Embarrassing Fitness Story

[Cuckoo]

The most embarrassing thing just happened to me.

I was just finishing my run (6.58km in 46:14 minutes if anyone's interested) and I'd just passed two people when I started to speed up. I was approaching a kerb, I looked at it and I thought 'don't trip'.

Guess what...

I did and I went flying!! I winded myself, cut my knee open and everything! What's worse is I think the people I passed saw me do it.

Luckily I was only round the corner from my house so I hobbled home to have a wee cry. I'm not sure why I cried but I blame the endorphins. And just because I hadn't already embarrassed myself enough tonight, when I got undressed to shower, I noticed I had been sweating in just the right way to make it look like I had wet myself.

Fantastic.

Luckily I haven't injured myself, just my pride. Someone share their embarrassing fitness stories with me to make me feel better?

Cuckoo

[sheltiechick]

Oh, I've biffed it twice on runs.  Both times on my ten miler pre-half marathon.  I've come to the conclusion 10 milers are bad luck.

 

First time I was running along a sidewalk and saw that the sidewalk was kind of raised on one side, not very even.  And I thought to myself that I needed to make sure to clear that.  And I didn't.  It's funny when you're falling, it happens quickly, but you seem to have a lot of time to think about things.

Like "I'd better catch myself."

"Not with the hands, don't break your wrists."

"Oh wait - that means you might catch yourself on your head."

 

Fell.  Bam.  Rolled over and sat up to make sure I wasn't going to pass out.  And as I'm thinking about the fact that I've fallen and clocked my head a bit, I'm also thinking "Well great.  I'm on a major street.  SO MANY PEOPLE JUST SAW THAT."  And sure enough I look up and some guy is running across the street and some lady running out of a restaurant nearby and they're both freaking out and asking if I need help or need them to call anybody.

 

Cool as a cucumber, I am.  "No, I'm okay, but thanks for stopping, I really appreciate that."  Get up, go in the restaurant to take a quick look at how banged up I am... well that's pretty bloody... then go run the next five miles of my run.

 

It was quite bad actually.  I knew I didn't have a concussion or anything but my knee got REALLY banged up, and because I was trying to protect myself and turning and twisting as I went, my shoulder got ripped open too.  Both were swollen for about three or four days.  I had to buy a bottle of spray disinfectant with a pain killer, it hurt that bad.  Saved by the fact that it was actually kinda chilly that day so I wore pants and a shirt with sleeves - otherwise it would have been raw skin to pavement.

 

 

This past year I was running, la la la, still don't know what happened.  I know I looked at my GPS watch and thought I was at about the 6 mile mark and had four to go.  I don't know if I tripped over my own feet because I was distracted.  I don't know if it was similar where I hit something in the sidewalk.  There were some sweet gum balls in that area so I might have slipped on one.  I really have no idea.  All I remember was all of a sudden I was heading towards the ground.

And instead of anything very exciting, I was falling and said out loud "Ohhhhh dammit."  Like oh of course I'm falling.

This time I decided to do some kind of tuck-n-roll and caught myself not exactly ON my hand, but I had my QuickDraw with me and I landed mostly on the QuickDraw.  Got a small scrape where the bottle shifted and the side of my hand hit the ground.  Otherwise it was knees and elbow.  But I saved my head this time!!

Oddly enough I hit the ground and my immediate thought was QUICK QUICK PAUSE THE GPS WATCH.  Even though my GPS actually has auto-pause so it was unnecessary.  Before I even sat up, before I even started checking myself for injuries, I just HAD to stop the GPS watch.

So I'm sitting there and I squeeze some of my water bottle onto my skinned-and-asphalt-filled elbow to try and clean it out, and say to myself, "Well.  Ten mile runs are bad luck."   And I was sitting there on the ground kinda looking around, hoping nobody saw me - it was on a major street again but not at a quite so busy location, so luckily, nobody came freaking out and running.  I'm sure a few people driving past saw me biff it.  Some guy was down the street cleaning up leaves and stuff in his front yard, he was using a leaf blower and I like to think he actually didn't see me fall, not just that he was being nice and pretending he didn't see.  And I'm like stretching a bit, trying to pretend oh it's cool.  I just stopped to stretch.  What?  On the ground?  No I'm here because I meant to be.  No big deal.  It's okay.  I meant to do this.  I planned it.  Yep.  No need for concern.

