I love to run in the winter because it is the season, contrary to a popular misconception, when the days start getting longer. That means every day has a little bit more daylight than the day before in which to go running.
But the sun still sets early here, and the skies are usually darkening when we head out for a late afternoon or evening run. So we have to think about safety — seeing and being seen, not doing anything stupid, and keeping a watch out for others.
That means when you head out in the glooming or later you should have on light-colored or reflective clothing, be wearing blinking lights and sporting a headlamp. You should be more aware of your surroundings. You should studiously obey all traffic laws. Seriously. It’s really stupid not to. (As an aside, I will admit to being stupid a time or two.)
“Your training will not suffer if you have to stop and wait for traffic,” said an email the other day from the director of our training groups at the Tri State Running Co. in Edgewood. “We must obey all traffic laws, and this includes stopping at stoplights and crossing only at crosswalks. This is a safety issue first and foremost.”
The email reminded me of a public service announcement that aired on television during my youth in New York, when the city began an effort to reduce jaywalking among the populace. It suggested one should cross at the green, not in between (embedded here.)
But there’s more you can do to be safe. You should mostly run on the sidewalks — although at night, take extra care to look out for broken or raised sidewalk blocks that can trip you up. If you must run in the streets, run no more than two abreast, although single file is ideal. Always run against the direction of traffic, so you can see the cars coming. And make sure you have an escape plan for when a car is coming — always know how you will get out of the way and where you can safely go. The latter is particularly true if you’re running on a road with little or no shoulders.
But it’s not just being seen: You also have to watch for what other people, especially drivers, are doing. We cannot assume a driver sees us. See that guy down the street, waiting to make a right turn on red? Notice he is looking down the street, ready to turn when the traffic has cleared. Notice he is not looking up the street in your direction. Chances are, once the traffic clears, he’s making that right-hand turn without looking up the street. He’s not used to the idea of pedestrians or runners using the sidewalks or roadways. He doesn’t know you are there. He’s not thinking about you. So you need to do his thinking for him. You need to know he’s there, and you need to make sure he either sees you, or you wait until he makes his turn before crossing.
And a few more things you should do when you are out running, particularly if you are alone. Always let someone know where you are going and about what time you’ll return. Bring your phone. And for crying out loud, buy yourself a road ID www.roadid.com bracelet, or use the company’s app. It’s well worth it.
A few updates on last week’s stories. First of all, my daughter, Corey Long, and I won our combined-age division at the Runners’ Club of Greater Cincinnati’s 35th Annual Valentine’s Day 2-Mile Labor of Love run on Feb. 8.
It was a beautiful day, warm enough to wear shorts and a T-shirt — in early February! — but with a surprising nip in the air. And the wind coming down through the concrete canyons of Northern Kentucky University had a bite to it. Still, the race was fast. I did the first mile in 8:11. But the second mile of the out-and-back course was a bit tougher — a tad more uphill, with the wind blowing in your face. My second mile was 9:27, for an overall time of 17:38.
Here’s Corey’s take: “I drove up to Northern Kentucky to run this race with my dad for the fifth year in a row. This was the first race either of us had ever done, and it’s nice to come back year after year. I wasn’t sure how I’d fare after yesterday’s long run (running 14 miles for marathon training), but I managed to get a respectable 14:28 time.”
Also this week, I had a chance to correspond with Jan Kriska, the fellow from South Carolina who ran the Arrowhead 135 — the winter trail race in the northern Minnesota wilderness — and shared second place with Cincinnati’s own Harvey Lewis. Jan was modest and self-effacing as we discussed the race, in which he and Harvey had competed for more than half the 135 miles before agreeing to join forces, help each other out, and share second place. Jan insisted his role was tiny.
“Harvey is too kind to include me in his interview,” Jan said. “You have a great treasure in him in your community. They do not make better guys than him. I thank you that you publicized his endeavors. He is a role model to many. I have realized how great he is on our journey. This race had a much bigger meaning to me because of our mutual journey.”
Paul Long writes weekly for the Tribune about running and runners. For his daily running stories, follow him at dailymile.com or on Twitter @Pogue57
LOVE the old ad!