We say it all the time, and usually we mean it. We have your back. Sometimes maybe it’s I have your back. But in a larger group, we have your back is more common. We will protect you from harm. With dogs, our pets always have our back in a protective manner, warning us of hazards (including other dogs) often before we are aware of these. In a group run (and during races), we runners definitely warn each other of hazards whenever possible, including cars we may encounter.
Sometimes our backs are little bit of a blind spot as far as safety is concerned. We have limits on how far/well we can see with our peripheral vision, even if we’re turning our heads on a regular basis. Hazards can come at us from different angles, including but not limited to our backs. And without a safety mirror that many cyclists have on bikes, how can we really know what is behind us? We have to check regularly.
How can we protect ourselves from harm on runs/bike rides/walks? We need to be seen in all conditions, including dark wintry ones. Snowy precipitation has given us some whiteout days lately with almost zero visibility.
It is common to wear a headlamp. That’s pretty easy. Mainly remember to charge the headlamp and keep track of where the charger is at all times. Check the headlamp for the need to charge. And if your headlamp gets damaged/cracked, it’s a good idea to replace it.
Many running kits have reflective clothes/gear, same with shoes. Some colors reflect light more easily. Safety yellow for example. But if reflectivity is lacking, attach some reflective safety strips to the clothing/gear/shoes. I love to use Brilliant Reflective.
Usually when I attach it, I focus on the front of the clothing first as cars commonly approach us. But we also need to remember to flip that clothing over and attach reflective strips to the back of the clothing too. Running jackets for example. Sometimes we don’t wear running vests if we have good pockets with a jacket. So attach some safety strips to the back of the jacket/vest/bike/shoes, etc.
I happen to have some Brilliant safety strips I hadn’t attached to any gear yet. When I got my new North Face Goretex jacket, that seemed like the logical jacket to attach the safety items to as it didn’t seem to have much reflectivity on the back. So I carefully peeled my BibRave letters off the paper and attached them one by one to the jacket. I do believe the North Face logo does reflect on the back of the jacket. Here is what the safety strips look like after I applied them. Showing you the look with a flash camera to demonstrate the reflectivity.
Are you interested in knowing more about Brilliant Reflective safety strips? Check out their website here: BrilliantReflective.com. If you have any questions, I am a Brilliant ambassador and would be happy to answer them for you.
Watch out for hazards and dangers on the road, warn each other when you see these, and let’s get back to warm springtime weather soon! Happy healthy trails!
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