So someone who feels that they have a moral obligation to protecting life and property while in the legal confines of the law should either move or see a psychologist. I fail to see that logic. Turn the table and consider that I feel that training or racing with headphones/music is flat out foolish. Same with helmets. Perhaps I like to call out people like that and call them reckless and point them to the nearest psychologist.

In a land of over 300 million people, you are going to have some outliers in the statistical curve that are just plain dangerous. If I could carry a 2x4 while biking or running, I certainly would. But, a small firearm is more more practical and much more discrete.

And if I could not tie my shoe proficiently while in the middle of a run, then perhaps I would not be running.

Making commute conversation with the Wife this morning, I told her about this thread. Her first response was to laugh. Then she said that if we lived in a place where we felt obligated to carry a gun whilst training, we'd move. I agreed. It's certainly not the environment in which I want to live.

(Plus, I couldn't imagine carting around a weapon and running. I can't stand bringing the iPhone due to the weight and size. The Garmin is on the edge of acceptability.)

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

Where I live carrying a gun while training would probably create more risk than it would avert.

HOWEVER ---> If cyclists in general got a reputation for being armed, and out of their damn minds, I think pickups would run into us and harass us less.

So, I totally support other people being out of their minds and carrying guns while riding =)

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

If I was worried about statistical outliers ruining my life id be stuck in the house with fear. Getting into a situation where I need to shoot my way out is an outlier. Falling off my bike because I couldn't unclip fast enough and hitting my head is not

In the winter, my fingers get cold/stiff and I have trouble tying my shoes. I wouldn't have to have to kill someone proficiently under the same conditions

Racing/riding is foolish and should be a DQ.

Or we'd be seen as an easy source of guns and we'd be run down more and robbed

I dunno, did biker gangs ever have problems with that?

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Ha, I would rather just be left alone than be either. But that is not a option that I have for the most part.

The funny thing is that most of the people I work with know that I S/B/R as I keep a bike in my office for lunch rides. But, even still, they go absolutely bat shit crazy when they see a biker in the road. All manner of stuff about be a danger to the road and taking up lanes, they whole gamut. I try to explain to them that riding on a greenway is dangerous for several reasons (spastic kids, dogs off leashes, mtn bikes lurching left and right at 10 mph if lucky) and that riding on the road is typically safer. Now, I also know that asshole bikers blasting stoplights/signs don't do any of us favors.

Fact is, it's dangerous out there. It's one added piece of protection. It took several instances of being assaulted and harassed before I started to carry. To be sure, I only ride with my Wife or alone, so I don't have a huge group of people with me to help deter any morons out there. I also ride backroads or out in the country, so I stay out of downtown traffic and bipedal trash. But hey, if you want to make fun of some one for carrying a firearm, by all means do so. I'll just smile and walk away. That's how i get out of shit, by staying away or walking away. However, when push comes to shove, I'm going to do everything in my power to come out on top. No exceptions.

I will never own or carry a gun. Never. So the answer would not be no, but HELL NO.

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

I'm glad that I live in a place where my biggest threats are slipping on ice and getting hurt or getting hit by a car. Like you, I have to carry a rifle during exercises (thankfully not on deployments) in the Armed Forces in Canada, and the only time I fired it was at the "IVAN" target (this was back in cold war days and the target was known as IVAN....sorry to my eastern Euro friends).

Anyway, it never occurred to me when I run in "not great neighbourhoods" in some parts of the world that this might be needed. I figure I can run faster than 99.99 of the population if I am attacked. I'm generally strong enough to get away. If I am attacked by a gun, I'm dead anyway, so no point carrying on even if I had one. I should be able to handle myself in a knife fight even if I don't have a knife, if not, what is the point of all this athletic training, if I can't get away from a loser wielding a knife at me.

We need to change our approach. Instead of the "actually sir we are required and legally allowed to ride on the roads, healthy lifestyle, bla bla bla"

we need to start a rep for being the mean crazy bastards we really are.

So next time someone says "omg that is so dangerous" reply with something crazy like:

"Cyclists aren't afraid to die motherf&@*#er, stay out of our way!"

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Helmets and seatbelts (and smoke detectors, etc.) are not in the same category as firearms. It's a silly comparison that people make.

