Perils of the urban runners - My Race Nov 2006

The perils of the urban runner

Most Scottish runners savour the idea of training in the open country. Using Scotland’s majestic scenery as a backdrop to invigorate and revitalise the senses. Taking time out. Breathing in the fresh air. Admiring the views and vivid colours’ of each season. Spotting wildlife in their indigenous habitat. And most of all, escaping the rat-race of the concrete jungle. But with the increase in crime and the recent murder of power-walker, Farah Noor Adams along the riverside in Glasgow, running off the beaten track or in solitude, secluded places no longer seems an option.

As winter and the dark nights are upon us, personal safety is at the forefront of many Scottish runners’ minds. Although running in public, well-light places may seem like the safer choice, the urban runner often faces a whole new set of hazards and obstacles.

Firstly, there’s the traffic. Top of that list is the exhaust fumes – an invisible, yet toxic combination of harmful gases and particulates - penetrating our healthy, pink lungs. As you huff and puff along a roadside, these pollutants are quickly absorbed by the body and attached to the blood’s haemoglobin. This reduces the blood cells’ capacity to carry oxygen and makes the heart work harder. Symptoms of overexposure include headaches, watery eyes and tightness in the chest. Sometimes I think you’d be better off sitting a home smoking a 20-deck. The only good news is that the pollutants dissipate beyond 50 feet. So, if you must run along a road, keep your distance.

Not only are the vehicles a problem, the drivers are a pain too. They splash you with puddle water, snarl at you and silently wish they could run you over. But the most irritating driver, is the lost driver. Why oh why do people insist on stopping to ask you for directions? If you’re puffed-out and in a good rhythmic stride, the last thing you want to do is stop, let alone hold a conversation.

Mind you, the biggest culprit of snapping you out of the zone is the traffic lights. Hit the lights when they’ve just turned to red, and you could have a long wait ahead of you. By the time you’re set to go, on comes the lactic acid and you’re muscles have seized up. It’s almost like starting from scratch. You could of course prance about while you’re waiting, but then you run the risk of looking like a prize prat.

But far worse than the traffic, is the simple pedestrian. Obviously you’re not alone out there. You’ve got to dodge and fight for your pavement space. People casually walk out in front of you or appear from doorways out of the blue. After a bit of jumping and side-stepping to avoid a collision, they have to cheek to look at you as if it were your fault.

Then there’s the chants and the flurry of abuse from your entourage of ‘support’. “Run, Forest! Run!” is a particular favourite of mine. Closely followed by the singing of “Keep on running”. And last year’s most popular choice, especially amongst the construction fraternity is “118 118. Got your number”. It’s almost entertaining watching the chanters fall about laughing at their wise cracks – as if you hadn’t heard them before. If only I had a pound…

More deadly than the verbal abuse, is the growling. Most Sunday morning runners can relate to this, and possibly even empathise. When you’re feeling a little tender from the previous night’s over-indulgence, the last thing you want to see is some self-righteous, lycra-clad, jelly bean reinforcing your guilt and ill feeling. The view’s enough to justify relaxing the country’s gun laws. Even when I’m feeling delicate, I find myself irritated by runners. There’s even a little voice inside my head screaming “get a life!” Camaraderie is temporarily shelved.

As running is a form of escapism, one’s mind can often wander. With the repetitive motion, runners can often go in a trance like mode and switch off completely. This is particularly dangerous when trotting along in built-up areas or near busy roads. If you’re not paying attention, you’re not going to abide by the green cross code. I’ve lost count of the number of buses and cars I’ve run out in front of. I’ve also developed a dangerous habit of listening for traffic, rather than looking. Not the best idea, considering how quiet cars are these days. As you can imagine, I’ve been on the receiving end of many a fist shake or colourful word spoken from a rolled-down window over the years.

My funniest “switched off” moment happened when I was out running on a particularly wet and windy night. I was running head down, fighting the elements when, to my ultimate embarrassment, I ran straight, slap-bang into the back of some poor bloke who was walking along minding his own business. I don’t know who got the biggest fright. He just stood there in amazement, trying to figure out what actually happened.

On that note, the most startling (yet entertaining) thing is scaring the living daylights out of lone walkers. I fear I may, one day, be walloped with a handbag or umbrella. Hearing footsteps running behind, is enough to make strollers think they going to be attacked or mugged. They’re practically shaking or in a light jog by the time you reach them. Sorry folks, I would whistle on approach, but just breathing is hard enough.

Running in the streets of towns and cities you’re very exposed and, therefore, increase the risk of being seen by someone you know. It’s OK if you’re an experienced runner and being caught re-enacting a scene from Chariots of Fire is fine, if not ego boosting. But for the beginner or the not so athletic, it can be quite traumatic. And, Sod’s law, you’re pretty much guaranteed to be seen as you choke and gasp your way up a hill. I know people to waited until it’s dark before they go out, because they’re worried about being spotted.

Then there are the gangs of youth, prone to hanging out in streets and bus shelters. Chubby, cheeky and wearing enough polyester to start a friction fire. On approach you can see their bling jewellery flickering in the street lights. It would be very bad luck if you were physically attack. But from impish faces under hooded sweatshirts, it’s highly probably there will be comments and chuckling. One of the gals in my club had a bag of chips thrown at her once. Personally, I think that’s a double bonus. Free chips. Plus in their opinion, she needed to eat chips.

So, now we’ve got the external challenges out of the way. Let’s start on the physical impact of pavement pounding on your body. When you’re running, you hit the ground with three times your body weight with each footstrike. And each foot strikes the ground approximately 800 times per mile. Your running shoes and feet absorb the initial impact of running and pass it upwards to your ankles, knees, hips, back and head. Basically, the harder the ground, the harder the impact, which means you’re more prone to injury. And that risk is augmented if you’re overweight.

Plus, pavements are often slanted – sloping towards to the road side - which could mean one leg is “higher” and therefore “shorter” than the other. If you run towards the traffic (which is the safest way to run), your left leg will pronate (turn in more) and your right leg will supinate (turn out). This excessive movement all the way up to your knee can cause an injury. If you must run the same route, alternate your direction each time you run.

Urban running can also impact on your mentally. The lack of route variety or the monotonous motion of pavement pounding can make it harder to motivate yourself to run longer distances – or get you out there in the first place. Plus, comments or jibes can also shatter your esteem – especially for the beginner.

On a more positive note, there’s a pro side to running in urban areas: You may feel safer. If you get lost, you can ask someone. If you’re knackered, you can jump on the bus. Your less likely to be attack by farm animals or dogs. And you can build up a healthy appetite with cooking smells as you pass restaurants and takeaways.

So what can you do to overcome to cons? Well, there’s always the over-cautious advice: Don’t wear headphones, as won’t hear traffic and you’re more vulnerable to attackers. Don’t weave and respect the pace and rights of others on the pavement. Don’t look directly at headlights, as it may temporarily blind you. Leave a note at home stating when you left, where you’ll be running and when you expect to return. Carry a personal attack alarm. Stick to well-populated areas, and steer clear of areas with a high crime rate. Avoid running at night and don’t wear jewellery. Pay attention to your surroundings. And carry identification with your name and an emergency phone number.

But really, who has time for this? Plus doesn’t it take the fun and enjoyment out of your favourite pastime? Just be aware of your surroundings. Run facing the traffic. Get some good shoes. Leave the headphones at home. Watch where you’re going. Dress to be seen. Don’t run on high speed roads. Crosstrain or change routes for variety. And when people growl at you, just think how smug you you’ll feel when you’ve finished your run. Happy pavement pounding everyone!

Ends.