Snakes vs. Turtles

on October 6, 2009
in All Posts

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I am well-known for “rescuing” turtles I find stuck in the road.  🙂

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But tonight on my run, I spotted a SNAKE in the gutter.  After screaming my face off (he startled me!), I considered trying to move him.  But snakes are not turtles – turtles are slow and gentle.  You tap their shells and they hide from you.  This snake was thrashing around (probably because I was screaming), and I was scurred!

 

I felt bad for leaving him in the gutter, but on my way back home, he was gone.  He must’ve figured out a way to get over the curb and back into the grass.  :)  Thank goodness.

 

I ran 3.0 miles even though I was scheduled for 5.0.  Since I didn’t go to sleep until well past 1:00 AM and woke up at 6:00, I just didn’t have enough energy to fuel me through the entire distance.

 

My statistics were pretty good, though!

 

  • Duration: 29:08
  • Distance: 3.0 miles
  • Mile 1: 9:53
  • Mile 2: 9:34
  • Mile 3: 9:42

 

Here are my eats of the afternoon:

 

Granola and milk:

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A bar:

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Lunch was soup, crackers, and cheese:

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And a Greek yogurt for protein:

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Just realized I haven’t been on a bike ride in MONTHS!  Must remedy that soon.  Maybe tomorrow!

 

Have a good night.

{ 44 comments }

 

  • angieinatlanta October 6, 2009, 9:39 pm

    Snakes are scary; I don’t blame you for not wanting to rescue it. Besides, there’s something sort of sad about turtles. They’re just so darn helpless on their backs!

    Good job knocking out your run! You must have been exhausted from the James drama!

  • Weekly Bite October 6, 2009, 9:40 pm

    I’m with you on the snake thing! They FREAK me out!! Turtles are all go though!

    Have a great evening!
    -estela

  • Weekly Bite October 6, 2009, 9:40 pm

    I meant to say “turtles are all good” 🙂

  • Rebecca October 6, 2009, 9:43 pm

    OMG I saw a snake on a hike once and ran away while my friends took pictures and poked at it with a stick. My friend saw a bear on a hike once too.

  • amanda @ fake ginger October 6, 2009, 9:45 pm

    You’re braver than me. I’m a total animal lover but I don’t think I have it in me to try to save a snake! Ick!

  • Mica October 6, 2009, 9:45 pm

    Thank you for rescuing all the turtles you see! I really love turtles!

    One time, when I was working downtown (in a city…er), I saw a snake on the sidewalk. I ran up to my office building (at the State Bar Offices, no less) and grabbed a giant cardboard box that had held printer paper. I tried to coax the snake into the box, but it bit me in the hand and then fell down some sidewalk grate. I felt so bad that I couldn’t help it/terrified that I’d just been bitten by a snake.

  • Cynthia (It All Changes) October 6, 2009, 9:45 pm

    I would freak if I saw a snake!

    I was thinking about getting in a bike ride this weekend before it gets too cold.

  • caronae October 6, 2009, 9:48 pm

    OMG I HATE snakes and would never “help” one on a run (or ever, really). I see them rarely in the summer, and I pretty much have a panic attack every time. You are a brave soul for considering helping him!

  • emily October 6, 2009, 9:49 pm

    That turtle is adorable! When we lived in Miami we bought a little turtle from Coconut Grove, I loved it.

  • Jessica @ How Sweet It Is October 6, 2009, 9:49 pm

    Ugh my worst nightmare…I am so deathly afraid of snakes. I hate them!

  • Mary October 6, 2009, 9:50 pm

    I heard it is 80 degrees in Orlando!! I thought of you when I heard that…is that right? Would love at least one weekend of Florida running weather!

    • caitlin October 7, 2009, 7:13 am

      oh god i think it was 90 at one point?! it might cool off towards november/december but its really always hot in orlando. ugh.

  • Meg October 6, 2009, 9:53 pm

    I love bike riding! I would’ve freaked if I saw a snake as well, but I’m sure he was just as startled as you were!

    Have a great night!
    Meg

  • Amelia October 6, 2009, 9:54 pm

    Oh my gosh… this is so creepy because I saw a snake too today– this morning while walking my dog. I am DEATHLY AFRAID of snakes– so afraid that I was scared to read this whole post for fear that you had posted a picture of the snake after the turtle picture! My skin has literally been crawling all day after seeing that little guy this morning. And he wasn’t even alive. Luckily my boyfriend came to the rescue & got him out of the road tonight when he got home from work. Strange coincidence though!

  • Bec October 6, 2009, 9:57 pm

    I havent been on my road bike in a week and half and tomorrow it goes into the shop for its first tune up! Hopefully I’ll get some rides in soon before the snow

  • Evan Thomas October 6, 2009, 9:58 pm

    Snakes freak me out. ’nuff said

  • AshleyLauren October 6, 2009, 10:01 pm

    I stepped on the tiniest little snake while walking about 2 weeks ago! He was maybe 5 inches long and skinny- my husband RAN away, it was too funny. I am only scared of roaches, haha.

    • caitlin October 7, 2009, 7:12 am

      hahahahhaa

  • Amber from GIrl with the Red Hair October 6, 2009, 10:01 pm

    I almost stepped on a snake when I was running once. Scared the bejeezus out of me!

  • Deva (Voracious Vorilee) October 6, 2009, 10:08 pm

    I love snakes, but seeing them when you aren’t expecting to see one is frightening!

    I am so happy that James is doing okay – what a scary ordeal for your whole family!

