7 Winter Running Safety Tips You Should Follow

It's winter, depending on where you live it may be colder than normal. The conditions may be icy, wet and different than your used to running on.  So today, I wanted to share some winter running safety tips that I use.

Run Against Traffic

Sidewalks may be covered in snow and ice, and may not be able to be traveled on safely, which forces more runners to have to run on the road itself. If you find yourself running on a road, you should always make sure you are running against traffic. So you can see what is coming at you, in case you need to move quickly to get out of the way.

Wear Bright Colors

A lot of people think darker colors in the winter are better because they help you stand out a little against the snow, that isn't exactly true. Winter drivers are a little snow blind, and sometimes can't see the person in black. But brighter and yes I am talking some neon's (I know the shame, LOL) can actually be far more beneficial to you to be seen by a driver than darker colors.

Avoid Running in the Dark on the Streets

Let's face it, night running is dangerous any time of year. But in the winter it is even more dangerous especially if the roads are icy. Drivers are putting all their concentration on the roads to be safe, they may not notice you as they may normally in better conditions.  So if you have to run at night, invest in vests with lights, or reflective gear and avoid the streets and stick to the sidewalks and pay attention at all road crossings. Or even better, head to a local track.

Avoid listening to music

If you are running on the street, or if you are going to be coming to intersections and will be crossing them. You need to be more focused. Why? Well, winter drivers are the most unsafe drivers out there. Not only because they refuse to hang up on their cell phones. But there attention is focused on avoiding sliding off roads or the other road conditions.
Your the one that needs to be the most alert. You should assume ever driver can't see you, and isn't paying attention. If you are lost in thought in your music, you could miss stopping or getting out of the way from a distracted driver who has their concentration elsewhere.
Instead save the music for area's that require less of your attention.

Make Sure You Do Get Some Outdoor Running In

Why is this a category? Well I will tell you. Many runners training in the winter are going to be running early spring road races.  If you spend the entire winter indoors, your muscles will weaken, you'll be less conditioned from the softer surfaces and more accident prone when you get out onto a harder surface. Especially if you don't ease or gradually get back into the harder surfaces.
So if you want to safely train through the winter and you have spring races coming up. You should definitely be running outdoors at least once or twice each week to keep your body properly conditioned.


Wear ID

You've probably seen the ID tags, you can put them on your shoe. A necklace or bracelet. No matter which you get, you should have one on you. It should have your name, your address, an emergency contact number or two. Any allergies or serious medical conditions you have. Some also put their blood type on it.
Because if something happens to you, you pass out, you get hit or seriously injured where you can't respond. If you have no ID on you, it could take emergency personal a very long time to figure out who you are and contact your family


Avoid Too Much Conversation With Strangers

You may find this tip strange, and may be wondering why I am suggesting it on winter running safety. It's true, this is a year round tip.
But winter is a different time, you find someone new on the road or trail, you're colder your mind isn't quite as quick to think and sharp. Things start to slip and before you know it, you may have just told a stranger too much about yourself.
That you run on that trail/road all the time alone, that you run in the area every Monday etc... Passing out too much information even to a stranger that seems friendly enough can be extremely risky. If you don't know them, don't give them any personal information, and definitely do not share your running schedule with them.
Additionally, getting in conversation with the wrong person and you could find yourself having a hard time getting away from someone that later you find makes you uncomfortable.
I share this, because I made this mistake earlier this year, and let me tell ya it was a very uncomfortable situation.

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Those are a few of my tips, what are some of yours?

5 Ways to Network with Other Bloggers and Grow Your Blog

If you're interested in growing your blog. Eventually you may to learn some of the best ways to do it.
For some, these tips may seem redundant. But there are many bloggers out there, who have had blogs for years and still wonder why they can't get people to come and visit their blogs.

The saying, if you build it, they will come. Doesn't always ring true in blogging. The truth is, if you create it, and put the hard work into building it up, then they might come!

So today, I want to share 5 ways you can network with other bloggers, and help grow your blog.

Find other blogs that interest you and comment on them.

I am not talking about a quick "Great Post" type of comment. I am talking a thoughtful, show them you actually took the time to read their post type of comment. Ask them questions in your comment, show them your interested and engaged in what they have to say.

Some bloggers do try to visit every single blogger who visit their blog. However, not all do. Larger and huge blogs likely will never return your comment. Even smaller bloggers, may not be interested in growing their blog and networking. If you have left 4-5 comments on different posts on their blog, and you don't see they have ever reciprocated. Chances are they may never. So you can either just read their blog for the fun of it, or move onto a blogger who is interested in networking.

Pin Images, and Share their post on social media.

This is one thing that almost every blogger would love others to know and understand. If you like something a blogger writes, why would you not want to share it with others?
You would want someone else to do the same for you too, correct?
So if you have that extra 10 seconds or less to share someones blog post, then do it!
They will notice, and if you do it for them, they are going to be far more likely to do the same for you! After a while, they will take notice of you, you may even find a new blog follower and friend yourself from it too.

Join a Weekly Link up or a Blog Hop.

A great way to get to know other bloggers who are interested in networking is to join a link up and actually participate in it.
I wrote a post on blog link up etiquette HERE that you should definitely read if you aren't sure what they are or how to participate in them.

When you participate in link ups correctly, you will not only be visiting other blogs, but they will be visiting yours. At the end of one day, you may already have found a few more interesting blogs to follow yourself, and likely someone else is thinking the same thing about yours too.

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Interact with them on social media.

Sometimes getting to know a blogger just on their blog alone can be a little difficult. Try following them on their social media channels (they might even do the same and follow you back.) But interact with them. Drop them a "like" or if you have the time, leave them a quick comment on their social mention or pictures.

It helps if you use your social media that is related to your blog. If possible you want to have your social media links match your blog name, or as close as possible.  This way, other bloggers know who you are. Eventually, they will pick up that you care what they have to say or post and your chances of their networking back with you will increase significantly.

Put together your own blog tribe.

What is a blog tribe? A group of like minded bloggers that have common interests and common goals. You work together occasionally on projects, run ideas off each other. As well as a group that is interested in helping each other out collaborating efforts to grow your blogs.

It will take a while to get to this point. Because you won't want to pick bloggers at random. Likely these will be bloggers you have followed, and also follow you and you've noticed great friendships developed between you and them. It could be something officially between you all, or something unsaid. But knowing that you have a small group that you can turn to any time you need help with something, or need to push out posts or projects your working on. Those are the types of things, besides wonderfully great friendships that can come out of finding a blog tribe. Not only that, but if your hoping to have a successful blog, a blog tribe really could be consider essential to finding success.