Holy crap

Last night, I had a scary experience.


I am working in the Kimberley region of WA at the moment, and from the mine to the accommodation village is about 9k. I come back to the village in the evening, run just over half way out, then back, and it is a 10k run. You beauty. I have done that for 5 days in a row that I have been here, so clocked up another 50k (nearly - there is more).


Now, last night, as I was running out, I was running behind (chasing it off the road actually) what I thought was a lizard. Holy crap, it turned out to be a small snake, and I was so close behind it, as I was running faster than it thumping my feet on the ground to get it to move out of my way. Obviously I nearly soiled my tri suit when I saw it was a snake, and when it reared up at the bus that went past (not at me, thank god - but it was an angry little fellow). Mind you, it was pitch black, and all I had was my head lamp to see what was happening. Not enough light really, for out here.


So, as I ran out and turned around (I went a bit further last night, as I was measuring the distance to the Telstra Tower for a guy on site - who walks home from there each night), then on the way back, I look up and there is a massive snake (and I mean huge, huge) across the road. It was nearly from the white line on the side to the white line in the centre. I was massive, there is no other way to describe it. Again, I nearly soiled my tri suit. As you do.


So, I turned around, whilst saying a quiet prayer to the ghost of Steve Irwin to look after me, and ran as fast as I could. I sprinted (I now understand when people say that they run for their life). I was a little over running by that stage, so I tried to hail the bus down, which was returning in the other direction by this time. He did not stop, and I could not work out why. Anyway, I thought I have to get back to the village eventually, so I started running in the right direction again. Then, holy crap, this big unit of a snake was heading down the white line on the side of the road, heading for me. Another soiling episode, another turn and run for my life and another prayer to Steve Irwin to guide my life saving actions (I never really did get a sign from Steve, but I further struggled to understand how and why he did what he did - it must have been frightening).


So, there I was about 5k from the mine, 4k from the village, pitch black, being chased by a monster that was nearly as long as I am tall, and that was a little more dangerous. Holy crap. I did not know where the big unit was, I just stood in the middle of the road trying to check for movement around me. Nothing, thankfully.


Finally, a contract worker up here for the weekend, drove past and picked me up, and it was back to the village. We did not see the insanely sized boa constrictor (or King Brown, the boys think it probably was) again, so of course, so I am not sure if my tale of woe was quite believed. Mind you, I was a blithering idiot (with very close to a soiled tri suit), so I am guessing my escort sensed some urgency.


Anyway, that was my experience. Oh, then, when I got back, I nearly choked the bus driver, and said what were you thinking mate, I was in the middle of the road trying to flag you down and you drove straight past. He said that because I was always out running, he thought I was just waving to him, saying hi. Yeah mate, that makes sense, I'm out on a run, get bored, stop, wave my arms (and light) frantically from somewhere near the middle of the road, and that is part of some type of rational behaviour.


Then, at dinner, when I got back, I was relaying the story to a table of eager listeners, and they started telling me horrible stories of all of their snake encounters. One involved the same sized snake lying outside a room first thing in the morning, and it would let the occupant out to go to work. By the end of dinner, I was more of a blithering idiot, and was worried that I would have nightmares about being swallowed by one of these man eating loch ness monster sized land dwellers.


In all seriousness, I really have no advice on how do deal with this type of situation, if you encounter it. Just do your best. It is a tough call, and a scary situation.


Anyway, "you know you are an elite athlete when you encounter massive venomous animals whilst you are out exercising".


Until next week, keep training.

Anton