With temperatures averaging in the 50’s, this is the perfect season for joggers in and around the city of Chicago. Brisk air, beautiful colors, and a city filled with endless routes—it’s like a jogger’s dream. However, jogging—especially at night—can lend itself to some dangers. Follow these tips to help you stay Alert while jogging this fall. Here are few jogging safety tips you can learn from.
Wear Bright Colors
Joggers run into problems the most at night. Wearing bright, reflective, or neon clothing will help draw attention to you while you jog at night. This will help drivers see you while you run across or in the road, and will deter any potential attackers.
Run Facing Traffic
One of the biggest dangers for runners is getting hit by a motor vehicle. If you are running in areas like the suburbs where there may not be a sidewalk to run on, be sure to run facing traffic. Facing traffic, you can see what is coming at you. This means you can better predict the actions of the drivers on the road. You will be less likely to accidentally run into traffic accidentally, and you’ll avoid getting clipped from behind.
Be Mindful of Route
When it comes to jogging, be mindful of your route. Avoid dangerous neighborhoods in general, and if you choose to run at night, pick paths that are well-lit. Run in populated areas when possible. Also, switch the route up. Everyone loves a routine, but if you are running the same route every day you may be vulnerable to attackers who have noticed your habits. Although this is unlikely, stay on the safe side and go a different route.
Ditch the Headphones
Many of us love to run with music in our ears, but those headphones can actually do more harm than good. Listening to loud music on a run can make you unaware of your surroundings. You may not hear honking cars, trains, or other runners or cyclists who are on the path or road. Should there be attackers present, it also makes you unaware of their presence. We recommend running without any headphones, but if you must have music, at least turn it down so you can hear what’s going on around you.
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