Trail Running Basics (Part 4, "Natural hazards on the Trail")

So you decided that you want to try trail running, but you don't know quite know what to do. I will tell you exactly what you will need to pursue this crazy sport in a series of blog entries.
In parts 1, 2, and 3 I've told you how to prepare for the trail. In this section, I'll describe some of Mother Nature's dangers to watch out for.

Natural Hazards on the Trail

Rattlesnakes. Rattlesnakes live all over the United States, and the Western Diamondback is found nearly everywhere in the American Southwest. Being cold-blooded, rattlesnakes are particularly active when its hot and sunny. Be especially vigilant around mid-day; they like to crawl out in the middle of the trail and absorb the sun's warmth. Make sure to scan ahead and listen for the rattle. Avoid stepping on any branches, which rattlesnakes sometimes look like. Also, avoid stepping on any mounds or holes in the ground, where a rattlesnake might be hiding. Most bites happen when you're not paying attention. Don't turn over any rocks or logs. If you do spot a snake, stop and relax. The snake is more afraid of you than you are of it. Now that you've spotted it, the odds that this encounter will end badly is nearly zero as long as you don't do anything stupid. Do not get close to it. Do not throw rocks at it or try to move it with a stick. Simply give it some time and plenty of space to slither off the trail.

If you do get bitten, call 911 from your cellphone and have an ambulance meet you at the closest road to your current location. From this point, you have about 40-50 minutes to get medical attention.

Any North American snakes other than rattlesnakes are completely harmless, so don't sweat it if you see one.

Mountain lions. Also called cougars and pumas, mountain lions are abundant in the western United States, though you'd hardly know it because these creatures are so stealthy. Attacks on humans do occur, but they are very rare. Only 6 fatalities ever have been reported in California. But because of a fairly recent fatal attack, mountain lions are on people's conscience. To avoid an attack, don't crouch down and appear to be a quadruped. This seems to be what happened to the guy that got killed. Also, be vigilant at dusk and dawn. When confronted by a lion, make lots of noise and try to appear bigger by opening your jacket. Most people are able to fend off an attack by rocks, sticks, pepper spray, or even bare hands. Mountain lions are very strong--males grow to 180 lb and can easily take down deer or even moose five times their size. But they have no endurance and not much of a will to fight, so unless they see you as an easy, painless meal they will back off.

Black bears. In the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, where I run, there are no bears. But they are almost everywhere else in California and the rest of the American West. They are less shy and more agressive than mountain lions, thus pose a bigger danger. If you run in bear country, bring pepper spray and do some research into how to fend off a bear attack. I can't help you.

Africanized honey bees. Also known as killer bees, these creatures have migrated from South America and are establishing themselves in much of the American South. They are already established in the LA area, so we might as well get used to them. The problem with these bees is that they tend to swarm when they sense that their hive may be in danger. To avoid bees, the most important thing is to avoid disturbing anything that looks like it could be a hive, especially mounds or holes in the ground.

Ticks. Ticks carry all kinds of nasty diseases, one of the scariest being Lyme disease. You can pick up a tick by brushing up against vegitation. After running, check all of your exposed skin for ticks. Wearing pants will minimize the risk.

Mosquitos. West Nile Virus has been identified in every state with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii. It's here; we have to deal with it. If you're going to run somewhere where there are a lot of mosquitos, wear deet to repell them.

Poison Oak. As I mentioned in part 3, poison oak grows almost everywhere in shady areas in California. Poison oak rashes can be excruciatingly painful. Inhaled or injested, poison oak can be extremely dangerous and may require hospitalization. Do yourself a favor, and wear pants when you run and avoid touching any leaves or branches with your bare hands, unless you have identified exactly the kind of plant that you are touching.