YOU ARE THE MOVEMENT!

Running Safety/Rules of the Road

Below is a sneak preview of your clinic this Saturday. Read through it and ask any questions you have in front of the group. All questions are good questions and everyone can learn from each other. Be safe! I will see you soon!

The Rules of the Road

1. Don't assume a driver sees you. In fact, imagine that a driver can't see you.
2. Always run on the left side of the road facing traffic. The best way to avoid an untimely meeting with a vehicle is to see it coming.
3. In busy areas stay on sidewalks where possible. When running in large groups, it is much safer to be out of the way.
4. Run single file in congested areas or wherever there is oncoming traffic.
5. Respect a driver's right to the road.
6. Use your ears as well as your eyes- don’t wear headphones.
7. Beware of stopped cars making a right hand turn. Either stop to wait for them to turn or go behind them.
8. Don’t challenge cars to a race. If you are both approaching an intersection, stop and let them go first.
9. Cross at cross walks or traffic signals whenever possible. Obey traffic rules and signals. Runners, as pedestrians, are bound by traffic laws.
10. Use hand signals to show which way you plan to turn.
11. If running at night, reflective great is a must (reflective vest, blinking light and/or a headlamp are all good options.)
12. If running alone, let someone know your route and your estimated run time. Carry your phone.
13. Always carry some sort of ID.
14. If you need to stop and tie your shoe, pull off to the side of the road and out of the way.
15. Be alert at all times. Be wary of “runner’s high,” fatigue, or any lapse of concentration.
16. Carry a noisemaker or get training in self-defense and the use of pepper spray. 

Welcome To Our Fall No Boundaries Program!

Week 1
“Energy and persistence conquer all things.”  -Benjamin Franklin
Great job on your first week of running!   We sure you are feeling a few stiff muscles, that haven’t been used recently!  You should feel less of that as your body becomes adjusted to running.  Warming up and cooling down will also help reduce muscle stiffness and accelerate the recovery process. We recommend a minimum of 5 minutes of warm up and cool down at every session.

The warm-up is aimed at reducing muscle stiffness in order to decrease the chance of injury.  5 to 10 minutes of walking will increase body temperature, oxygen utilization and blood flow to your muscles.  Once you are done with your warm up, begin your run at a comfortable pace.  Note- Do not count the warm up as part of your workout time or distance.

When you are done with your workout, try to resist the urge of stopping without a cool down.  A proper cool down will help dissipate waste produces (such as lactic acid) from your body which should help reduce muscle soreness.  Cooling down will also reduce the likelihood of getting “dizzy” or fainting by allowing blood to return from the extremities. 

A good cool down should consist of the following:

• 5 to 10 minutes walking – to decrease body temperature and remove waste products from the working muscles
• 5 to 10 minutes of static stretches will decrease body temperature, remove waste products from the working muscles and to increase range of movement.

Static Stretches are important to the cool down as they help muscles to relax and increase their range of movement.  Static stretching consists of stretching a muscle (or group of muscles) to the point where you feel tension, but not pain, in the muscle and then maintaining or holding that position for 15 to 20 seconds. It is important to stretch in a slow controlled manner as sudden, jerky, or bouncing movements may lead to injury.

Now you can see why we begin and end each workout with our walk.  Be sure to include a warm up and cool down walk when you are doing your own workouts as well. 

We will see you on Saturday at 9am!

To Your Health,

The Fall No Boundaries Team