Calum Neff hit by a pickup truck on early-morning run

Guinness record holder and Canadian Cal Neff has a broken fibula after being hit by a pickup truck on an early-morning run on Thursday.

Neff was returning home on foot after partaking in a 5 a.m. weekly group run at a local store, Good Times Running, in Katy, Texas, where he resides with his family including three daughters. At a crosswalk on his return trip, Neff says he hesitated in crossing the street as a Ford F-150 pulled up and performed a double stop. Neff proceeded through thinking the driver had spotted him. “Thinking he saw me I waved thanks and made it halfway across his bumper before the truck was suddenly coming at me,” Neff recounts. Upon contact, Neff says he tried to get as much hood as possible. He says he was “launched” 3m forward.

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The driver took Neff back to the running store where he had friends drive him home. After an ice bath, thinking “something wasn’t right,” Neff drove to the emergency room where he was diagnosed with a fractured fibula (calf bone).

Neff says he was hoping to run sub-2:22 at the 2018 Houston Marathon in January. The injury will likely take up to six weeks to heal though Neff expects to return to running sooner.

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The 2:22:59 marathoner, who has represented Canada on the world stage as part of mountain running and ultra teams, regularly runs with his daughters pushing a stroller. “I’m just so lucky I wasn’t pushing the stroller, although I probably would not have gone in front of the truck in that case,” he says. Neff has run a marathon in 2:31:21 and a half-marathon in 1:11:27 while pushing a stroller, both world record marks, according to Guinness.

“I will certainly be putting my Nathan vest and lights to more use now,” he adds.

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Below is the full text as found on his Instagram post:

“Down but not out.

I am okay. But yesterday morning on my run I was struck by an F-150 truck. My reaction to stiff arm and leap for the hood saved me from more serious injuries but I did suffer a fracture to my left fibula. More than that I am just heartbroken to not be ready for some big plans early in 2018.

I have to take some positive out of this; thankfully I was not running with one of my girls in the stroller as I’ve done regularly each morning the past month. Thankfully it was me; someone my age, size, health…I don’t think many would have walked away from this.

It’s going to take some time but I’m determined to be back to normal. Athletes can be delusional in a funny way, this injury is already something I want to recover from faster and better than anyone. I have never broken a bone in my life so this is something I will take patiently.

Thank you everyone involved with helping me that morning and reaching out. Thank you for all the support. Stay safe out there everyone.”