With Bells On

As I’ve mentioned before, wild animal encounters are chief among my many concerns about our trail race next month.  I keep reading that most animals don’t want to run into me even more than I don’t want to run into them.  Taking a cue from our brilliant cats who wear bells on their collars to help prevent any feline ambushes in our living room, A bought silver bells from a local craft store.

On our eight-miler last Sunday, I ran with one bell on each shoe.  I thought I would sound like a sleigh ride the whole time with two bells going, but the ringing was very thin.  At one point I think the ball got stuck in a cranny because I didn’t hear my right foot ring at all.  Ultimately the jingling was so quiet that I don’t know that even animals with the keenest sense of hearing would pick it up more than a few feet away.  I almost bagged the whole production until A found a Bear Bell at a noted outdoor equipment retailer.  It is much bigger than what we bought and too cumbersome to fit on my shoe.  One of the reviews stated that it is effective enough but simple bells from a craft store would be just as good.

Convinced by the sound opinion of an anonymous internet commenter with questionable intentions, I am giving my humble bells one more try.  A bought a pack of ten so I’m doubling down and running with two per shoe this evening.  I hope the streets will be jingle bell rocking tonight!

UPDATE: The post-run verdict is that four bells were only slightly louder than two.  Bottom line is the bells might not help, but they don't hurt either.