Road Runner Survival

Our sport is pretty darn safe. We get stronger the longer we run and we develop in a number of positive ways. Barring an overtraining injury or using NSAIDs on race day, or suffering heat stroke in August you stand to run for a long, long time in good health. That said there is this crazy thing called a car on your roads and it can mess up your whole running career. When I refer you to the article (titled Collision Course) in Runners World about road safety I purposefully omit the story of terror that befalls the runner in the article’s prologue as my purpose is not to scare you and you can clearly imagine far worse than I’d ever care to write. But with two months of running under your belt, and now you are exploring new routes as well, we need to pull over and talk about those cars a bit.

To elaborate on what I have said previously and the article does not fully cover, you should have a basic kit with you on the road to take care of emergencies. This kit includes durable ID, money for a phone call, maybe a whistle, and especially as the days begin to shorten again, a way to be seen (reflector, flashlight, blaze) for road runs. While night runs do pose some additional risk you must always consider visibility for your safety and this variable is easily controlled without a shopping spree. You should begin to think about your route and say to yourself when buying running clothes, “can he see me from a half mile away” because that is kind of the minimum distance when he is hurtling towards you at a rate of 88 feet per second (about 60MPH). When you first got behind the wheel, someone spoke to you about being defensive, and that is what we are going to revisit in this lesson from the other side of the windshield.

Automobile vs. runner - You know you are never going to win this one – so no bullfighting please. You should face traffic and take off your headphones but also keep these great ideas from Jeff Galloway in mind.

Watch and prepare to make fast adjustments, many runners have had to dive for the ditch or leap the hedgerow as the motorist dropped their cell phone and reached down to catch it – losing sight of the runner and veering too close.
Plan ahead where you might jump to or which side of the turn offers best visibility
Wear reflective gear, not just at night. Think “can I be seen easily from a half mile away?”
Understand that you cannot understand the driver’s mentality. Drunk, late for church, overtired, maybe they’re texting, or unable to run and resentful of you for getting out and having such a good time. People act like they are anonymous in their cars oftentimes. So WAVE, let them know that you see them and let them see you better, be neighborly and BE the change you wish to see in the world…(you’ll be amazed how many wave back – esp. in WV)

On a separate and related note – never start something. I know it would sometimes seem glorious to jump onto the hood of the car that pulls out in front of you without looking, but this is just another form of road rage. It will not get you anywhere productive and further it may cause your friend to get clipped in a grudge match some weeks later now that the driver does not like runners. Do not even gesture, we have enough trouble getting the respect we deserve out there and so you want to kill them with kindness, not invoke animosity. The flip side of this is to reinforce positive behavior. I stopped to make a special gesture to a woman driver who waited at the edge of a huge puddle, rather than risk splashing me. I said hello and thank you to a couple who re-leashed their dog as I approached. Giving them reinforcement for what we’d like to see helps all my running friends as they repeat these behaviors and teach others to do the same. I do not know much about tennis players because I am seldom around them but many folks know something about runners because they come into contact with you all the time - be an ambassador for our sport and teach them what you want them to learn.

Eye contact – I know that you might be tired after running up a long grade and trying to regain your rhythm but I do seek to make eye contact with every vehicle coming at me (recall I am facing oncoming traffic) to be friendly, but to also understand what they are doing in the car. The article states that one fifth of drivers text and I find this figure to be low, especially with younger operators. GPS or music players are also something that is fiddled with and takes their eyes from the road. I am also regularly experimenting with how long it actually takes for them to acknowledge or see me, and many do not wave until they are mere feet away. We are sharing a space and everyone is more likely to be on their best behavior if we acknowledge each other.

Be an example – what gadgets are you using while running and do they cancel your ability to remain aware of danger? I run with headphones on occasion but I have switched to a type that does not fit into my ear and seal out other noises. I can hear a car behind me and I will raise a hand in friendship as they approach so that they see movement, and they understand that I am aware of them (and predictable). I try not to check my splits on busy roads and I will often assume the motorist wants to go first and stop to wave them on – as if I was a fellow car in another situation. When running with a flashlight I do not shine it in the drivers eyes but let the beam bounce a bit so they know it is a runner. Take charge and set the tone out there and people will treat you as larger than you are.

Know your route – Not just to be aware of dogs or where the shoulder is widest, but on your slow days, assess where there are blind turns, hill crests that will obscure you from a driver’s view, driveways that are tough to see or places where motorists often crowd each other. I run on many roads that are a lane and a half wide and thus I am always looking for the place to jump to and how to pre-plan being more visible. I have pulled off the road and raised my arm overhead when climbing a steep hill crest to ensure the oncoming driver could see I was there. I have stopped and peaked around a corner to listen for cars before proceeding. Caution pays.

Tools
In 2007, nearly 700 cyclists were killed in the Unites States – their sport is significantly more dangerous than ours. This means that in any bike shop or bike supply catalog you’ll find really neat visibility toys that work equally well for running. They need not be expensive either. I have carried a Glow stick as an emergency backup light. Many types of mini headlamps, Maglites or LED flashlights from the auto parts store sell for under $20. Retailers now offer scotchlite adhesive strips for your running gear and these can be applied to any durable item – including your flashlight, and hunting shops offer blaze orange hats or accessories. Road workers and safety official rely on a vest w/ reflectors and these can be purchased for less than $20. They even make clip on reflectors, glowing armbands and handheld flashers. Do not forget that area drivers are always looking to avoid deer, possum and the like so they are already trained to spot movement (your wave) and the more the better. A smile and or recognition will help as well, if you are a friend and neighbor on your route folks will start to look out for you a bit. If you always have something with you to signal with you’ll feel better, even if you never need it.