I prefer trail running, whether I am out for cardio or training for a race. ["Training for a Race." That is a laugh.] I do not race...I run for the pleasure of the event. Whether I come in first or last or somewhere in the middle, it matters not. What matters is I do my best and enjoy the event. For me, running on a trail is much more enjoyable than the street. It does not take a rocket scientist to know why. But trails can have their hazards just like the street. Streets have dogs, cars, stop lights, and kids on bikes. Trails have animals, snakes, plants, uneven footing, and dirt. Here is primer on trail running. Here is Runner's World Complete Guide to Trail Running with the section on encountering a snake on the trail indexed. Yesterday I blogged about coming across a rattler on the trail. He was partially coiled, probably because he felt me coming. But he did not move until I went to get him with a stick and then he took off into the brush, wanting nothing to do with me. Few animals and snakes are aggressive (the Western Diamondback Rattle Snake being an exception) and have not reason to bother humans unless we bother them. A little common sense with good neighbor behavior and the danger is slim to none.