The theme for this Tuesday's Tuesdays on the Run is "Safety". Runner, Walker, and bike safety is SO important. Last week I had just heard of another resident in my area that was hit by a truck and killed while walking her dog. Such a sad story.
When I think about being safe while running, I always think about the safest route possible. I came up with these safe places to run a while ago but thought I would share them again for Tuesday's "Safety" theme.
When I think about being safe while running, I always think about the safest route possible. I came up with these safe places to run a while ago but thought I would share them again for Tuesday's "Safety" theme.
If you’ve read my previous running posts then you know that I
am pretty particular about where I run. I
don’t like having to stop at red lights or worrying about dodging traffic.
Therefore I always run in a park or on a trail. This summer the heat on my favorite trail made
it almost unbearable to run on because there was very little shade there. This had me on the search for alternative
places where I could run safely.
Here are a few alternatives I came up with.
1. A
campground
I
live fairly close to a campground, I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of this
one before. This is perfect for those
really hot days because there is plenty of shade. I’ve run at our local
campground during the week and I didn’t have to contend with any cars on my
route. I imagine the weekends are a busier time. One possible downside, If you run
at the campground early in the morning you may still smell remnants of some campfires
the night before which can be kind of unpleasant ( unless you like that smell).
2. University
or College Campus
I’m
local to one of these as well. As well
as having nice shaded paths, a college campus is probably one of the safest
places to run ( especially if you are running alone). Campus Security is always around somewhere,
and most campus’s have those call boxes for emergency situations ( but most
people have their cell phones anyway). Another upside to running on campus is
the paths are always well maintained and you get a good a variety of level land
and inclines! I don’t know about where
you live, but I have not experienced a college or university on the East Coast
that does not have at least one hill on it!
3. A Cemetery
I know this might sound a bit creepy, but really no one will bother you here!
Most cemeteries are shaded with mature trees and landscaping. There’s no traffic, and quite honestly there is just something peaceful about running in a cemetery.
As
summer is coming to an end, we may not have such a need for shadier places to
run, but I will continue to run at these spots ( in addition to My Favorite Park and Trail
) because of the safety factors.
A
fellow runner shared this on Facebook yesterday and with her permission I am
sharing it here.
"I was walking down my street
yesterday getting set to take off on my run! I heard a lot of noises behind me
like people were having a good time! I turned slightly to look over my right
shoulder just to see two motorcycles coming toward me. One man closest to
me had his hand out and was reaching for my hind end! Talk about frightening!
That gave me a freaky feeling! But once I started running my pace picked up!
What gives someone the right to do that? The more I think about it, the angrier
I get!"
You
certainly don’t want something like this happening to you. Another reason you
need to find a safe place to run!
Where is
your safe place to run? Please share.