Running is a decidedly simple and effective medium of exercise一but not without a catch. Though you do not need extensive experience or equipment to get going, you still need to keep in mind certain dos and don’ts. Apart from prioritising your nutrition and rest, mastering proper running form and finding a regime that works for you, it is also crucial to remember certain safety precautions. This is especially true if you ditch the usual parks and trails for a road run, where the condition of the roads, the vehicular activity and other obstacles can pose serious risks to your well-being. A 2019 study in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care revealed that in 2017, “16 citizens were killed and 53 injured every hour on Indian roads as per officially reported data, while a fair number go unreported”.

We spoke to seven individuals-from marathoners to a physiotherapist to a professional coach-about the hurdles they’ve faced throughout their years of running. Here’s what each of them suggested to be the most important rules of running safety.

1. In a group, run behind each other instead of spreading out.” – Coach Ravinder Singh
With years of carefully curating safe and sustainable running events under his belt, running mentor and marathoner Coach Ravinder Singh begins with a simple but firm statement. “We can’t expect others to take precautions,” he says. Apart from taking care of your general fitness, what you eat etc, here’s what he suggests:

• Though it’s preferable to not have earbuds in while running, try keeping at least one ear free. We need to be able to hear if someone calls out to us as well as the passing traffic.
• We should always carry a mobile phone and some emergency cash with us while running.
• In a group, it is better to run behind each other instead of spreading out on the road.
• Though most people run in the morning, you should opt for fluorescent clothing, reflectors or head torches if you’re running in the dark. That way, you are more visible to vehicles.
• Run in the opposite direction of traffic.

2. “Though it's difficult to break your rhythm, be alert and patient while crossing roundabouts.” - Suresh Srinivasan, marathoner

 

An avid marathoner as well as a health and wellness enthusiast, New Delhi-based Suresh Srinivasan maintains a regular blog on his experiences and advice as a runner. According to him, self-awareness is the paramount requirement for running safety. “Though running in a group may help you in case of an emergency, do not blindly depend on others. I almost got hit by a hand cart on my recent 6.30 a.m. run, but was able to avoid it by being aware of my surroundings,” he reminisces.

3. “Run with an ID tag around your wrist with your name, blood group and emergency contact.” - Reeti Sahai, Boston Marathoner, Founder of @runwithreeti

 

Running her first half marathon in 2010, Reeti Sahai has since then come a long way一both on foot and experience. “Always stay alert and aware of what’s going on around you. The more aware you are, the less vulnerable you are,” says the fitness coach and mountaineer.

4. Depending on your end goal, collective runs can provide security and confidence while solo runs can be decluttering and therapeutic.” - Hemant Singh Beniwal, founder of Leap Endurance, captain of New Delhi ADIDAS Runners

 

Along with winning ultramarathons and coaching runners, Hemant Singh Beniwal’s approach to running safety is a mix of practicality and feeling confident. Here’s what he recommends.

5. “I always wear a blinker on my back, which indicates my direction to the traffic.” - Shshank Pundir, running coach

 

The founder of Run Academy by Shank, Shshank Pundir advises all runners keep these three points in mind while running on roads:

• Always run against the traffic and if possible on the curb or the pavement to avoid being hit by any vehicle.
• “I never run with music in my ear,” says Pundir. This hampers listening to horns of the vehicle coming from behind.
• “I always wear a blinker on my back, which indicates my direction to the traffic,” adds the ultramarathoner.

6. “Land softly, don't slouch and swing your arms back and forth to reduce the risks of pain and pressure.” - Dr. Rajat Chauhan, physician, race director of La Ultra - The High

 

Dr. Rajat Chauhan has been a runner for 37 years, along with being a Sports-Exercise Medicine & Musculoskeletal Medicine physician, author and ultramarathoner. Apart from the general safety precautions, he also puts emphasis on proper running form. “Running is like a signature or a fingerprint,” he says. Everyone’s regime is unique, but these are some basic rules that can help prevent the common running-related pains (knee, shin and lower back).

7. “Run against the traffic to be aware of oncoming vehicles.” - Chiro Mitra, founder of Let’s Run Gurgaon

 

After a gruesome accident around 15 years ago, Chiro Mitra was unsure if he could ever run again. “Seven years back in Western Massachusetts, USA, after I was hit by a car in my university, I never thought I would be able to run a mile again and my running career was finished. Besides the dead vision in my right eye, everything came back but took seven long years,” says the now ultramarathoner in a 2013 blog. Mitra believes that your running routine and style depends on whether you’re running for fun or to calculate your time-nevertheless, these are the points he always remembers.