They just can't see you

I've noticed something as a runner, since moving here from central PA last year.  When running, apparently I am unknowingly wearing Harry Potter's invisibility cloak.  It's not something I throw over my head as heading out the door for a run, but sometime during the dressing process that cloak finds itself on my person and darned if I don't become completely invisible to drivers waiting at stop signs.

Doesn't matter what time of day it is, what the weather conditions happen to be, or even what town I am running through on that particular day---people behind the wheel are clueless to my existance.  Now I'm sure I'm not the only runner who has noticed this.  There are lot's of folks out running---that's a lot of invisibility cloaks.  Are we all transparent?

Here are my observations so far:
1.  Drivers talk on their phones, while really concentrating hard on making a left or right-hand turn at a stop sign.
2.  Just because drivers are at a stop sign does not mean they will stop.  Rolling is a very popular form of stopping.
3.  Drivers eat chocolate covered doughnuts while talking on their phones and attempting to navigate an intersection.  
4.  Drivers are really busy THINKING while stopped.  Perhaps they are thinking about what they will do once they get to where they are going, or maybe they are thinking about what they just did at their last stop.  I do get the impression however that they are not thinking that they are about the run over the pedestrian who is about to cross the street in front of their vehicle.

Runners, please take extra precautions when approaching and crossing at intersections---especially those rinky dinky small cross roads in little neighborhoods.  That's where drivers live and the feel as if they know those roads the best!  They are just not expecting you and you are not a part of their thought process.

Things you can do to be more visible:
1.  Donning reflective arm, wrist or leg bands
2.  Wear shirts in bright neon colors
3. Attach at blinky light before or after dark
4.  Don't cross until you have gained the attention of the person behind the wheel (not the passenger) and exchanged a quick wave.

Stay safe!

Open for Business

Not sure if this photo captures my true emotions that I was expressing yesterday at 10 am BUT as you can see I don't have a great vertical jump.  What I do have is a local, homey, downtown Specialty Run/Walk store called Charles River Running, now open for business.  Did the customers roll in?  Yes.  Did my wonderful staff members arrive spiffy and full of energy?  Yes.  Did the cash register work?  Yes.  Did local runners drop in just to say hello, chat about tomorrow's 5K at St. Catherine's of Sienna, banter back and forth about training plans, the love of big toe boxes, and tomorrow's forecast for heavy rain? Yes, yes and yes.  I'm telling you, I could not have written a better script! 

None of this, of course, never would have happened without a whole lot of people (many of them complete strangers) believing in the idea of running, better health, honest to goodness customer service, shopping local, adding value to today's downtown landscape, and the American dream of SMALL BUSINESS.  So thanks to all of those people, especially my own family and friends for standing behind this long list of intangibles that really do add up to something very real.  

Need to find the store?  679 Washington St., Norwood MA 02062  ph. 781 349-8341