[jahona]

Well, it finally happened. Madison's sidewalks have been icy and slick for the last week so I haven't run for awhile. It was a bit sketchy yesterday - which included a 10 foot stretch where I flailed legs and arms but didn't fall - but still I decided that I would get out tonight for a run before yet another snow storm came through. I kept thinking, "doing good, doing good, slippery" but then it was "slippery, whoa, whoa, slippery, whoooaaa, good save, whoooooaaaaaaaaaaa, boom." Of course I was along a busy stretch of road when I fell too so many motorist probably had a chuckle.<br><br>
So who else has slipped and gone crashing this winter?<br>
(And if no one else has, would someone give me some pity points and just SAY they have?) <img alt="blush.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/blush.gif"><br><br>
One good thing did happen though. My left shoulder was hurting from some vicious Wii playing on Saturday night. Falling on it seems to have worked some of the knots out.

 

[donskiman]

No falls - yet! Actually I rarely ever fall while running on snow/ice. I think it's from all the years of linked recoveries while skiing moguls at high speed. I do wear screw shoes when it's particually nasty.<br><br>
Fixing "video game shoulder" was a nice bonus for ya!

 

[intensebeet]

I fell for the first time a couple weeks ago, most of the snow everywhere had melted, but where I was running still had a coating on the ground. Part of the trail consisted of a boardwalk that went over a swampy area, first couple times over it I was okay, 3rd time I started to slip grabbed the railing and wrenched my arm, but didn't fall. A couple steps further I'm stretching out my shoulder, go around a corner and slip and fall and go down hard on my wrist.<br><br>
I've written that trail off until spring time.

 

[VictorN]

I've not had a fall in many years. Lately I've been using shoe screws (<a href="http://www.skyrunner.com/screwshoe.htm" target="_blank">http://www.skyrunner.com/screwshoe.htm</a>) whenever it is snowy or icy.<br><br>
About 20 years ago (really!) I slipped on some ice a few hundred yards from home at the end of a run. I was going down hill and foolishly I tried to slow down. Both feet when out and up in front of me and I felt like I was in slow motion. I had this mental image of my head coming down hard on the pavement. Fortunately, I was able to get my arms behind me, but I did end up breaking one wrist and spraining the other.<br><br>
But you get pitty points from me, since that was many years ago.<br><br>
Be safe and use adequate traction.<br><br>
Victor

 

[therambler]

two spills for me this winter both on the same stretch of East Johnson! And both resulting in pulled hamstrings<img alt="sad2.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad2.gif"><img alt="sad2.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad2.gif"><br><br>
I haven't dared to go out running this week I can barely walk on this stuff let alone run!!<br><br>
When Oh When will warm weather come<img alt="confused.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/confused.gif"> I cant wait to get back to barefoot running and cycling outdoors!!!!!!!

 

[4boysmom]

Two falls for me.<br><br>
First one wasn't too bad. The city of Dublin put this decorative cobblestone brick crap on the sidewalks at intersections. Slipperier than shit when it's wet. Even worse with ice. Well, I knew it was slippery. It's my turn around and I'm trying ot be careful. Must have cut it a bit to tight and down I went! Of course, this is during rush hour, tons of cars just watching... Hopped right up and continued my run. Just scuffed my knee a bit.<br><br>
Second one was a doozy. I take a bike path to cut between neighborhoods. There's a low spot that always floods. ANd in the winter, that's ice. But, it had warmed up and was raining. Learned yet again that there's only one thing more slippery than ice. That's ice that's covered with a layer of water. I went down hard on my left hand and inside of my left knee. Managed to roll to the right and took out my right knee and right shoulder. Oh, of course, I had just taken off my gloves, so scraped the heck out of my hand. Had to put my gloves back on because I was dripping blood.

 

[jahona]

Whew! Glad I'm not the only one.<br><br>
Therambler - You may have fallen on East Johnson (which depending where on the street, it is near my gf's) but I think I have you beat or at least tied for falling along the busiest road. I fell going past Garner Park along Mineral Point Road...during rush hour.<br><br>
VictorN - I'll have to remember those homemade shoe studs for next winter. I went crazy this last little while not being able to go out and run

 

[ericd256]

well it wasn't the weather that got me.The running group was doin gour wednesday night run and i was on the way back. I was crossing the street at the busy intersection and nose planted just as i crossed the street. I know someone hadf to be laughing at the fat guy that just fell face forward. I know i was laughing at myself.

