Runners often have interesting encounters with wildlife. Running in a secluded area can mean coming head-to-head with all sorts of wild animals. But most people don’t have the experience that one man did when he was followed by a herd of deer.
Jared Wein is a devoted runner and trains on a regular basis.
He’s even participated in races. But now, he’s known for something completely different.
A solo run in Michigan turned into a team effort when Wein came across three deer grazing on a forest trail.
For reasons that no one knows, the three deer decided to pick up and run alongside Wein for about half a mile.
“I was just thinking, ‘How crazy and wild is this!” Wein told The Dodo. “I had to record it or else nobody would believe me.”
Wein’s video is just under two minutes long. In it, he runs along a quiet suburban street. Behind him, the three deer gallop through yards and over sidewalks, serenely keeping pace with him. If you were wondering whether the trio of deer was really following Wein and not running out of their interest, put it this way: they let him set the pace. When he sped up, they sped up; when he slowed down, they followed suit.
It was clear that these were the most interesting running partners he’d ever had.
“These are my pet deer,” Wein joked as he ran, his animal friends following in the background. “Sunday morning fun run. Oh, deer!”
At last, as suddenly as they had followed him, the deer trio broke off, sprinting down a quiet street while Wein continued along the main road. He was flabbergasted by the experience and never knew why the animals had suddenly decided to follow him on his morning run.
But amazingly, the deer did Wein a favor: they improved his run time that morning.
“I run pretty often, but that was one of my faster times,” he said. “I was running faster than normal because I think they pushed me to run faster. The next time I do a race, I’ll have them to thank.”
Believe it or not, it’s not the only recent story about animals dropping everything and following a person on their jog.
In 2018, a woman out for a run in San Antonio was surprised to find herself being followed — by a goat.
At first, she thought the goat was trying to attack her. But soon, it became clear that the little guy just wanted to join her on her run. The woman didn’t know what to do but to continue on her run. The goat followed her until she got home. At that point, she brought him through her house and into the backyard, where he was confined by the fence. Then she called Animal Control Services.
They came to collect the goat and determined he had no owner.
He was put temporarily into a holding facility, where he bleated and “talked” so much that he earned the name Jabber Jaw. Eventually, the little goat was sent to Black Beauty Ranch, a local animal sanctuary.
As summer approaches, be aware as you go out on your runs: you may pick up an animal friend or three.
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