Here Goes My Pride: Anyone Ever Faceplanted on a run?

mynewyorkad

So, I need some of you guys' embarrassing "I was running and then BLAM I was on the ground" stories, because that definitely just happened to me. On a sidewalk, in front of about 30 passing cars! I was going at a pretty nice pace (for me), and then my shoe caught a bump in the sidewalk while I was mid-stride and it took me DOWN. Hard. As in, caught myself with my hands and knees and then had blood running down my legs for everyone to see.

Because did I stop? Nooo, I got up faster than I ever have before and then jogged at an even faster pace for the rest of my jog so that I could jog off my embarrassment. Of course, the blood was running down my leg like a freaking scarlet letter sign "clumsy-*kitten* broad, watch it!"

And did it hurt at the time? No. Not really. I was at the end of my jog, so the adrenaline was flowing. Now I am whimpering like a baby, and trying not to clutch my knees.

*sigh* Please, someone lose their pride with me.

JanerZzz

Bwahahaha sorry you fell! Falling is funny though! I've definitely fallen going UP the stairs while walking up to the street from the subway! Sorry people behind me, but oops there goes my butt cheeks in your face!

promiseskept

3 weeks ago I tore up the palm of my hand and knee like this. I have a lot of weight to lose so it was fat girl falling down. But! I thought to myself, I am glad I don't have the extra 28 lbs that I had on me in November!! It still was humbling and embarrassing. Glad you weren't injured any worse!

reallivefitness

Oh no! I've never fallen like that on a run, but I am super clumsy all the time, so I am normally tripping over air. It happens, and way to go for finishing your run! I probably would have started crying and called someone to pick me up. :-P

Ninjitsu

Many of us have been there.

Was it embarrassing? Yes.

Did it stop you? No, because you're driven to succeed

That says a lot about who you are... An awesome person who pushes through the pain in life and comes out better on the other side.

Way to go!

-Rain

balfonso

Not quite eating pavement, but I was walking along the train platform and I was the only one walking along it and a lot of people were already there waiting for the train when suddenly a pigeon underestimated its flight route and smacked its wings in my face. Of all the weirdest things, it happened to me. The bystanders found this amusing.

kgalea

Been there, done that... I ended up with stitches in my chin though, since I wasn't able to catch myself (probably a good thing since I may have broken wrists if I had).

I was approximately 2 miles from home. The headphones went flying, the owner of the house across the street came running out to check on me since he heard me fall (was in the back yard working). When I called my husband to come pick me up, there was no answer (he was in the shower). The homeowner drove me home and I drove myself to the hospital. It was kind of nerve racking taking a ride from the stranger, but in the end, I am glad that I did (had considered continuing on my run as well). I later delivered a basket of baked goods to the homeowner as a thank you.

Hope you are feeling better quickly!

gentlebreeze2

Not when running, but when I was 8 months pregnant and in the middle of crossing the street, I tripped on an unever part of the street. A nice older gentleman rushed out and helped me up. He asked if I was ok, and I assured him I was. Went to the hospital later to visit a friend, and ran into the nice helpful older gentleman again. He saw me, and came up right away. He says, I thought you told me you were ok. I laughed, and said I was just visiting a friend. But I had to suffer the humiliation twice.

nickyevans

I braked too hard on my bike once and went over the handlebars in front of loads of people, I was so embarassed and people coming up to see if I was ok just made it 10x worse!

Flyntiggr

I was running in an area with no sidewalks, so I was on the road. Ya know how it kinda slants off on the sides towards the gravel? Yeah - I fell OFF the road. Sprained my ankle to boot!

Was walking through Palm Springs after a business dinner with some clients - NOTE - I had not had anything to drink. Sidewalks were brick - I had on heels. We were walking along laughing - then BLAM! I'm on the ground. Stupid heels + weak ankles + cracks between the bricks = Kristen on her *kitten*! At least no one you KNEW was standing right next to you when you did it.

mynewyorkad

These are helping so much! Glad I'm not alone!

I feel your pain, and at least we can all laugh about it now, right? LOL

amyrc12

Not when running, but when I was 8 months pregnant and in the middle of crossing the street, I tripped on an unever part of the street. A nice older gentleman rushed out and helped me up. He asked if I was ok, and I assured him I was. Went to the hospital later to visit a friend, and ran into the nice helpful older gentleman again. He saw me, and came up right away. He says, I thought you told me you were ok. I laughed, and said I was just visiting a friend. But I had to suffer the humiliation twice.

I had a prego "oops" too... only a couple weeks before my son was born. It was November, my feet were so swollen that the only thing I could squeeze on them were flip flops. I learned that old navy flip flops and painted pavement don't like eachother. One leg back... one leg forward... ouch. That smooth move landed me in the hospital to make sure the thigh to the underbelly didn't hurt my munchkin. He was fine - just my ego got bruised in the process.

