For those who don’t know, I’m trying hard to get into shape. I’ve got an athletic competition coming up later this summer, so I’ve been running more than I’ve ever run before. I can now do 5 miles in one outing–prior to this summer, my maximum had been two. My goal is to be able to run 5 miles 3 times within a day. In achieving this goal, I’m also trying to get my weight down from 170 to 150. I have a bad knee, so this most likely will be a one shot deal, and after this summer, I’ll have to find other ways to keep in shape.
I was running yesterday near my house. My house is located near the fringes of the city, and there are fields and horses just a little beyond where I live . It’s not the big city, and even though there are cars constantly going by, it’s not unusual to be running without seeing other pedestrians. The weather was hot, and after a grueling tour, I was closing in on my last mile. There was a group of about eight kids who were maybe 13-14 years old that was walking on the sidewalk ahead of me, so I hopped to the side, ran past them, and continued running on the sidewalk.
I was maybe thirty feet ahead of the kids when I heard loud footsteps stomping in a loud stacatto behind me. I had heard a person approaching me, and I had wondered if it was another runner (I got lapped on Friday by some super fit dude), but these footsteps were stomping very quickly, and it was only feet away from the heels of my feet. It was an aggressive stomp. I wasn’t sure if someone was trying to trip me, so I quickly stopped running and turned around.
One of the kids had run up ahead to harass me for shits and giggles. This little long haired punk quickly turned around and ran back to his group of seven friends when I slowed down. Even though these kids were only 14 or so, with the eight of them, and with me broken down after having run four miles, there was no way I could’ve taken them in a fight. I’ve read accounts of large groups of kids beating up or murdering adults because the numbers are just too great. And since we were in a secluded area, there was no one to help. But not appreciating the harassment, I followed the kid back to his little posse.
The little asshole’s back was to me since he was running back to his group, but I looked at the biggest kid in the group who was facing me and gave him a two second stare. There was also a female in the group, and I looked her in the eye as well, just to make sure she recognized. When the other kid turned around, I looked him in the eye and said sternly, “Please don’t do that.” They were all silent. I made sure I got close enough to him so I could look down on him. I made sure he saw my hands and knew that if it got physical, he’d be unconcious during the afterparty.
He looked up at me and said, “Okay, have a good workout.”
I turned around and continued running, listening to whether or not he was going to repeat the harassment. He didn’t. Glad he got the message.
Kids will be kids, but some kids just don’t think. If you harass a guy who is bigger than you by sneaking up behind him just because you’re backed up by a little gang, things could get very bad very quickly. Even if your numbers help you to win the fight, it’s not going to be fun going through the summer with a broken nose or missing teeth. If he had crept up on me again, or if his friends had surrounded me, I may have done this:
I now have the police number programmed into my cell phone, and I’m thinking of possibly carrying pepper spray for those more secluded areas. But man, I never would’ve thought that physical stare downs would be taking place in my life at my age. It’s really a shame that people do this.
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I also wanted more rice than what could fit inside the wrap....
ok in reference to your recent event. this happened to one on eastcoast.
http://gothamist.com/2009/06/11/two_teens_charged_with_fatal_carjac.php
the names are derived as jewish, attached to black kids. reaction was civil.
asian ppl are just easier targets, i had a similar situation to yours. but since they were 13, i would be arrested. its a friggin OMEN.
You’re right about us being easy targets. Part of me was wondering if it was a racial thing, or whether the kid was just out to bother anyone who happened to be running along the road. Either way, I didn’t want to be some kind of sitting duck–that just encourages bad behavior.
I think I have identified those punks who were harassing you.
A couple of them could fit the profile of that long-haired kid.
Hopefully, Portland-area cops will be on the lookout for these hooligans.
http://acedia.blogia.com/upload/20080629034717-abusadores.jpg
Where are these kids’ parents?!?!?
Hubby is a big guy, height and width. One time in Queens, a group of thuggish but short and scrawny junior high (Asian) kids ganged up on Hubby on the basketball court. They ambushed him and started throwing down punches. Hubby swatted them away gently like flies, trying not to hurt them. He said in trying to get them off him without hurting them, he accidentally smacked one in the head and Hubby yelled out, “Oh! So sorry! I’m sorry! Are you okay?”
I mean. How cute is that! They’re here trying to beat the crap out of him, he’s trying to get them away, but in doing so smacks one of them in the head and so he apologizes! I dunno. Your story just reminded me of that incident.
Glad to hear that you got home safely Jaehwan. Fucking punks, kids these days got no respect.Lucky that they submitted to your presence otherwise it would have been very messy indeed. I can just imagine the headlines
“Outraged Runner rips the face of 14 year old”
“Lone hero beats gang into submission”
“He stomped on my friends head!”
lol….
