I have never been there.
But after my trip to New Zealand, I think I have a pretty real understanding as to what it would be like to cheat death from an angry bull.
{this is for you BDD}
I'm guessing my little bull-friend wasn't used to seeing American chicas pass by too often [on foot] on the nearby motorway. Truth be told, I can't believe I actually ran on the motorway. The posted speed limit was 100km.
But I did just find this on wikipedia:
In many respects, New Zealand highways are simply the major roads between significant places and can be used by any traveller, including cyclists, [runners-I may or may not have added this part],pedestrians and even farm animals.
Yes, they are so NOT lying on the farm animals part. I learned this fact in Waipu. Yep, you got it pronounced WHY-POO. Which Peanut loved. "Mom, waipu when you can just pee? It's faster." nice.
Anyway, while running in Waipu, there was a farmer [?] walking his cows on the motorway . . . ummm, ya this was after the charging bull experience so you bet your butt I turned around.
I'm really hoping I mentioned there was a fence between me and the bull. Call me a baby, whatever but unless you've had a massive animal like that running full boar, straight for you . . don't judge. ;)
Have I ever mentioned, I am a treadmill girl. kidding. kidding. So I had a week of me. outside. with nature. in New Zealand. no treadmills in sight :( . If I was going to run, I was going to look around and enjoy every moment. I thought it was so cool to run past animals, ocean, dead possums, mean Weka's, singing tui's, 75 year old women - - that when I saw the two massive bulls ahead I thought, "OMGosh, awesome, those are freaking huge bulls!"
Then . . . . .
c h a r g e !
That thing snorted something fierce then came at me like nothing I have ever seen before. [please keep in mind, I'm on a motorway {the ones with cars not farm animals} - I can't just move into the street!]. So, of course, I stop....still staring at the bull and now he and I are NO MORE than 3.5' away from each other [yes, the fence had stopped him]. looked at my hands. s h a k i n g - uncontrollably. Look at heart rate numbers. Yea, I'm still alive!
All is well. On the return, I was a smart little blonde and ran on the other side. of course, I stared him down the whole time. I saw him. He was shaking.
[the motorway minus the bull]
20 comments:
Sounds like quite the running adventure! At least your runs weren't boring. ;o)
Em ... Those darn bulls are freaking scary! And mean! Check out this post and video from when I ran with the Bulls in Pamplona last year. It is from a balcony the first day: http://danglethecarrot.blogspot.com/2009/07/triathlon-training-days-77-86-running.html
Glad you lived to tell about it. I would want more than a fence between me and a mad bull.
That would really scare me! What an adventure.
I've seen the look....I'll bet that bull WAS shaking from your staring him down. Way to go with the intimidation factor. You have been taught well!
Holy crap - that is crazy! I want you with me next time I run into an angry moose!
hehe this made me giggle...I am glad your ok and that your stare down could make him shake in his hooves
Hahahaha!!!! Whypoo.
Spanish miuras are much worst...but, happy that you run in nature...much.much,much better than treadmill (I hate those!!)
Cheers from Hong Kong!
"XTB" Xavi...a Spanish expat guy!
YIKES....scary!!
That is pretty scarey! I watched a bull run in France from the other side of a massive iron gate, and it was insane and really scarey. But the bravest biggest men (not the smartest) would go in there and run with them and then get tossed about like little rag dolls. NZ sounds like a blast I can't wait to see more pictures and stories!
That would freak me out..hope it was a 'sturdy' fence not those rickety ones you tend to see.
Well that's definitely not something you see everyday! Glad you made it out alive! :P
Holy Moley! Scary! I've been chased down by a bull too! And it is amazing that those puney little fences actually stop them because you, me and that bull knows he could run right through it!!
Great job getting out to run in the wilds of New Zealand! The motorway sounds scary!
that's entirely the reason why i don't run: it's way too dangerous.
WOW!!!! I been charged at my dogs, raccoons, deer, and cars, never a bull.
You think by the time peanut has youngins the story will morph to no fence, using a tissue as a mantador sheet and yelling "O LA" while maintaning pace on your run?
(because thats how I would have told it)
Sigh- this makes running the track at the Y even more boring.
Wow..that is a scary, crazy story! I would have been freaking out!! I'm glad the fence stopped the bull!
My husband is a dairy farmer and everyone - everyone - here on the farm is SUPER careful around bulls - we have had some very near misses with very experienced people handling them.
Wooooow. that is NUTS. I'm with Petra - my dad is a farmer and bulls are not ones to mess with.
But, I guess if he would have got you, you could have bought the T-Shirt that you saw that said "I went to NZ and all I got was gored"
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