Did I mention I was walking out of a store - in the rain - with about a dozen people around? I was up and walking to the car before anyone had a chance to offer help. I can still hear the gasps from the crowd when I went down....

koosdel

Just a few weeks ago I was running at the park. The trail makes a 90 degree turn onto a wooden bridge. Well, the bridge was wet. My feet flew up and I piled into the rail. It was very exciting.

brendalyne

Got a lovely scar on my knee as proof that I fell HARD while running about 5 years ago I hit a hole in the road....I even saw it coming, but couldn't stop myself! Unfortunately, when I got up, not only did I have blood running down my leg, but I had twisted my ankle. I wasn't embarrassed because I was about a mile outside of town on a lonely little road and no one saw it. But for a week I had to explain why I was limping! I'm just starting to do a little jogging again....still just doing intervals. But I now either use a treadmill or go to the track to do my jogging. I don't want to ever repeat that incident.

Bridgetc140

Awww..I'm sorry you fell. My story is similar, but from high school. I was riding my bike to softball practice (about 4 miles) down a main road that ran in and out of town when I was feeling hot. I took off my coat and had it draped on my arm....well the sleeve went in between the tire and the brake and my bike came to a screeching halt! Of course, I flew over the handle bars and skid on the ground......all those terrible little stones on the shoulder. My hands and knees were all torn up! It was so embarrassing! Of course all these cars stopped to see if I was okay.....so humiliating! lol

kelsully

I was running along the chicago lakefront with my dad, boyfriend (now hubby) with my mom waiting...we all ran our own paces. So I show up at the end of the run limping and bleeding from elbows knees and somehow a huge scrape on my back too....when asked what happened all I could say was...I fell down.....didn't trip really over any obstacle...didn't get tripped. Or bumped...just fell down...did a great judo roll and got back on my feet and kept running...now the lakefront was crowded that day but not a soul checked on me...despite the blood I think the reddest part about me were my blushing cheeks

anzura

When I first started running, I fell 3 times in the first year. I haven't since and I hope I'm not jinxing myself!!!

Two times, I did it just like you....tripped on an uneven sidewalk, caught my toe and went down on my knees and hands. OUCH! The third time I tripped on my dog who was not looking forward and swerved into me and I caught his leg. We were both hurt on that one.

I think it's very common when you first start running. You just have to get used to that foot fall and become aware when you zone out.

Here's hoping we stay road rash free!

HeatherShrinking

Wow, you're pretty badass! That is awesome to keep going like that. I would have sleeked into a corner somewhere.

rybo

I tripped over a root one time trail running way back in college. No one was around though & I didnt get banged up.

My worst trip was in high school running the intermediate hurdles at a big track meet. Leading the race, next to last hurdle..BAM. Down, lost the race, finished 4-5th.

iplayoutside19

I don't have any running stories like that. However, I used to Mt Bike a lot. Plenty of bumps and scrapes from that. Not from gnarly down hills or riding off 6 ft drop-offs. Concentration is usually pretty good for the stuff you can really get hurt on.

But rather the mundain stuff. Last summer I was at the end of my ride. It was hot. I was going into the wind, and I was really tired. I was going through some shallow sand on a dirt road, and I just stopped pedaling and fell over. I layed in the sand with my bike on top of me for at least 30 seconds before I realized what happened. Luckily no-one was around for miles....or was that a bad thing?

Most emberassing was on Sunday I was just messing around on my bike. I was trying to ride over some RR ties in front of the neighbors house. Instead going perpedicular to the tie, I went at an angle, and ended up on the ground. I could see them laughing at me from the window. I was laughing too.

punkrockmama

OH NO! I'm sorry. And I'm laughing.

I fell at the gas station last week. I was pumping gas and went to peak on my kids and I fell, dramatically, into the car and onto the ground. People jumped out of their cars to check on me. And that was just while walking.

My husband's best friend lives in DC. He rides his bike everywhere, and had just gotten new pedals with straps for the feet. (I'm sure you can see where this is going). Well, on his maiden voyage he came to a red-light, and stopped, and couldn't get his feet out of the straps. He said it was mad busy (am rush hour!), and it was a slow motion fall. He said he had plenty of time to think about it and realize that there was nothing he could do about it. Lol.

iplayoutside19

now the lakefront was crowded that day but not a soul checked on me...despite the blood I think the reddest part about me were my blushing cheeks

That makes me mad. Um Hello? People don't walk around bleeding because it's a fashion statement. I would at least ask, If you tell me you're OK, I'll ask again. And then move along.

UpEarly

I slid on a bunch of pea gravel power-walking down a steep hill. I flailed around for about 25 feet, like I was on ice skates, before sliding to a stop on my hands and knees... on top of my poor dog... in front of a bunch of teenage boys playing basketball on a driveway.