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

I have run in various places all over the world - down-towns of big cities, wild and rough places out in the bush and country, and I have never felt the need for this sort of thing.

I always loved it when I would go check-in with the concierge at a hotel where I was staying, and ask them about where a good place to run is and they would almost always suggest the treadmill in the hotel gym!

My only regret with all these runs all over the place is that I never took a camera with me on these typical first thing in the morning runs. Quite honestly they are some of the most vivid and lasting memories I have had from my time as an athlete. Not sure if I would have got that from looking at the wall while running on the treadmill in the hotel gym.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

It's a silly comparison that people make.

I think it's called "deflection"! :)

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

How is it silly?

Actually, you may be correct in that it's a different category, but risk mitigation is still the crux. Consider it an escalation of force or determent of injury. Riding down the road, so crazy ass dog is galloping aside me (were on a bike at this point), and is obviously trying to attack me. (I have three dogs, so don't even try to paint me as anti dog) The first thing I have tried to do is out pace the dog. Works fine, unless you are going up hill. Now I take out my can of halt and give the doggie a nice little bath in it. I have actually trained with this stuff while riding to make sure that i only hit what i am aiming at and that i dont get sprayed myself or blast my wife by accident.

Dog is still coming at me, now what? Sure, its a long shot of being attacked by dogs on a ride or run, but it does happen. Every day.

Just like all the other violence. One does not need an external physical weapon to cause harm. There are several cases where women are raped just by brute force. But a women out running or riding with a firearm has at least a chance of defending herself. Despite all the action movies, women are not physical equals of men. Besides, most rapists go after physically weaker women. So why not give them a chance? Is it because you hate women or that you wish women to be raped at will? No, that's absurd. But you do want them to be protected.

Carrying a firearm while out ridding or running may not be YOUR choice, but it is mine. Life is about choices we all make. Some people make bad ones (criminals) others want to be protected from those (me).

Oh and believe me I have no desire what-so-ever to have to use my firearm to take another persons life. That is why I stay out of populated areas when I train. But you just cannot live behind gated communities and turn off the flow of information and pretend that the area you live in is 100% crime free.

I'll just say that for some reason gun enthusiasts dream up scenarios that sound plausible to them, but to everyone else they usually sound totally insane.

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Yes I carry (and tatical flashlight) when I run in the early mornings (before 0430) and when I go on solo bike rides. Is it comfortable running while carrying? No. But it is comforting to know that I can defend myself if I need to. I'm always in condition yellow (aware of my surroundings) and can usually avoid confrontation (i.e. cross the street to avoid a person) AND I always have a plan to flee.

Who said i was a gun enthusiast?

I'll just say that for some reason gun enthusiasts dream up scenarios that sound plausible to them, but to everyone else they usually sound totally insane.

Jack,

Agreed

As noted, I have run all over the world - these guys dream up scenarios that seem more suited to tactics and strategies needed in war-zones. Now, I know that we do have some active Service-men and women on the forum, so for them, I can kind of get it ( like Power being in CONDITION YELLOW when he goes running - whatever the heck that is!)

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Tac Flashlights are the way to go.

My bad: Condition Yellow

What I have heard all my life:

You are joining the Marines? You're insane!
You're not going to college? You're insane!
You are getting out of the Marines? You're insane!
You're going to college? You're insane!

I shit you not!!!

Along with:
You ride motorcycles? You're insane!
You 're getting married? You're insane!
You're not having kids? You're insane!
You have 3 dogs? awwwwwwww I love puppies! Can I hold one? She is sooooooo cute! giggle giggle! Oh, and you're insane!
You run? You're insane!
You run a marathon? You're insane!
You are doing roadbike now? You're insane!
You are doing tri's? You're insane!
You want to do an Ironman? You're insane!

So I carry a firearm and you call me or the idea of it insane? I'll just go ahead and put that in the folder with all the other shit people have said to me over my life.

If I am so insane, please show me my criminal record or body count. I don't sit around masturbating while reading slowtwitch on one computer while playing with my garmin on arm trying to get my stroke count up or down and in sync with my swolf score. Now that shits just crazy.

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Condition Yellow usually starts for me about an hour into an Ironman ride....


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Maybe you should listen! lol

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

That reminds me that I really need to clean by cycling shoes! The smell of old piss is the worst!

Do you have a gun tattoo on your left arm?

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.