I remember Runner's World once did an entire article on this.
Of the thousands of times I've hopped over fences, fallen trees/branches after a storm, a chained off (from vehicles) trail head etc. I've never fallen once.
It seems like it's the random neural misfire that does it.
Two more significant falls that I can remember:
1) Running along a bike trail, temps in the low 30s. Hit a downhill spot where a spring leaked water across the trail. It looked wet, so I kept running. Black ice! It must have looked like a cartoon character slipping on a banana peel. In pain with scraped up hands, I proceeded to do the last six miles of my run.
2) In some road construction close to home, after dark. Was crossing the street, and didn't see the new little curb before the normal curb. Stumbled on it and went down hard, right in front of people getting off the bus. I mumbled that I was okay, and continued running the last 1/2 mile home.
maybe 20-25 or so. Trying to jump a barrier along a golf course. Tripping over roots or rocks (happened at least 15 times), especially on single track. Slipping in mud, I've fallen just training a couple times from this and 2x in xc races. My foot clipping the curb on a sidewalk. Getting tripped by my own shoe laces.
Two more: skidded out on black ice. Trying to cross the rocks at the bottom of a waterfall.
Rounding a corner on the sidewalk with my teammates I hit some loose gravel and my feet slid out from under me. The side of my foot got clipped while I was bringing it forward in an 800 and I caught it behind my other leg and went down. In an XC race on a downhill hairpin turn I stepped on a root and went down. Several times I have hit black ice or ice under snow and went down.
3:
1. XC race, downhill, wet
2. Ice on a sidewalk
3. Ice turning a corner
1. Took a turn too hard on a muddy trail and slowly slid onto my side... that one I found funny
2. Coming down off a side walk a few feet above the road, caught a hole I didn't see in the grass, came down hard on one knee and split it open, landed in the middle of the road, fortunately no cars were coming... that one I found less funny, and it made me more careful.
3. Tripped on a stick coming out of a leaf pile on the side of the road, smacked my face on the pavement. A car was passing me at the time, they screeched to a halt, then slammed on the gas and took off... I think they thought they hit me and didn't want to get caught, but I never even touched the car... that one just made me mad.
Too many times to count. Once fell in the mud in a cross country race. The rest have been ice and on single track trails that are rocky.
Couple of times on ice and once when a big dog bumped me, actually went head over heals on that one.
3 I can remember.
1. Running laps of a grass oval in the dark when a boxer dog comes out of nowhere and jumps on me knocking me over. Was scary not knowing it was coming, but luckily it was friendly and just playing rather than being aggressive.
2. Doing a cool down after a race and tried to jump a small wooden barrier. Caught a foot on it and faceplanted.
3. Got a dizzy spell towards the end of a cross country race on a steep descent and just lost it.
Oh god. This isnt a good subject for me!
On the track: training with a group of girls, everyone running too close together, someone clipped my leg on a rep and I went flying.
Running down a main road at night: some people in a car were stopped at traffic lights, I ran by, they opened the window and screamed in my face, I fell over.
Running in the snow: was running in a park in the snow and fell over. Didn't matter as the landing was so soft (snow drift).
On a treadmill: I was doing a biomechanics assessment and went backwards off the treadmill and flew into the video camera, knocking it over (they still have the video of that).
Trying the hurdles: yet another stupid idea.
Hill reps in the rain at the university on a steep road covered in rain. Got to the top and fell over.
Doing a cross country where there was a small steam we had to cross. I jumped (no one else did this, stupid idea) and hit the other side, and fell over.
Training in a park with mud everywhere. I went around a corner and fell over.
Fell in my first 800m State title, 150m from the finish line in a winning position. I hope JRinaldi posts on this.
2. Both times I was tired at the end of a long, hot trail run and my right toe clipped a root. The first was on a narrow, unfamiliar single track with a lot of tight turns. I just kind of went down on my right side/knee. The second was more of a hard stumble and I was able to stand up before going all the way down. That was good because the ground was rife with palmetto roots. I probably would have had to go to the ER.
I fell once crossing a bridge in the rain when my foot shot out from under me on a wet metal expansion plate. Tore a fingernail off grabbing a railing and landed hard on my arm which did some muscle damage that took a month to recover from fully. This was on a shake out run a day before the local marathon. I ran the same marathon a year later and fell in exactly the same spot again the day before. Those are the only times I've ever fallen running.
3 Memorable times (Probably 10-20 others that I was fine with)
Twice during a race. One was a downhill that took a sharp left while STILL going down the hill! The other was my Home course on a debut race...that was embarrassing..
LAST THURSDAY I went down the hardest ever in 5 years. Pounding a downhill..My left forefoot clipped a root. Slid until 2 roots stopped me. My right shoulder, right hip, left forearm, and right side of my face were all bloodied up..I also got the wind knocked out of me.. First time I have ever gotten picked up during a run (i could have finished, but it was not worth it).
Probably about 10-15 times. I've been running trails the last 25 years and have been attacked by roots at least 50 times. Being gifted with remarkable athletic ability I've been able to remain on my feet most of the time by employing a flailing helicopter type maneuver with both arms rapidly circling in wide arcs. These maneuvers are usually accompanied by some sort of unrestrained sound effects.
The only other situation that found me on the ground was my own fault. While running on a trail I stepped on a curved branch, about 3 feet long, with my left foot. The right side of the branch sprung up into the air, my right foot hooked the branch, and as my left foot held the branch in place, I went down, hard.
Describe it... wrote:
I remember Runner's World once did an entire article on this.
Of the thousands of times I've hopped over fences, fallen trees/branches after a storm, a chained off (from vehicles) trail head etc. I've never fallen once.
It seems like it's the random neural misfire that does it.
I fell once because the loop of the laces for one of my shoes was big enough to catch the tip of my other shoe...fell in the middle of the street right in front of two teenaged girls who thought it was hilarious. Since then I've always made sure to make those loops smaller (either knotting them up more or making the other end longer).
1. cross country race, right back up.
2. ice, no injury
3. Tree root....fell, sheared the cartilage off my femur. Had to have microfracture and debridement. Took me out of running for 2 whole years (I don't run fast near trees anymore)
Can't recall ever falling during a training run. My legs were so tight at the end of an 800 race one day I barrel rolled across the line.
1. 8th grade running with HS xc team, I tripped running over a golf cart path, bloodied my elbow and knee- ran 7 more miles afterwards- got big props from the guys for sticking it out.
2. the start of an indoor 1500, they combined heats and it was a mess.
3. going down hill on ice, did a nice slide on my back for a good 3 feet after I fell.