Startling People and Animals

Ginger Ninja

Barefooters
Mar 21, 2014
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I've been exclusively barefoot and minimalist for the past year and loving it.

I can tell I'm getting lighter on my feet as for the past few months I've found it impossible to not startle people or animals I come across when running or walking.

Last week I was running along a bridleway and was approaching behind two women and their dog. I was conscious that I'm pretty quiet these days so I was deliberately trying to scuff the ground to alert them to my presence. Neither the women or the dog heard me as my polite 'scuse me', from about 5 metres away, sent both the women and their dog flying in the air.

I've lost count of the amount of squirrels, rabbits, deer etc. I've scared the crap out of when they look up and see how close I am. Today I was walking through some woodland and walked past a bush and a deer just jumped out right in front of me and ran for it's life.

I'm presuming others have experienced this when going barefoot or minimal. Anyone have any good stories?
 
I'm beginning to look like I'm on commission for these, but I love mine so much ....

http://run-bell.com

It's just so much fun. Especially on these dark nights :)
.
 
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http://run-bell.com
It's just so much fun. Especially on these dark nights :)
.

Awesome ! Going to get one for myself for Christmas.
Although it was fun in my first years of BFR, now I am definitely tired of constantly spooking people out on my runs.
Great tip, thanks Paul. :happy:
 
You will reach Ninja level 1 when you can sneak up on a feral cat. You have to pass within 3 meters and it can't notice you until you've already passed it. It can't be a fat or domestic cat, unless it's an outdoor, territorial type that wanders far from home and is acutely aware of its surroundings and is not purposely ignoring you.

Until then you are at ninja level 1/2. You will reach level 2 if they don't notice you at all even after you pass them.
 
I spooked a couple of deer once. It made me feel like a king.
 
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Last spring, I was on a trail run in the local state park. There is a 4 mile loop that I often run over and over because it has good hills and some fun creek crossings. In the very bottom (as far from the parking lot as you can get) there is an old stone house that is 3/4 destroyed by age. It is literally in the middle of nowhere. It belonged to an old hermit who avoided people religiously (or so they say).

And I've told this story before so if you've heard it just ignore me.;)

So, near the old stone house, it is all grown up in about shoulder high brush. Thick... all except for the trail. It is bottoms so it is often foggy down there, very moist and lush greens. Like something out of the Lord of the Rings movies.

Last spring, I was on a run going through this area. I had been at it for a while, and decided to walk through this area because I needed the rest and I think it's beautiful. Walking through when suddenly, Up pops probably 12 quail. Flapping and squaking like I've never seen quail do before! Wow! And then 2-3 seconds later 2 angry mama Turkey's pop up squaking and honking and making a fuss, all this is happening within 10 feet of me. As it turns out my dozen quail aren't quail at all, but juvenile turkeys. And both moms are fussing at them.... (and because I speak turkey, I can tell you what they were saying):

"I told you to sit down! Shut up! He'll walk right by! Now I've got to gather you all back together and hide all over again... Disobedient brats! If he had a gun, you're dinner!"

Anyway, so I jogged on after getting a great startle and a big fat smile!

So I went back through the trail again, and again decided to walk through the same area, thinking, "No way they bedded down in the same spot again". When all of the sudden.... turkey's eveywhere!!! What a commotion!

"I told you to stay put! Brats!!!"
 
I've already spooked one cat (ok, it was and old one...), two dogs and fewer couples of shod joggers over the last few months...
Every time it makes me smile and feel like a kind of peaceful ninja...
 
Yesterday I startled some hikers and one of them almost jumped into a ditch next to the trail at the moment I said 'pardon' (local version of 'scuse me') when I got within a few meters from them. I hate to have a bell with me. How and when do you warn hikers that are blocking the trail?
 
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Yesterday I startled some hikers and one of them almost jumped into a ditch next to the trail at the moment I said 'pardon' (local version of 'scuse me') when I got within a few meters from them. I hate to have a bell with me. How and when do you warn hikers that are blocking the trail?


You don't. We can't help we have stealthy feet. Hee. It's better than them hearing CLOMP, CLOMP, CLOMP... Ha! I used to enjoy sneaking up on people to see how close I could get before they noticed me. It's a perk to being a barefooter, I guess. Am I mean?

Teasing...sort of. You could always yell out, "Runner on your left!" Or better yet... "Barefoot runner on your left!"
 

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