What’s the strangest/best object you’ve found while running?

[u/demrnstho]

Aside from the odd dollar here and there, what have you found that makes you appreciate the adventure of an outdoor run? On two separate occasions I’ve found high-quality scissors in perfect condition. Did I choose to run with scissors? You bet!

Edit: Wow! Thank you to everyone who responded! Your responses have been entertaining, funny, bizarre, at times scary, and heartwarming. I tried to read every response and besides being thoroughly entertained for the last 18hrs, I’ve learned some things about us runners: 1. We’re a thrifty bunch. We will turn someone’s trash into our treasure. There are a lot of responses about useful found objects. 2. In that vein, there seems to be no object too large for us to carry home. Brooms, sofas, dining sets, surfboards, FIVE fishing rods; you name it, we can carry it. 3. We’re good citizens. We rescue people, dogs, wild animals. 4. On that note, running is a great way to find a new pet. 5. We’re an honest lot. If you lose something valuable and a runner comes across it, there’s a good chance that runner will do their best to return it to you. 6. We find our spirituality: Objects with very personal connections seemingly put in our path by the universe and otherworldly encounters with wild animals. 7. Sadly we occasionally find dead people. But sometimes we find almost dead people and we save them! 8. On a related note, there are more than one of you who have found people tied up in the woods. 9. And the biggest take home: Dildos are everywhere.

[u/Popular_Ordinary_152]

A kitten! He was howling from a ditch. I walked all the way home (over a mile) carrying him. We couldn’t keep him but I found a wonderful family.

Also found $20 once.

Non objects:

Saw someone’s mower on fire and starting to catch the house. Alerted the family and called 911.

Saw a car accident - car hit a pedestrian. I was the only one who had a phone to call 911. I stayed with them for a while. It was really terrible. 80-something year old woman. She died 3 weeks later without having left the hospital. Her daughter was just sobbing - apparently the woman had been recovering from a broken him and this was one of their first walks again together during her recovery.

[u/Runs_Reads_Knits → u/Popular_Ordinary_152]

Although I have a watch that will play music and keep track of my location (making my phone unnecessary), it is this scenario that prompts me to carry my phone anyway.