It wasn't this hard for Forrest...

OK. Long time no see, sorry. Let me make it up to you--here's a post!

Lately I've been doing a lot more running (if you've been checking out my calves recently, you already know that). As I've expressed in past blogs, running is good for stress release, "me" time, exercise...but I've also started to notice that all comes for a hefty price--running is dangerous! Allow me to expand upon these "Perils of Running:"

There are approximately three ways to end a successful running career. 1) Death by starvation/lack of nutrition 2). Death by overwhelming thirst 3). Death by crazy Boulderites in cars. Let's review, shall we?

Pedestrians--which I will define to include runners, various types of walkers (mosey-ers, walk-of-shame-ers, walkers of great intention), and cyclists, even though they technically don't fit into the 'ped' category--have a lot of forces working against them. Those in the gravest danger are those exercising because they are usually too focused on shin splints to be aware of their surroundings. The first two troubles I listed are on the shoulders of the 'peds' themselves. After a few longer runs last week, I realized the benefits of packing an energy bar and mapping out runs based on water fountain locations (seriously--the library and parks are always good bets). The third hazard is the worst because it warrants double duty on peds' parts. Not only do we have to watch out for cars, we have to make sure they are watching out for us. The drivers here tend to be absolutely nuts and irresponsible to boot. This is what I assume the Boulder Driver's Ed licensing test looks like:

1. If you are making a left turn and the white pedestrian light is on, who has the right of way: you, the left-turning motorist, or the grandma crossing the intersection?
correct answer: You, obvi. Old people are slow, screw that. You have places to be, things to do.

2. When making a right turn on a red light, look left and then:
correct answer: Gun it! Oops, was that a cyclist?

3. When approaching a flashing pedestrian crosswalk, the motorist should:
correct answer: Speed up so you don't have to wait it out. Same goes for when you hear sirens, I think. And trains.

The vision portion goes something like this: "How many fingers am I holding up?" "What color is the wall?" "Okay, great, you passed."

Lately, my runs have turned from pleasant mental escapes to Rated R for Language flicks. I am constantly on the look out for idiots behind the wheel and when I find one, I'm very vocal about it. But in all sober sincerity, every runner needs to consider the following: Stop at every intersection to look both ways, regardless of whether or not you have the right of way. Avoid running during rush hour when motorists are even more stressed and tired. Be responsible for the driver's actions.

And as for the other side of the fence, motorists--please! Give us a break! I don't want to have to wear full body armor on runs; the last time I put on wrist guards and knee pads was for a birthday party at Skate City and that did not go over well with my peers. Don't subject me to that kind of humiliation.

later gator,
Stacy