 

Hauled myself up and finished my last four miles, acutely aware that my elbow was dribbling blood all over the place for about a half hour.  Hoping I wasn't totally freaking people out because my arm was bloody.  Again, I was COMPLETELY saved by the fact that I went out in a t-shirt and pants instead of the normal shorts and sleeveless tee.  My knees were bloody and bruised, but they didn't get swollen or anything like the year before.  TUCK-N-ROLL.  I mean it was like I had practiced how to fall safely or something this time.  But I kind of had a premonition... I mean I legit wrote on Twitter before going out that I was nervous about my long run because I had biffed it on my ten miler the year prior.

 

As it happens - I had planned to go for the run on Saturday but got busy so ended up running on Sunday, which, as it happened, was ONE YEAR TO THE DAY of my last ten miler and my last big biff.

 

 

Next time, I'm stopping at 9 or jumping to 11 milers.  No more 10 milers.  Ever.  In fact I think I need to make a note of that date and put it in my phone.  "Are you thinking of running today?  Well don't."

[Cuckoo]

Ha Sheltiechick, you have a way of telling stories you've definitely cheered me up.

10 miles definitely sounds like bad luck for you. I hope there was no lasting damage

[prefect42]

And instead of anything very exciting, I was falling and said out loud "Ohhhhh dammit."

 

I hope you don't mind me saying that this made me laugh for a good five seconds.  I could totally see myself doing exactly that--in fact, I probably have at some point.

 

Glad you recovered okay.  Just make it a half marathon next time!

[Errah138]

One time when I was a freshman in high school even though I didn't do any sports one of the coaches was a family frie d and allowed me to come in early and lift before other people got to school. So it was janitorial staff me a couple other teachers and the coach. He would usually go do errands and whatever and I would work out. I had been actually lifting weights for almost the whole school year as summer was coming up and I had started in October so I was starting to get confident and I decided one day. "I never figured out any of my 1rm's before" figured I'd start with bench and loaded up my normal rep weight, did a set of ten, added twenty to either side, did it twice. Feeling more confident the. Ever I decided to add another 20lbs to both sides. Got under the bar picked it up brought it down and went to lift it again...... It was stuck on my chest like someone had glued it there.

So I'm struggling and struggling under this bar can't get it to move even an inch, not even a centimeter. It didn't hurt and I wasn't panicking but I could not get it off. I sat there for like 35 minutes. Finally right before first period starts the coach comes in to make sure I put all the weights away and finds me and rescues me. Lol after that he made me promise to always use the safety bars and he didn't run as many errands.

[I-Jo]

LOL that's awesome.   

glad you didn't freak out- could have seriously caused problems.

 

I biffed it in the middle of my gym once- there is a full walk way- people use it to - you know walk to the locker rooms- adn to do walking lunges- or the trainer guy uses one of those push sleds... I do frog jump burpees or whatever.

 

Well I was doing single leg frog jumps. yes- single leg jumps.

 

And I was doing my second round- and I jumped- and landed- and fell flat on my butt- fortunately I went backwards- and just wound up sitting there- but it was that weird awkward- I know everyone saw me but no one is near me so i can't crack a joke kind of moment.

 

So I just got back up and continued on my way- but it was weird- thankfully painless- but weird. 

[Cuckoo]

Haha that sounds terrible. It's always worse when people are around isn't it?

[I-Jo]

I can't decide- at least you can crack a joke- I always am more embarrassed I think if no one is close to me... I am big on jokes and laughing to make things better- if no one is there I just feel dumb for laughing at myself.  I'm weird like that!

[Errah138]

Ya I don't know those 35 minutes spent trapped under that bar thinking about how embarrassed I would be if someone found me and laughing at my stupidity were way worse then when coach came in and was laughing and joking about it haha

[CrisciMalosh]

My clumsiest moments are usually when I am alone... but then I have to explain them to my husband when he gets home...

 

My favorite is always the way he shakes his head when I have to say "Oh that? I fell up the stairs again." "Oh, this? Yeah, I totally dropped a pan on my foot."

 

I try to not do too much when I work out, because I have a tendency to fall off of fitness equipment.... A few years ago, I was really getting into the flow and just moving really fast on the elliptical, and just sort of fell off of it... nothing got hurt or anything, but a whole room full of nurses all stopped and laughed at it. (Was working out at the hospital sponsored gym at the time, lol, because it was CHEAP membership) All I could think of is "Well, hell, that pesky ninja got me again."

