I posted before about how I am doing this running program with 2 friends. I love it. LOVE it.
We run around our community rec centre and it’s surrounded by ravine and forest which makes for beautiful surroundings when we run.
Except when it rains.
You see, when it rains…well…the frogs come out.
And I don’t like frogs.
At all.
Not even a little tiny bit.
And when it rains, those buggers decide that our running path is their hopping path.
They have no idea what they do to me.
Two weeks ago we were running. We turned to run up a path along the ravine, in the home stretch of a 25 minute run – almost done! And I saw one.
It was down by my feet and hopped in front of me and I did what I can only describe as some type of weird jig, bringing my knees way up high to miss stepping on it and I screamed.
Like a girl.
I turned around, shouted “OMIGOD I’m sorry I can’t run where there are frogs I’ll meet you in the park!” and left my running buddies in my dust. I was so embarrassed.
So I got made fun of a little. Getting the odd frog jab here and there…
But last night. Last night I realized that I likely have a true phobia of frogs.
We had a run scheduled for tonight. We arrived and it started pouring. We waited and it stopped. It was dark. We started. We were about 3 minutes into it and there it was. A frog. I made some sort of weird guttural noise, did some sort of weird jumping thing and thought “How the hell will I get through this?” I didn’t want to run. I just wanted to go home. I felt sick but was too embarrassed to leave.
We passed I-don’t-know-how-many frogs over the course of the 28 minute run.
I was made fun of by my buddies (you’re welcome for the distraction ladies).
I couldn’t figure out how they were just running without care. Every stone, twig and leaf I saw was a frog to my eyes.
I wondered – halfway through – why my ankles were killing me.
That would be because I was running on the balls of my feet trying to avoid the jumpy little mofo’s. I felt like I was frog hopping the whole time. It wasn’t fun and wrecked the run for me. But I finished.
I was looking for a picture of a frog to post on here and as I looked at the screen full of frogs I felt a little nauseous. They really creep me out.
I found this on wikipedia:
Phobia against frogs often happens after seeing frogs die violently
Phobia against frogs often happens after seeing frogs die violently
Interesting…
A few summers ago we were at a friends house and there was a great big frog on the patio. Sean went to hop over it at the very same time the frog hopped forward.
Think of…a balloon popping. Mmm hmm.
Just as all the children were running over to see the frog.
POP!
(oh – I could vomit just thinking about it)
Perhaps that’s where this phobia came from?
I think it also gives me a bit of insight as to how Cuyler lives. It breaks my heart to think of him that jammed up with anxiety all the time.
I also now know how a college friend felt every time she saw a clown.
Whenever I see a frog, I react the same way she did anytime she saw a clown.
Think Phil Dunphy from Modern Family…Fizbo anyone?
I drew a clown face on my binder and made sure she could see it anytime I opened it up. I thought it was in good fun. Now I know what a big beyotch I was being and how mean it was of me to do that. Denise – I apologize.
I suppose this is karma working.
Anyone else with a phobia?
Mine is called ranidaphobia, my anti-clown friends is coulrophobia.
I know Ali has emetophbia. I relate very much to that one as well.
What are you afraid of?
I am afraid of the combo of speed and height
ie zip lining, jumping out of a plane, roller coasters
I would really like to overcome this!
I have a long list of pet peeves, but I’m grateful to say I don’t seem to have any phobias. Unless you count a fear of conflict 😉 I was going to say, Christine…frogs are kind of a bellwether species, so it’s actually good if you have lots of frogs around. Means the environment is healthy enough to support them! Guess that doesn’t help, though, does it.
Oh, and I almost vomited to hear your story about the frog death.
vomit.
clowns.
birds.
Oh Sara too funny.
So sorry Christine for making fun of you. We all have or little quirks and getting made fun of eases the tension, sometimes. We’ll try really hard to have frog free runs from now on but living in “the country” or at least a green space, small town we are bound to meet up with one of the little hoppers.
I used to have very bad anxiety. Clinically diagnosed and medicated. I had/have GAD – Generalized Anxiety Disorder and SAD – Social Anxiety Disorder. The social speaks for itself but the GAD um, think everything. I would get anxious waiting in line for Tim’s, writing papers for work, renting videos. It progressed to one day when I was at IKEA and the dressers made me anxious. WT*? Then I knew it was time for help when shopping for garden annuals and yep, the flowers made me anxious. Like you’re going to give a speech. The knot in your stomach. The nausea. The pain of embarrassment wondering if anyone is noticing.
I get it Christine. Doesn’t make it any less funny but I get it. Don’t bring any dressers on our next run and I won’t bring any frogs. 🙂
Its funny because before I read about Sean and the frog all I could think about was you running and accidently stepping on one and how GROSS that would be!!!!
I have a horrible fear of falling…escalators, high stair cases, even steep ramps scare the bejeesus out of me! Im not afraid of heights…just falling….!
I also think that living in ***** has made me a tad bit of an agoraphobe (I think that is what it is called)….I feel better in the safety of my own little space! Take me into TO or a big urban city and I get alittle panicy! But I really believe that happened after the Jane Creeba (sp? sorry) murder…shopping on yonge st. was a right of passage for me as a teen…not a place where someone could get shot from random gang gun fire!
Hang in there…winters will be here before we know it and the frogs will all be frozen! LOL
Okay is it bad that I laughed picturing Sean hopping on the frog? Good thing you never made it to the farm – the pool there was like a private spa for amphibians! I have a phobia of …. GUM. I kid you not – it fully grosses me out to see people chew it – I can smell it. It revolts me. We went to meet Bob the Bachelor once and he was chatting us up and I was like ‘dude, the gum…’ – deal breaker for me. Yes…I do realize that pickiness could be why I’m single…