RunnerDude's August Contest!

The August RunnerDude's Blog contest as arrived! The great people at RoadID have generously offered a $50 eCard as this month's prize! The eCard can be used to purchase any of the RoadID products from their website.

RoadID started with a father's concern over his son's long training miles on the road. Ten years later, RoadID is a hugely successful company helping keep thousands of runners safe on the road each year. To read some of the testimonials about the effectiveness of the RoadID products [click here].

I'd love to hear about your "close-calls" on the road or about any time when you thought that having identification on you while running would have been a good idea. If you're the owner of a RoadID product, I'd love to hear how it's worked for you.

To enter the contest, simply email your story and/or your experience using a RoadID product to runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com by Saturday, August 15, 2009. Be Sure to put "RoadID Contest" in the subject line. Your email will be entered into a drawing for the $50 RoadID eCard. Each email will be assigned a number (in the order that the emails are received). The winner will be selected by using the True Random Number Generator. The Winner will be announced on Sunday, August 16.

Safety on the Run

No matter what your experience level, all runners should take some time to think about their safety while running. In general, running is pretty safe, but depending on the time of day you're running, the time of year, and your location a variety of safety concerns may need to be addressed. It's the runner's responsibility to make himself/herself visible especially when it's dark.

Running in the early morning or in the evening can be especially hazardous. If at all possible, try to run in well lit areas. If that's not possible or you have intermittent areas of darkness, try wearing a headlamp. With the dawn of more powerful batteries and LED bulbs, these handy contraptions are very effective and affordable. The price range varies greatly, but I actually purchased mine for around $25 at Target and have used it for the past two years with great results. Also, wear reflective clothing and/or a reflective vest. Eastbay currently has a Running Safety Set from Nike for $6.99 (reg. $21.99). The set includes a pullover reflective vest and an armband light that can be set to flash or steady beam.

The best case senerio is to never run alone. Not only is it safer, it's usually more fun. But, running with a buddy is not always realistic. So, if you're running solo, there are a few precautions to take. Just like a pilot submitting a flight plan, runners should let others know where they'll be running. I have several different routes I run. Some are in my neighborhood, some are at the local park, and my longer runs take me down a nearby greenway. Each time I run, I make sure someone in the family is aware of where I'm running. I also try to tell them approximately how long I'll be gone. This way if I don't show back up at home by a certain time, they'll know something may have gone wrong as well as where to start looking for me.

A company called RoadID makes a variety of running identification products that provide your name, address, and other vital information. The IDs are sold in a variety of formats—Wrist ID, Ankle ID, Necklace ID, Shoe ID, Shoe Pouch ID. In the event of an accident, if you can't speak for yourself, the RoadID will. They also have a new version of the product called RoadID Interactive which allows you to build a fully updateable, secure Emergency Response Profile (ERP) that is available to first responders 24 hours a day 365 days a year. To check out all of RoadID's products, just click on the RoadID icon on the right-hand side of the blog.