[sueperstars]

I'm clumsy, so I've had lots of wipe outs, especially when I used to play soccer.

 

But the funniest thing that ever happened to me was my own damn fault, and that's what makes it even more hilarious.

 

Its grade 8, gym class... so EVERYONE is there. At my school, the roof of the gym was high, but not that high, so we used to try to bounce basketballs off the floor and hit the roof. I don't know if anyone was ever successful or not, but it was fun trying. So this time, I think to myself, that I"m going to give it my all... I run a bit, jump up, and throw the ball from behind my head, straight down into the floor, using my whole upper body at the same time (ie bending in half). The ball IMMEDIATELY bounced back up and hit me in the face, knocking me on my ass.

 

 

I think even I laughed at the time.

[MariahSnow]

Okay this is going to get really graphic very quickly.

 

While training for a half-marathon years ago and on a 10-11 mile run, the cherry on the icing of it all was a nice fall.

 

My first mistake was eating pad thai earlier in the day. On the first few miles of the run, I was in the park. As I was about to exit the park, I used the facilities. "Used" is not the right word. "Abused" is likely better. So then I turned onto the street and started on my way. I figured I'd pretty much cleared out any problems, but I ended up with the urge AGAIN and had to go into a few places before finally some sketchy gas station let me violate their facilities. This continued for at least the next 30 mins of the run. Then it started getting dark and I hadn't seen my boyfriend in a while. He's faster and we were essentially running out and back, so I figured he'd catch up with me on the way back. So it's pretty dark at this point and I come up to an intersection and there's a car that wants to turn left but they're waiting for me. And that's when I stumbled, fell to my knees, and just kind of sat there for a second. Meanwhile, more cars were waiting for me and just staring at me. I wasn't in the intersection at all, I fell right before it. I had to wave emphatically for them to finally go and by that point, the tears were coming. I finally make it back to the park, crying, and it's pitch black. So now I'm scared and on edge because I'm a female alone in a dark park. Up ahead, I see something strange coming towards me. I don't want to go totally insane and run the other way, so I wait a couple of more paces and they come into the light - it's a dude running with a GIANT dog. Like pony-sized dog.

 

Finally finally FINALLY, I make it back to the car and my boyfriend is no where to be seen. I had a good 10 minutes of freak out before he got there and looked at me like I was a stupid. But he had no idea the drama I'd been through.

[MissMormie]

Lucky you! You fell where only two people could see it!

When I was 14-ish I was in a play in a theatre with about 400 people and had to do some sort of waddle dance thing on socks. Socks are slippery, so I slipped, almost fell managed to keep myself upright only to then do a classic slip and fall backwards.

And yeah then the audience started laughing..

[Mad Hatter]

I once had a beautiful slapstick moment.

 

I was out rollerskating. I hadn't been rollerskating for years so was feeling a bit rusty, but overall my session was going really well. No incidents, no falls, I was feeling pretty happy about myself. When I was done I sat down on one of these big rubbish bins in order to take of the skates. As I lifted my leg to untie the laces my other leg went rolling from underneath me, I slip off the bin banana peel style with both legs in the air and fall straight on my ass. It must have looked hilarious. Didn't feel like laughing though as I was sure my coccyx was broken...

[Callaeidae]

I haven't fallen over while running (yet), but there was an incident where I suddenly fell over four times in a row for no apparent reason just trying to cross the street. In the end my friend had to intervene & haul me across. I still have no idea what that was all about!

[67alecto]

Most involve my bike when I was younger.

 

I took a downhill sharp corner too fast once, and ended up having to go into someone's yard.  I was unable to stop, and instead hit a statue (one of those old Jockey holding a lantern things)...which, drumroll please....proceeded to fall on me.  I was completely pinned.  Insult to injury - two little old ladies pulled up and wrestled it off me.  I thanked them profusely and then mumbled that I was fine and took off.  Luckily, my bike undamaged. Injury: elbow and knees.