On a serious note, part of it is racial, these types look for those perceived to be “weak/easy” targets and with all these “passive” asian stereotypes that some idiots believe, race factors into that.
But I’m sure those wannabes will think twice before harrasing anyone that looks like you again hahahaha……
B, you reacted very appropriately and very maturely. Most people would have had either a fight (kick ass) or flight (ignore and keep running) response, and neither response would have been very mature.
I remember a run-in with some teens on a bus a long time ago. A couple of elderly Asian women came on to the bus talking in Chinese, and a teenager started doing the ching-chong thing.
I must have been in a really bad mood that day, cuz I immediately turned to the kid and said, “You do that again, and I’m going to bust your face in.”
I know, not the mature thing to do (I think I was 24 at the time), but that is what happened and I’m not proud of it. Hey, we all go through our Angry Asian Man phase, don’t we?
Anyway, the kid’s friends just get crazy wild hooting and hollering, and the kid himself gets up to get his football helmet to hit me with it. I get up and I just stared him down to the point where he just sat back in his seat.
Unruly teens are bullies, and they always pick on those they feel are weaker than them.
man, i hate that kind of shit. i’ve had similar experiences, when you’re just out for a jog, minding your own business. doesn’t it seem that it’s always a group of kids or punks? they feel the safety in their own numbers, harrassing a lone jogger, i guess. once when i first moved into my neighborhood, a fairly diverse one, i was jogging thru the local elementary school grounds and some young, pre-teen (!) black kids said something as i was passing thru…you know, the usual, “ah-so!” and the ching chong shit. and i thought, i can’t believe i’m taking crap from some little kids like this! my anger got the better of me and i stopped and said to the group, “watch your f-in’ mouths”—which is a pretty ironic thing to say, considering i stooped to using profanity! as i turned to go, i heard one of them say to their friends, “hey, i didn’t say anything, you started it.”
and for a moment, i felt bad that i didn’t control myself. i later thought that i should’ve stopped and asked those kids why they would say something like that to me, that they, of all people, should know better, to know how hurtful words can be. especially given this country’s history of treating black people. and then i’d ask them if they would like it if a bunch of white kids said something to them if they were all alone. but then again, i am not responsible for their education.
It’s sad, but these past experiences (and I haven’t had any in a long while, thankfully) have made me always guarded when I’m doing a solitary activity in places that are not so well traveled. I use to carry pepper spray whenever I went out on a bike ride or went on some isolated path. I’m conscious of how I look to others and I try hard not to make it look as if I’m weak, I try and give off a don’t-fuck-with-me vibe.
I also think a little weight lifting and training is useful. It’s good for your health anyway and adding a little bulk makes one look less frail.
raptors vs raptors everywhere
Thanks, guys!
Akrypti:
I wonder where the parents are too. I’ve seen pics of your hubby, and he’s a big boy. I imagine getting swatted by him would not be very comfortable. Kids these days–where’s the respect? If they don’t respect his age and experience, at least they should respect the fact that he could toss them like potatoes.
Anna,
Race was definitely an issue on some level. I had to say something, especially since I don’t want to be perpetuating stereotypes that encourages this bad behavior. I think this is yet another difference between being minority and being mainstream.
Alpha and Mojo,
Thanks for the stories! It’s good to know that I’m not the only one. I think in both cases, you guys made your points. The kids learned not to do that. And it’s great that they learned the lesson without having the confrontation escalate.
I did stuff like that when I was in my twenties too. Not necessarily good or safe, but yes, that was my angry stage. I almost didn’t care. These days, I try to avoid confrontations, but stuff like this–getting chased down while minding my own business–it irks me. I felt like I had an obligation to say something, a feeling that if I didn’t, it could happen to someone else, maybe someone who couldn’t even pretend to have the physical upper hand. I’m glad it turned out well.
PunkS! Bring a camera with you and post pictures. Lately I have taken to taking snapshots of odd things I see. I don’t always have a camera with me.
I wonder if there are any community activities that could get the kids off the street and doing something productive . . .
I blame you.
Clearly your running style with the bad knee reveals a weak link in your armor. You need to buck up and start doing lunges, squat jumps, and straigh-leg dead-lifts. Just a few more weeks and those kids wouldn’t dare chase you down. They’ll just be in awe of your god-like running stride.
i kinda got a picture of ballet in my head now, but those people have strength.
American Girl,
I agree. School is out, so they should be doing stuff to keep these kids occupied. Cameras are heavy, but I usually have one on my phone. I should shoot and e-mail it to the local school.
P2H:
Haha…my friend said that a 170 lb. man should be enough to scare away a 14 year old regardless of his posse, but after 4 miles, I look like a guy on crutches who forgot to bring his crutches! I did buy new running shoes though. They’re really cool and professional looking. Maybe the shoes’ll scare ‘em off.