Peeping people and pondering precautions

One of my favorite places to run 10 or so milers is the BWI Trail that surrounds the airport between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. There is another trail called the B&A Trail that links the area around BWI Airport to Annapolis, Maryland's state capitol 15+ miles away. To get to it from the BWI Trail loop you have to use a little connector trail between them that's about two miles long.

This weekend rather than run around the loop again I thought I'd run an out and back on the connector and B&A Trail. It turned out to be a disaster because I strained a calf and had to limp 4.5 miles back to my car, but that's not the story. The story is that I actually had time to notice the trail while I walked on it.

I always knew the B&A Trail, at least about the 5 miles on the northern end of it, went through some sketchy areas and neighborhoods. It tracks behind strip malls and next to a really dicey looking apartment complex, for example. But then there are people. Keep in mind hese are the folks I saw out on the B&A Trail yesterday morning, between 7:00-8:30 on Sunday:


The three faces of the BWI/B&A Trail. Missing: about 87% of the BWI Trail and about 90% of the B&A Trail.

• The sleeping bum: The connector trail between the BWI and B&A trails goes behind a park, where I saw someone getting some rest under a blanket on top of a picnic table in one of the small pavilions there. I was going to poke him with a stick to see if he was ok, but I figured it was best to let a sleeping dog lie.

• The stumbling buddies: Two guys making their way home after long night doing whatever wherever. They looked like they stunk of cigarettes and alcohol (and desperation), but who knows how long it's been since they changed their clothes.

• The doddering old man: Some guy with a head (and face) full of white hair who looked like he hasn't seen a shower for a while and was probably using the trail to get from one strip mall to another to do whatever he does.

• The eyeball rester: I actually saw a couple people doing this. The B&A Trail cuts right through the heart of a town called Glen Burnie, and when it crosses a couple of the roads there benches are provided near the intersections for people to take a rest. And a nap, judging by the people I saw occupying the benches.

• The slow biker: The B&A is essentially a bike trail (and the cyclists who use it are certain to glare at runners with disdain as they fly past going the other way), but not just "serious" bikers use it. There are also people who ride along the trail very slowly on a very old/cheap bike like they're looking for something to do. They may just be coming from or going to the mall where they work (the trail passes right around the back side of Marley Station Mall), but they look suspicious.

• The streetwalker: I'm not saying that overweight Latina lady strolling back and forth on the road near where the 7-11 is might be a lady of the evening working into the morning, but I can't say that she's not either.

I have to stress that I never felt in any way threatened or unsafe around these people. A couple of them even wished me a good morning. But I suggest that if you're going to run the B&A Trail on the north end you take precautions. Don't show off your expensive iPod, don't carry a lot of cash, keep moving. Even better, pack some mace or pepper spray, especially if you're a woman by yourself. Even more better, pack pepper spray and run with a friend. But whatever you do be aware of your surroundings at all times when you're on the B&A Trail because you just never know...

P.S. I've never seen anyone on the BWI Trail other than those who were obviously on it for health and fitness purposes. These guidelines don't apply there.