Avoiding Animals

I am going to participate in Diabetes Blog Week next week, and think you should, too.  I've started thinking about my posts a little bit.  I've blogged less and less about diabetes, but it is still a huge part of my life and will always be.

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On Sunday I went out for a long run in preparation for my half marathon in a few weeks.  I've been running on a prairie path that is a 5.5 mile loop, so I typically go around twice.  It is relatively flat, but has no trees.  On Sunday it was incredibly windy and it showed in my mile times!  Mile 11 was run at a 7:22 pace, while mile 2 was 7:56.  The wind slowed me down, but my average for 11 miles was 7:34 - not bad, for me. 

There are not a whole lot of people on the path, and typically not many animals.  I can count the number of times I have seen animals on one hand.  This would not bother the normal person, but I am unique.  I do not like animals.  Any animal.  All animals.  If animals were to completely disappear tomorrow I would not care.  To answer questions, no, I did not grow up with pets.  No, I did not have a bad experience with an animal.  I've always not liked them.  However, I am most scared of dogs.

There are two spots on the path where you must cross a relatively-busy street.  On my second lap, nearing mile 9, I had to stop and wait for a walk signal.  I was not alone, but there waiting with a biker, a woman who was walking a large dog and a guy walking a huge dog.  The dogs started to bark at each other, with the guy's dog jumping.  Now, this dog was more than just a huge dog.  It was pulling the guy along with it, lunging at the other dog.  Me, being a person who does not like animals, was practically out in the street to get away from the dogs.  The light was not turning, which was frustrating me.  I wanted to get running....away from the dogs.

There was a break in the traffic and the guy with the huge dog ran across the street.  After looking both way, I sprinted across as well.  However, now my problem was going to be passing the guy and his dog.  The path is only so wide!!  I approached the guy quickly, as I was running faster, and asked him if the dog was going to attack me.  This was a serious concern of mine!  He said me, the dog was just showing aggression at the other dog.  Then he said his dog could pull more than 300 pounds and was incredibly strong.  I sprinted past that dog and up the hill I was passing them on faster than ever before.  I wanted nothing to do with that dog.

Many people find my issue with dogs rather funny, and I must agree.  But, I really do not like them.  Whenever I see a dog while running I deliberately cross the street and run on the opposite side.  Needless to say, I'll never be a person who runs with a dog.

Are you a dog person?  Are there any animals that you don't like?  I don't like any animals, but dogs are the worst for me.