Watch Out: Things and Frights That You May Encounter While Running

 ** image courtesy of moviewriternyu.wordpress.com

You may think it is completely safe to walk out your front door and go for a run. In theory, it is, but there are several things you need to watch out for and pay attention to. My run yesterday was a perfect example of this. I was running a path that I frequently run and out of nowhere a snake appears. I am not normally afraid of snakes, but when one just pops out to say hello you wish you had brought a fresh pair of britches. With this being said, here are several things you should watch out for and keep in mind while you are running:


1) Wildlife:

 When you leave your house you enter nature. Nature is full of animals of all sizes and little critters. Just like my snake story above, remember to be aware of your surroundings. I tend to keep my focus about 10-15 feet in front of me, but be mindful of what is to your left and right. Remember, you are in their house!


2) Clothing:

Always wear something that is visible to drivers and/or other people around you. Also, wear apparel and shoes that have some sort of light reflecting material. This is very important for running when the sun begins to set.


3) Creeping Cars:

Make sure you are always aware of your surroundings. If you are not, you could easily be snatched up and never heard from again. I ran into a situation like this before. Some man told me he was a friend of my fathers and offered me a ride. He was kind of persistent and I knew he was not a friend of the family. I kindly declined and finished my run and quickly went home. Hide your wife, hide your kids!


4) Bikers:

Not motorcyclers, unless you are running in the actual road. Bicycling is a popular sport and even though there are bike lanes on the road remember that they may come up behind you without notice. I was on my cool down walk today and man on a bike came up behind me and said "on your left" and nearly scared the absolute bejesus out of me.


5) The Weather:

Always be prepared to run in whatever weather may occur doing your run. Always hydrate, but make sure to stay hydrated more-so if the weather is really warm. Heat can cause heat exhaustion and even heat stroke. Colder weather means bundling up for your run. Find a nice medium between warmth and clothing breathabilty to keep from sweat cooling down too quickly. Also, cold weather brings snow and ice. Watch out for ice to keep from slipping and hurting yourself.


6) Potholes:

Watch out for uneven pavement and/or concrete that you may be running on. Even holes and/or uneven dirt on a trail or path. If you run into something like this, you run the risk of tripping yourself up, spraining an ankle, breaking something, etc.



** At the moment, these are the precautions that I can think of. If anyone has a comment and/or something else to watch out for, please comment below!


** Have a wonderful day!



Check in tomorrow for my third installment of Song List Sundays!