A Cop Ahead

I went rogging this morning. I had just started when an elderly gent and his wife and I have a conversation that went something like this...

Gent: "That girl that just ran by told us that there is a cop ahead on the trail."
Me: "A cop?"
Gent: "Yeah, about 2 minutes into the trail. So watch out."
Me {slightly confused because why should I watch out for the cop? Am I going to get in trouble for running? Are they having issues with the construction workers and the patrons of the Capital Greenway Trail? Is there a crime scene up ahead?}: "Oh, ok."
Gent: smiles
Me: "Did you say a cop?"
Gent's wife: "A copperhead; a snake."

{light bulb}

Me: "OH! Thanks!"

I continue to rog, a little more vigilant now.

Me: ...breath in...breath out...breath in...breath out...run...run...run...

I haven't even gotten out of eyesight of this elderly coupe who are walking slowly behind me. I look down and notice I AM ABOUT TO RUN OVER A SNAKE WITH THE STROLLER!!!!! Actually I think I did get him a little because he was starting to move...and it was all very scary.

I swerve, get the hee ba dee jee ba dees and an excellent shot of adrenaline and continue to run much MORE vigilantly the rest of the run. I was also super jumpy and every time someone passed me I kind of jerked.

So that is my story of the cop ahead on the trail. It was really funny. In my defense I thought he would be spread out in a line and he was not. He was curled up in a circle. Bravo cop, bravo.