There were thirteen miles before the real reason I am writing. They were thirteen good solid, fast, exciting miles from The YMCA to the Salisbury Airport and back. And although it was my second fastest thirteen miles to date, all those miles meant so little after what I experience at mile thirteen.

Instead of running through the downtown park in Salisbury at eight at night, the route was changed to avoid potential dangerous shady people who could be roaming around the park. We ran instead around the park on a street just above the park. There are a number of houses that overlook the park and the streets are close to the curb with no sidewalk or shoulder to the road. When cars passed we moved to the leaves that covered the curbs and continues down the road. It was dark, but safe with large street lights and enough room and time to run on the dirt as the cars passed. The cars and shady folks were not our problem this night.

As we were halfway down the road a light came on on the porch of this white house on the righthand side of the road. Then the entire night changed. I heard loud barking and then turned to see a huge brown pit bull charging right at me. The dog’s mouth open and drooling, its legs racing, its muscular body flying…. My pace picked up, but after thirteen miles of running at a decent pace I wasn’t able to sprint. I increased to probably a eight minute mile as the dog dashed across the front yard at easily twice that speed and leaped into the street. He was mere seconds from attacking me and driving his teeth into my legs. I knew I could do nothing. I knew all I could do was run. At that moment I looked to my right and saw a large gold SUV and then heard a loud THUMP and then the sound of the brakes locking and then two more sounds of the SUV rolling over the dog. The dog made no sounds, but not because it was dead. It was, it seems, fine. Or better than I would have guessed after getting slammed by a large vehicle. I looked back, as the dog wobbled back to the house without whimpering, and kept running completing sixteen miles.

There are probably animal right people out there or animal lovers out there that feel bad for the dog. I don’t, bit I don’t blame the dog. I blame the owners. The lousy owners that believe they need a dog with a killer instinct living in their home. The lousy owners that open a door knowing their dog may spring out the door. The lousy owners that live near a public park where kids, families, runners, bikers, and people enjoying the outdoors pass by.

This is not the first time a dog has chased me and it won’t be the last. Unfortunately in the area I live people find it acceptable to have large dangerous dogs and allow them to roam around without a leash. This is unacceptable behavior. The incident above was not on a random, obscure country road. This was near one of the most popular public places in Wicomico county.

I love dogs. I own a dog.

I do not own a dog for the sole purpose of having it protect my family, however I know that my dog will bark and may bite a stranger if they enter my home. Owning an animal means understanding that they may act like an animal. I do not let my dog out without a leash nor do I open the door without knowing who is there and where my dog is. I am not against pit bulls, but I am against owning a dog just to inflict harm. Especially if that dog is trying to kill me. I love my life more than any animal.

Biking I have had two pit bull incidents on country roads… I outraced them. Pit bulls run between 25-30mph. So when I bike I have to push it hard to get past them.

You can’t outrace a pit bull running.

Restrain your dogs.

I am buying bear spray. Beware dogs.