Safety First

There was a tragedy here on Oahu last Thursday.  A female pedestrian was struck by a tour bus.  This happened on the corner where Les' office building sits.  He had a full view of the aftermath from his 11th floor office.  I had to stop him from telling me the full story as the details were extremely gruesome.  The victim was a Honolulu resident and sadly, this occurred on the woman's 65th birthday.  This is an ongoing investigation and there are a lot of unknowns at this time.

Since I spend a lot of time walking while we are in Hawaii, this really made me think.  As a runner, I am often out before the sun.  I know what it's like to turn up my music, push the pace and get in the zone.  But I've gone out a little more cautiously the last few days.  I wanted to share a few safety tips just to remind us all to stay safe:

Distracted drivers are on our roads everyday.  Never assume that they see you.  Run facing traffic.  If you can't make eye contact, just assume they haven't seen you.  I avoid school zones when it's drop off time in the mornings, too.

Distracted runners are on our roads, too.  Don't be one!  Turn your music down so you can hear what's going on around you - I only wear one earbud when I'm running. Checking your watch can be a boost when you see that you're hitting your pace, but keep your eyes on the road.  Check your stats at stoplights or when you get home.

Be seen!  I ran Tantalus yesterday morning.  There is little to no shoulder on the road and I was running before sunrise.  There are a few miles that there are not even any street lights.  I wore a reflective vest (this one) and carried this small light from Walmart.  It lights up the road!

Don't step off the curb too quickly.  I'm guilty of this one!  I'll watch the light to see the opposite direction turn yellow and I'm ready to go.  There are drivers watching that light and ready to run the yellow, too.

Trust your instincts.  If something feels off or you don't feel safe, trust that feeling.  There are safe places to run, stick with those.

Tell someone where you're going and how long you think you'll be gone.  Carry your cell phone and have a tracking app.

We all love to run in new places but that can be challenging.  Check out routes on MapMyRun or find segments on Strava for the city you're visiting.  Ask at your hotel.

I realize none of these are new, but sometimes we just need a reminder!  Stay safe, my friends!

Did I miss anything?  Have you ever had a close call?