  • Emily (Emily Eats and Exercises) October 6, 2009, 10:08 pm

    I love that picture of you with your bike helmet and the turtle. I saw a turtle on a bike ride once – she was burying her eggs! When I came back by the spot they were all covered up. I would not have been brave enough to move the snake either.

  • mikey October 6, 2009, 10:10 pm

    i looovvveee turtles! i used to have a few 🙁 miss em. but then again i used to have a snake too, lol. blueberry yogurt- yum!

  • Amy October 6, 2009, 10:20 pm

    Haha! Caitlin, I’m glad you recovered from your “snake scare” and had a great run 🙂 I have seen several snakes before on my runs (including one really big one!) and it definitely made me scream, too– and run a lot faster (away…)Also, I’m glad everything with James turned out okay– I know everyone in your house will be happier to have a quieter night tonight!

  • Lindsay October 6, 2009, 10:29 pm

    Snakes are scary! I’m glad he figured a way to get out without you having to help!

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) October 6, 2009, 10:29 pm

    I love snakes!! But I don’t know if I would be able to pick up a random one in the gutter …

  • Morgan @ Life After Bagels October 6, 2009, 10:37 pm

    snakes are one of the scariest creatures on earth, ewww I’m scarred just thinking about them, ewwwwww!

  • Jenn Eats Nutritiously Now October 6, 2009, 10:46 pm

    I would not have been able to “save” the snake, either!

  • Amy October 6, 2009, 10:50 pm

    Hi! As someone who majored in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, I do not recommend moving any snakes unless you are 100% sure you know what it is. 🙂 As a general rule (there are always exceptions), venomous snakes will have more triangular heads due to their venom glands and they will also have vertical pupils. A great exception to the rule is the coral snake – just remember whenever 2 warning colors (red and yellow) are touching to not go near! I move turtles too – just make sure you move them to the side of the road they’re facing or they’ll just go back in the road once you’ve gone. They definitely have their minds made up on where they are heading. 🙂

    • caitlin October 7, 2009, 7:11 am

      it was a little black one – just a regular garden snake (i think???). but you’re right, we have TONS of venomous snakes in Florida, which is why i was soooo scurred. LOL.

  • Melissa S. October 6, 2009, 11:02 pm

    great job getting hte run in, even with that little sleep. my 5 miler today felt like crap after my measly 4 hrs of sleep last night.

    and yay for saving turtles. i do it too; lots here in TX.

  • Ali@ Food, FItness, Fashion October 6, 2009, 11:20 pm

    I know how you feel, I am deathly afraid of mice and rats…yuck!

  • Lizzy October 6, 2009, 11:52 pm

    i wish it was still warm out to go on bike rides!

  • Rebekah October 6, 2009, 11:54 pm

    Snakes are definitely not turtles!

    I love animals and I always stop for dogs when I’m driving because 1) I’d like someone to do that for my dog if he got out and 2) I’d feel awful if I drove by later and the dog was dead on the side of the road. Even with dogs though, I’m nervous about approaching them when I’m just out walking. Especially if I’m several miles away from my house, I know I wouldn’t be able to get help in time if something went horribly wrong.

    Fortunately I know most of the dogs who take “unauthorized walks” and they’re happy to have my accompany them back to their houses 🙂

  • Whole Body Love October 7, 2009, 12:02 am

    Mallard has rescued baby bunnies near his worksite, frogs from the fire escape windows and turtles from the road. But, I have yet to find any wild creature in need of rescue…other than when I adopted Pedro, my chihuhua. He had two missing teeth and a broken leg when I got him.

  • Kristine October 7, 2009, 2:19 am

    i would have been screaming if i saw the snake too lol luckily it found its way out of the gutter out of harms way :]

  • Diana October 7, 2009, 3:26 am

    I would totally have ran the other way as soon I saw that snake ahah Turtles are cute! 🙂

  • Runningwriter October 7, 2009, 5:01 am

    Don’t feel bad for not moving the snake. I’ve seen my Dad bitten and several animals die from snake bites and I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have shown you the appreciation you deserved.
    Snake = bad, Turtle = good 🙂

  • Shannon October 7, 2009, 6:00 am

    I have a soft spot for all animals…even snakes. But that doesn’t mean that I would go near, much less move a snake. I would have had my best time ever on that run! Running away!

  • Madeline @ GreensAndJeans October 7, 2009, 9:14 am

    I always rescue turtles. My parents actually have two box turtles that live in a habitat we made in their backyard that I rescued from the side of the road after realizing they had been hit by cars (both are missing a leg). Snakes however are my kryptonite. I’ve actually been known to throw up when I see a snake because they freak me out so much. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeew.

  • Jenna October 7, 2009, 9:17 am

    i would have NOT touched that snack! glad you didn’t either! hah.
    jenna

  • Laura@FindingAHealthyBalance October 7, 2009, 11:20 am

    I live right near a lake and we are always seeing Turtles (sometimes quite large ones) on the road……..luckily before anything bad has happened to them and usually someone is already moving them. =) A month ago this lady was trying to move one that had to be 20+ pounds I swear. =O

  • Anne Marie@ New Weigh of Life October 7, 2009, 11:23 am

    Aww I love turtles…..so cute!

  • Aggie October 7, 2009, 11:55 am

    I’m a turtle rescuer too!! No thank you on the snakes!!
    Congrats on your nominations!

  • Tammy October 8, 2009, 1:51 pm

    I do the same thing with turtles…I’m sure people the people behind me in a hurry don’t appreciate it when I stop, but I saved a life!

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