Running Safety

After seeing a woman wearing all dark clothing running in the street at night on the wrong side of the road a few weeks ago (I almost didn't see her), I felt that running safety would be a good topic to discuss. Running is a great way to exercise and it's probably the easiest form of working out since it requires little preparation time and you don't have to go to a gym to do it. Just put on clothes and shoes and go!

#1 Run during the day. The main purpose of daytime running is so you are easily visible to traffic. Obviously you don't want to be hit by a car or bike or anything else for that matter. You also want to be able to see where you are going. You don't want to hurt yourself because you can't see the crack or bump in uneven surfaces where there is limited or no light.

#2 Wear bright or reflective clothing. You can even get a reflective vest to put over your clothes. If you are starting or ending your run in limited light, make sure people can see you. You can attach a light to a hat or carry a flashlight if you have to.

#3 Pedestrians should always be on the left hand side in the absence of a sidewalk (this includes on trails!!!) As my mom always taught me, "you want to be able to see the expression on the driver's face before he hits you." But seriously, you want to be able to see on-coming traffic so you can avoid accidents. It helps to be able to make eye-contact with the other person, whether it's a driver or a cyclist, so you know what the other person is going to do.

#4 If you are running on a sidewalk and you end up crossing the street or over a driveway, make sure you look for cars. Not all drivers pay attention to pedestrians. Yes, they are in the wrong if they don't stop, but you would be the one who's hurt in that type of accident, so take precaution. Car v. Person is no contest. Make eye-contact with the driver before crossing, especially if the driver is turning. If the driver is not looking at you, he clearly does not see you, so stop and wait.

#5 Use the buddy system if you are running on a trail. Especially for women, but true for everyone, you should not run on a deserted trail by yourself. It's just not safe.

#6 If an old, shirtless man (or anyone for that matter) stops in front of you as you are getting ready to start your run and suggests that you run in the woods behind his house, please don't do it! (And yes, that actually happened to me when I was living in Boone, NC). But seriously, trust your instincts.

#7 Don't ramp up your mileage too quickly. This will lead to fatigue and injuries. If you are training for a marathon, doing 13.1 miles during training and calling it good is not safe. Yes, it is possible for some people to gut it out with only a few miles under their belts, but there's no reason to risk it. And besides, it's not fun to go to a race and feel as if you have to gut it out. You want to have the confidence that the finish line is within your grasp. Just build up the distances safely.

#8 If you are running long distances, bring the appropriate fuel and hydration, especially if it's hot.

#9 Wear sunblock.

#10 I don't always do this, but I really should and I do recommend it: Carry ID with you. Also, if you are running long distances, tell a family member or friend where you are going and about how long you plan to be gone. After the incident in #6, I started texting my parents whenever I went for a run to make sure that someone would always know where I was supposed to be.

#11 Have fun!

Let me know if you have any other running suggestions to add to the list!