 

Another time I did the cardinal sin of changing gears while still working up a hill (I was right near the top).  The chain immediately slipped off, causing me to rocket over the handlebars as I suddenly had no resistance.  I went into the other lane, where a car was coming.  They stopped about a foot in front of me, and I quickly rolled out of the lane and dragged my bike out of the way. They proceeded to do a slow roll past me, watching me the whole time. They didn't say a word.  Injury: shoulder, knees (had a jacket on which protected my arms).

 

Last one, riding my bike on a paved trail.  My tire slipped off the side and got wedged between the dirt and the concrete, and came to a sudden stop.  I didn't.  I went over the handlebars, and with cat-like grace, I executed a perfect forward roll.  Except that I still had a death grip on the handlebars, so I brought the bike with me.  Somehow, I managed to fling the bike away from me so it didn't impale me.  Nearby people just looked at me like I was crazy. Injury: pride and ego.

[Hobgoblin]

Twice now I've forgotten to move my head out of the way when doing a clean and jerk and have hit myself under the chin with 45kg. People were watching. The pain did not not outweight the embarrassment!

[UberTumbleweed]

The two squat cages at my gym are way too close to each other.  About once I month, I bang my head on the other cage's barbell when I'm going to change plates on mine. 

 

Once, I did it when the other cage was in use (the guy was between sets), fell to the ground, and actually -- I had a bit of a concussion.  From a barbell.  That wasn't moving.  My doctor tried very hard not to laugh, and he almost succeeded.

[sheltiechick]

In fact, I read it in his voice

 

http://teamjva.com/jens-voigt-soundboard/

 

Ahahaha oh my God.

I just sat here and pushed the "shut up legs" button like ten times.

 

It was about like that though.  I mean really, very anti-climactic.

 

 

I'm always terrified I'm going to clock my chin while doing any kind of press or overhead row or anything.  Or bash my face on the way back down.  It luckily hasn't happened yet... yet.

[Briguy]

My worst wasn't really fitness, it was baseball bunting practice in 6th grade, so the whole team was watching me.  I managed to miss the ball (normal for me) and have it split my lip open.  I would probably been fine but I kept playing with the cut (wasn't bleeding bad) and split it further with my tongue so after practice was over my parents took me in to get stitches.

[Eilyd]

I don't even have the justification that I was exercising. I was on my way to the gym.

 

Friend and I who worked out together in college were on our way from the student union to the gym. There are two ways you can go-across the parking lot and down the stairs inside the gym, or down the sloped sidewalk and in the ground floor of the gym. We were arguing over which way was more efficient, because we're nerds like that.

 

By the way, it's February and doing this sort-of-snow thing. Also, my shoes have negative traction.

 

I say that down the hill is faster, and he says down the stairs. So we split and I set out down the hill at something of a jog, because I like being right.

 

You see where this is going.

 

My feet FLY out from under me once I'm about 1/3 of the way down the hill. If you took a photo at the right moment, I'm almost positive that I would have been straight out flat above the ground.

 

And like someone else said, it was super slow-mo in my head. A couple years before, I had fallen on ice and bent my coccyx. And I thought "If I fall like this, I am going to rebend it or break it, and that will be the worst pain I have ever felt, AGAIN. I cannot fall on my butt." So, while falling through the air, I manage to flip myself over 180 so that now my stomach is headed toward the ground. And I catch myself in a fairly relaxed, evenly-distributed position with a combination of hands, knees, and torso.  Remarkably, nothing was more than a little scratched up, not even a little bloody.  But my pride? Oh, yeah, that was hemorrhaging.

[Mad Hatter]

The two squat cages at my gym are way too close to each other.  About once I month, I bang my head on the other cage's barbell when I'm going to change plates on mine. 

 

Once, I did it when the other cage was in use (the guy was between sets), fell to the ground, and actually -- I had a bit of a concussion.  From a barbell.  That wasn't moving.  My doctor tried very hard not to laugh, and he almost succeeded.

 

Hahaha that sounds exactly like something I'd do. I never get any cool injuries, just the stoopid ones.

[Mad Hatter]

I don't know why, but people just don't believe me when I say I got my injuries wrestling sharks and riding dragons...

[I-Jo]

I tell them I was fighting a bear- everyone believes me.

[sheltiechick]

When I caught myself falling with my head, people were like "What happened?!"  (Did I mention I was wearing sunglasses so I essentially gave myself a black eye with my sunglasses?)

My line was "Turns out honey badger DOES give a shit."