MORTIFYING!

The kids were actually really nice and polite, but I am sure they laughed at me once I was up and out of earshot. I still have scars on my knees three years later!

chellekoren

Can't say that I've done that, but I don't run much. I HAVE hit myself in the nose while trying to get out of a hold during martial arts. I can also say that if I do ever take up running, I'm sure I would do a face plant some time or another. I'm just like that. I'm like the clutzy one on a sitcom that everyone laughs at.

Flyntiggr

I don't have any running stories like that. However, I used to Mt Bike a lot. Plenty of bumps and scrapes from that. Not from gnarly down hills or riding off 6 ft drop-offs. Concentration is usually pretty good for the stuff you can really get hurt on.

But rather the mundain stuff. Last summer I was at the end of my ride. It was hot. I was going into the wind, and I was really tired. I was going through some shallow sand on a dirt road, and I just stopped pedaling and fell over. I layed in the sand with my bike on top of me for at least 30 seconds before I realized what happened. Luckily no-one was around for miles....or was that a bad thing?

Most emberassing was on Sunday I was just messing around on my bike. I was trying to ride over some RR ties in front of the neighbors house. Instead going perpedicular to the tie, I went at an angle, and ended up on the ground. I could see them laughing at me from the window. I was laughing too.

Oh yeah, I wiped out pretty good on my bike once too. Had just finished a 15 mile trail ride. At the end of the trail, they have the barriers to prevent cars from getting on the trail. There is a little rut on the right of one of the poles where everyone rides around to get to the parking lot. Well, I went to go around the pole, and hit some pea gravel. Slid about 15 down the hill with my bike between my legs and hands still on the handle bars. It happened so fast, I didn't even know what hit me. Got to the car, and my friend looked at me and said, "What took you so long, and why are you bleeding?" ugh....

elliecolorado

I had a few mountain biking accidents, luckily it was when I was with my dad and never when I was with any of my male friends I have also fallen off of the back of a treadmill before by not paying attention :blushing: I still will not use the treadmill if I am running I stick to doing it outside.

orangeswild123

I haven't fallen as bad as that, I was just in the zone and didn't see this piece of concrete busting up so I tripped over it. So when I fell I just kind of landed in a lunge position. But my left knee was touching the ground. I went down in an awkward way haha like woooaahhh kind of arm movements LOL. I did this in front of a few people in a parked car across the street. I looked up and saw them looking at me so I know they saw it. I just take things like that and turn them into a funny situation. You just have to laugh about it! So I just turned to them and was like "I'm OKAY! I do this all the time!" they laughed a little bit, I did too and was on my way Also keep in mind the people you see when you're running, especially in cars you won't see them again. So I wouldn't worry It happens to everyone!

orange_avocado

I did this in the gym once - I was 2 minutes away from running 30 min straight (my longest run ever at the time) when someone turned on the TV and I looked up, distracted. That second of distraction was all it took - I ran right off the treadmill! I felt sooo lame and even more angry that I hadn't gotten all the way to 30 minutes! :laugh:

Legs_McGee

I fall all the time - I'm totally spastic. I tend to run up and down the stairs here at my office and frequently trip over my own feet (then try to play it off that I wasn't the one crashing around). I've fallen out of my desk chair (more than once). And yes, I've fallen several times running. I was doing the Chuckanut Foot Race, which is a 7 mile run along a groomed trail....I tripped over a tree root and did a total somersault - almost wiped out a whole crowd of runners. Luckily I managed to throw myself to the side of the trail at the last moment.

ReneeOfTheFae

Ouch! My knees hurt just reading that! Well, I can't think of many recent incidents, but when I was 12, I was riding my bike along with my friend on the dirt roads around my house. Well, one of my shoe laces got caught in the gears and all I could do was coast to the side of the road and drop. Drop as in, just fall over to the side. I was laughing so hard, but it definitely hurt.

mlb929

Oh, you are making me hurt all over again. I was "almost" hit by a car who turned in front of me in a cross walk, and it threw me off mind and balance enough I fell. I did some research and decided that I was more muscle fatigued from intense training than I thought. I still have a horrible scar on my knee - a year later - and my favorite pair of running pants with a bad hole. You are SO not alone! I ended up taking a week off to nurse my wounds and recovery from my misery. At least the 30 cars kept going - I had three - YES 3 - people that saw it, but they ALL stopped and checked on me, I wanted to get up and keep running but had to chat that I was OK. I called my boss to come get me, told him I'd be take for work and went home to clean up.

My kids now refer to my scar as my "war wound" from running - like my oldest has one from the trip to Hawaii, or the motorcycle crash he got - wear it with pride that HECK, at least you were out there exercising, right?

It sucks! Sorry that happened, hope you feel better soon.