 

[Thor]

You certainly are not alone. Over my years running, I've taken quite a few tough dingers. They happen. But as the years pile up, you should see fewer. Not sure why. Guessing it just comes with experience, being more on the lookout, knowing how to run on ice, and other things.<br><br>
If you've been following along in the daily bread thread, you might know that LRR and I had a Training buddy that went down hard on ice about 5 or 6 weeks ago. She went down hard and did all sorts of damage. Couldn't run and all that. It was bad enough where we had to call an ambulance. Well, she just today joined us again for our regular runs. She was down and out that long, and she's still hurting, as is evidenced this morning when LRR tried to help her across a creek crossing and bent her arm a bit. We all heard the moans. But she's good now. So I'm guessing your fall wasn't much compare to the Diesel's fall, which landed her on the 6 week disabled list.<br><br>
I actually took a dinger down my driveway only a week later. But I wasn't running. Just being a jackass as I took the garbage out. And I am still feeling it. I can't put my right arm above my head without pain. Still hurts to swim, too.

 

[CCRaces]

Three times this winter. Twice just during one particularly slippery run.

 

[wipaddler]

does it have to be running? I just about biffed it on the way to and back from Bockfest. The sidewalks are all ice... yeah the snow is cleared off but the 3 inches of ice is still there!

 

[dragonsrouges]

No falls so far this year (Montreal, Quebec) but I walk and run on the street (so does everyone else) most of the time, the City has no notion of snow removal (on the sidewalks). Streets are pretty much clear with the amount of traffic passing on them.

 

[COcarrie]

Well, so far 2008 has been fall-free but I fell a lot in 2007. I wiped out on the ice last winter pre-Yaktrax and headlamp. So, I look like a dork this winter with my extra safety gear, but hey, NO FALLS! I also fell very hard once last year on the tennis court and injured my ribcage pretty badly. THAT sucked.... and it wasn't even for a great point... truth be told, it was during warm up. How stupid is that?!<br><br>
Oh, and let's not forget my clipless pedal learning curve, something I sure hope I don't reprise this week when I finally get on my road bike with some good weather coming!

 

[luv2tri]

Fallen, yes. at least 2x. Not while running though. I am inside on a dreadmill or arc trainer when there is ice outside.

 

[Thor]

Reminds me of a spill I once took that almost got me killed...<br><br>
On the tailend of a 20 mile training run with my sister in law while training for my second marathon, the 1992 (or maybe '93) version of the Boston Marathon, we were less than a mile from home when it happened. To that point it had been a rather slow run for us, as a snowstorm had blanketed the Boston area with over a foot of snow the night before. Footing was very bad and, on the twisted streets of this urban city just outside of Boston proper, the roads were narrow and worse. Entering this one section near Tufts University, I took the lead as we filtered single file to better allow cars to pass, when suddenly a car rounded the turn up the road and came at us at an alarming rate. I gave it time to slow or to move to the middle of the road. But neither happened. The car came so close that before I knew, instinct took over. I used my right hand to push off the car as leverage as I dove up and over the snow bank. My sister in law, a few paces behind me, followed suit. Now in the snow bank, I was surprised to see that the car was starting to stop rather abruptly. The driver must've thought he hit me, I thought. Which he would have had I not pushed away. Before I knew it, the driver got out of the car. On this cold winter morning, he wore only a tight white tshirt and a pair of jeans. Without making eye contact, he walked around his car to inspect where I had pushed off. That's when I recalled that when I pushed off, in my fright I smacked the car hard. This guy was probably pissed that I smacked his Electric blue camaro. The tshirt wearing kid looked straight at me. Before I could see the fire in his eyes, he was already charging me. Fearing for my life, I climbed out of the snow bank and started running as fast as I could. Only my legs moved too quickly as they slipped and slid but otherwise made no traction until... boom. I fell hard on the ground. Within a second the kid was on top of me hauling away with a arsenal of punches. I cowered in fetal and covered my head as he punched and kicked anything he could. Meanwhile, my sister in law jumped on his back and kneed him. Finally he let up and left me limp and beat up in the middle of a snow-slushed street. That was a tough fall.

 

[wyrillco]

None this year, but the winter isn't over yet!<br><br>
I biffed it good last year, on ice, turning a corner (running). youch.<br><br>
I fell down walking from the car to the house, if that counts... ? <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif">

 

[CCRaces]

<br>
Ye gads!That is quite the understatement. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> I shall never complain about falling again!<br>
Well...Unless it's over a guardrail and down a ravine. <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif">

 

[Dougie Fresh]

OMG. Thor. That s*cks, dude. That is horrible.<br><br>
If I am ever in Somerville and I see that guy I will kick his ass and leave him upside down in a snowbank.

 

[Thor]

Thanks, man. The problem is that it happened back so long ago. Since then that guy probably wrapped his electric blue camaro around a telephone pole and didn't feel a thing for all the coke stuffed up his nose. My guess is he's stilling idly in jail right about now or perhaps spread out on his own lot several feet under ground with no flowers marking his spot. I don't even wish evil on people like that because the truth is that they are living the hell they've created for themselves. That is probably enough. That was the last time I can remember getting my ass seriously kicked.

 

[wipaddler]

Thor that seriously sucks but you have really cool stories.