Ultramarathon Runner Allegedly Attacked by Coyote During 150-Mile Run
Runners face all kinds of obstacles in training but “Ultramarathon man” Dean Karnazes experienced a new one this week.
According to People Magazine, Karnazes reported he was attacked by a coyote during a 150-mile run in California’s Marin Headlands and was fortunate to survive.
Warning: The Instagram video linked below contains graphic footage of Karnazes’ alleged injuries.
The article states “In a graphic video posted on Instagram late last week, the 59-year-old runner was seen with a bloody face and shirt while on the 150-mile run in California’s Marin Headlands. ‘I just had something rather terrifying happen,’ he said. Noticeably out of breath, he added, ‘I got attacked by a coyote. That was a first.'”
According to the report, Karnazes was allegedly “tackled” by the coyote and “whacked it” with one of the poles he had.
Several days after posting about the reported attack, Karnazes posted a request for people to stop feeding wild animals.
“As I’ve witnessed firsthand, people (mostly tourist) have been feeding wild coyotes in the Marin Headlands area of California. This has got to stop.” He ended his post saying, “Thank you. It’s best for everyone, coyotes included.”
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Karnazes stated this wasn’t the first wild animal encounter he’s had, he also allegedly survived a shark attack. The athlete loves running in isolated areas for the natural beauty and has seen other wildlife in his runs such as deer, rabbits, and even bobcats.
According to an article by SFGATE, “The National Park Service says they spoke to Karnazes hours later and had a park ranger investigate the 3 a.m. incident.
“‘To be clear, the fall, rather than the coyote itself, was the source of Karnazes’ injuries,’ NPS spokesperson Julian Espinoza told SFGATE. ‘It wouldn’t be accurate to refer to the encounter as an attack.'”
The article says that Karnazes, who is a celebrity in the long-distance running world, has been consistent in his report of the incident even as park biologists say this behavior would be highly unusual for coyotes.
It’s always wise to use caution when enjoying nature, especially in more isolated areas where wild animals aren’t accustomed to encountering humans and may act in unpredictable ways.
