Subject: RE: Ghoulie August Assatar Challenge- Run or elseironannekidd - 2010-08-05 3:59 AM Last night I was getting ready to go for my run, it was about 6:50 when I was heading out the door. I got out into the garage and saw it was POURING, and there was a little thunder. I thought I'll wait a few minutes to see if it eases up. Around 7 the rain slowed and I was getting ready to head out and my phone dinged that I had an email. I'm an email addict, so I checked it. There was a severe thunderstorm warning in effect for our area.
I went and checked the weather map and there was a big blob of green, orange, and red headed for us. So I thought I'd cut my run short but be able to get it in before the next wave got there. I was running from point A to point B and my husband was going to pick me up at point B. I didn't take my phone because if it did rain I didn't want it to get wet.
I started running and it was hotter than I expected, very humid, too. I was about 1.5 miles in and this elderly lady was out watering her flowers. She and her husband always wave and say hi when I go by. We said our hello's and I asked if her hose would reach out to the road. She said no. Then she asked if I wanted sprayed. I said yes. She told me to get up there, so I ran across her yard and she hosed me down, it felt good.
I get back to my run and less than a mile later it starts pouring. No problem, I can run in rain. The problem came when lightning struck in a field off to my side. Too close for comfort and scared the bajeezers out of me. I kept running, and I picked up the pace. It was lightning all around. I did not like it AT ALL! Most of the way there were trees on at least 1 side of the road, if not both. I stayed close to the trees. I know you aren't supposed to hide under a tree in a storm, but I wasn't hiding. I was just thinking I'd rather a tree get struck than me. I'm also running on a ridge, so I'm a little higher up than everyone else. At one section, maybe 60-70 yards wide there are no trees, but there is a very tall, metal cell tower. I sprinted that section. The farther I go, the harder it rains, the more lightning I see close by, and the windier it is starting to get. I passed the point where I have run a 5k and it is really windy and nasty out. I never heard a vehicle but up beside me in his truck pulled my husband. He asked if I wanted a ride. I did.
He said him and the kids were out in the yard playing soccer when the storm came up, when it started raining they went into the garage and they were watching the lightning. He said he wasn't sure if he should come get me or not, but he thought he'd take a chance. If I didn't want a ride he'd meet me at the pickup point. I was glad he came.
A hot shower and a snack later I felt much better. Wow, that sounds like a wild one! Glad it turned out okay! |