Dumbest thing done while running

Theoden just did a post about me on his blog in Runnin Fool - Run, Theoden, Run column today. To gather information for his column, Theoden sent me a list of questions to answer. One of the questions was what is the dumbest thing that you have done while running.

After some 20 years of running I have done a lot of dumb things while running but one probably tops the list.

In the mid '80s I was running with the Marshall University XC team in Huntington, WV. On one particular day, we were out for a 10 mile run when one of guys decided it would be a good idea to cross the bridge between Ohio and WV. But no, we couldn't just run across the bridge, we had to across the top of the super structure of the steel bridge.

Always willing to accept a challenge, I followed the guys in front of me.

One side, I could look down on the traffic flowing across the bridge and the drivers looking up at us. On the other side, I could see the Ohio River roaring underneath. If I had stumbled at any point, it would have been disaster. Falling on the bridge, I would have likely been run over by car. Falling in the river would have been equally as bad because I couldn't swim at that time.

Today to this day, I still don't know exactly why I did it. So I chalk it up to one of those stupid things we do in our youth. Everyone in their twenties thinks they are invincible.

-btw - My congratulation goes to out to Theoden for the work that he has been doing to bring some light to the running community here in the Charlotte.



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Comments

Aaron Linz said…
That is wild! I have done a train tressel that was way up like the one in Stand by me and a train actually did come so we had to run off but on top of a bridge, that is amazing! Dug the Theoden article on you.
Yeah, Theoden is ruining my low profile attitude toward life. :)
Anonymous said…
Bill, sounds like this must be some ritual of craziness performed by collegae kids or those in their 20's. I remember doing the same thing, except on a concrete guard rail, on a few bridges when I was at Ole Miss. I remember it would freak out the freshman on the corss country team the first time we (my roommate and I) did it. In hindsight it may have been one of the dumbest things I've ever done. And that is saying alot. :-)

Nice article on you by Theoden and good luck at Greek Festival.

Mark H.
CL said…
Wait, so I am not invincible? crap..oh well I have done my share of stupid stuff, no bridge running though, never had one to run over. Just jumped into a lake when it was 25 degree's out swam across to the other side and then ran 4 miles back to campus...
You know maybe we should write a book with stores of the dumbest things done while running. It would be a best seller. :)

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