RVA Running Man

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My Top 6 Tips for Runners Who Run on Busy Roads.

1 — Run Against Traffic

You can respond much faster when you see vehicles ahead of you versus not seeing cars speeding from behind you.

  I'm just as worried about someone texting while driving as I am someone driving under the influence in this day and age. 

2 — Leave Your Earbuds At Home.

When I'm running alone, I love listening to my music. It can sometimes be that emotional fuel that pumps me up, BUT if I'm running somewhere with a lot of traffic, my motivation becomes trying not to become a pancake. Hearing the cars around you is just as important as seeing them.

3 — Run Single-file

Share the road! If you are running in a group, you don't need to run side by side. Run in a single-file line until it's safe to spread out again. The closer you run to the shoulder of the road, the better.Bullet point goes here

4 — Communicate

You can use something as simple as hand signals to let a car know that you're crossing the street. If you can, make eye contact with drivers to make sure they understand your intentions. Please don't assume they know the direction you're going.

5 — Wear reflective or bright clothing

It's really important to make yourself seen. I can't tell you how often I've driven somewhere late and seen someone walking or jogging on the side of the road in dark clothes. It makes me want to scream. You can buy a reflector vest pretty cheap nowadays. Other smart investments you can buy to be seen are clip-on blinkers, headlamps, reflective bracelets, and anklets.

6 — Carry Identification

Having a form of Identification on you can go a long way if something happens to you. Many people have ICE (In Case of Emergency ) contacts programmed in their phones that don't require passcode entry. Another option is wristband road IDs that you can customize.