09 May Top five rules of the road to run by

In recent weeks I’ve established on my blogs that even elite marathoners put in some of their training mileage inside by running on treadmills.
On those days that you do decide to run outside – ideally, it’s good to get a mix of both treadmill and road/trail running – there are some safety tips that will help make it a more enjoyable trip.
Call them part common sense, part you may not have thought of it, but here are my top five rules of the road for running:
* Run facing traffic – It’s better to see the traffic coming at you, rather than having vehicles approach from behind. Most experienced runners will always face the traffic – it’s just a lot safer.
* Use the sidewalk – Unless laws prohibit it in rare instances, it’s even safer to run on sidewalks. Do that when possible. The biggest thing to watch out for on sidewalks is cars coming out of driveways onto the roadway.
* Always be alert – You should always be on the lookout for obstacles that could hinder your path. In addition to the big obvious one (cars), be especially careful of dogs, potholes and uneven roads or sidewalks.
* Use the crosswalks – No matter how good a runner you are, you’re still considered a pedestrian when out. So use a crosswalk when crossing the street to avoid being hit by a car. More accidents happen with runners crossing a street when they’re not on a crosswalk.
* Follow trail and track etiquette – When you’re on a track or running trail, pass on the left or inside – and slower runners should stay on the outside.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at athomefitness.com