His face looks as if he's growling at me and starts spitting up foam. By now I know he's not joking and luckily there's a man getting out of his car less than a block away. We call an ambulance and get help and get him to the hospital, where they find absolutely nothing wrong with him. Every test comes back negative. He's gone back for multiple check ups and screenings and they still have no idea what caused him to collapse and convulse.

So the lesson is, next time your friend starts to have a seizure, make sure you know he's not just f*cking around with you.

I stopped in the middle of a run to help an old guy find his dog that had jumped into a river. He said it had a bad leg and was afraid it would drown, but it managed to crawl onto the bank and get out of the river. We found it after about 20 minutes.

Turns out the guy owns a bar in town, so I stopped in and drank free for a night.

2:20 marathoner wrote:

well played with the ball and chain.

too bad about helping that idiot woman runner.

I pity the family and co-workers who must endure being around you.

I have helped people change tires, grabbed a runaway dog, snaked my skinny arm and a coat hanger into a partially open window to retrieve keys, and routinely remove debris from the road. To quote Mr. Costanza:

"You know, we are LIVING IN A SOCIETY!!"

Usually, I will stop on a run to answer questions, give directions, etc.. except when I am timing myself on a course and going for time. Then I just shout whatever I can get out of my mouth between breaths. Yesterday, an old man in a fancy sportcar slowed down and waved me to stop. I slowed for a moment and he wanted to know where the local golf course was and how to get there. I gasped, "I am on the clock, I can't stop to explain now." He swore at me and made a U turn and drove after me. He drove alongside swearing at me as I pushed myself the last half mile to the finish of my run where I missed my record time by five seconds. As I was walking along trying to catch my breath he was continuing his rampage and cussing up a storm. When I finally gained some strength back, I tried to tell him I was going for a time on my run and did not want to stop and lose time. He popped open his trunk and got out a golf club and began raising it at me as if to strike me. I just walked away as he continued to rant and threaten to teach me a lesson. He got back in his sportscar and squealed his tires on the road as he drove off. As I glanced back, I saw him flip off a woman pushing a baby in a stroller who yelled at him to slow down as he sped away.

Just yesterday, there was a dude in a wheelchair at the base of a hill. As we ran by, he said, "I wish I could do that" (meaning run).

It was one of those awkward things where you have no idea how to respond. But after a step or two, I kind of got the hint and asked if he need a push to the top of the hill. He said "sure" and I pushed him up...actually probably a little faster than he wanted, ha! It turns out he had hurt his arm as well as his legs and probably wouldn't have made it up.

Sometimes I have a tendency to pass people in need by thinking that it would embarrass them more to appear to need help and that they'd rather struggle through it themselves. ie, I've been yelled at before by a blind man after asking if he wanted me to guide him across a street.

I suppose it's always better to risk a bad attitude then pass up a chance to really help someone, especially when it costs me so little. Just another of life's lessons...

I am inclined to call BS on this story. If it is true, the guy sounds like a real prick. In 45 years it will be the 2:20(sic - 2:45) marathoner acting that way. "You little wimp, in my day I was a 2:15 marathoner and I could still kick your ass! harumph-grouse-bitch-complain-harumph!"

you are not a serious runner. if you were, you wouldn't take every chance you could find to stop running.

you should quit running and just patrol the neighborhood with a set of tools, a first aid kit and a box of cookies.

grow a set of nuts.

It's nuts and heart that you lack - Are you really that important that you would not help someone? I have done my share of 100 mile weeks, track sessions, and hill workouts along with sub 30 10,000s and 14:10 5000's that I know what kind of runner I am.

The mere fact that your screen name is "2:20 marathoner and your air of self-importance is too great for you to be bothered during a run reinforces the general opinion that you are a little prick.

The karma stick will one day crack you on your bony knee caps.

I really do pity the poor people who must endure being around you. Thank the good Lord that we only know you electronically.

There isnt a 2:20 marathoner in this country who would call himself "The 2:20 marathoner".

Chubbs wrote:

About 20 years ago some old woman wanted me to help start her lawnmower. I told her I couldn't and just ran right by her. I still feel like a jerk for not stopping to help.

You missed out on a serious gum job. Jerk.

i don't see anyone here by the name of "the 2:20 marathoner".

i'm not surprised that you don't have an eye for detail.

you wouldn't have a chance of getting in my elite country club.

Or it will somehow find its way into his nether regions.

Big front porch wrote:

The karma stick will one day crack you on your bony knee caps.

.

I would only stop to help someone in an emergency.

"society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members."

-r.w.emerson

2:20 marathoner wrote:

i don't see anyone here by the name of "the 2:20 marathoner".

i'm not surprised that you don't have an eye for detail.

you wouldn't have a chance of getting in my elite country club.

Now you just look like a douche bag 2:20.

you love it, BOY.

You missed out on a serious gum job. Jerk.

Maybe a touch over the top. Funny though.

I ran down a pursesnatcher, and I also ran down a bike thief another time. I didn't have to break stride either time.

i was raped on a run and no one stopped to help me.

men are pigs.