Safest Places for Running or Walking

I recently wrote an article about the best stretches to do after running and, as I engaged in some back and forth with other hubbers, a common theme emerged: many of us are later-in-life athletes, getting fit now that we have passed the 30+ mark or picking up a fitness habit that died some time after graduate school. There is a whole market now for us latter-day athletes, with shoes, books, fitness gear and gym memberships being marketed for us at an astonishing rate.

Most of my friends are 35+ and we spend a lot of time talking about our workouts, how much we should work out and where we can work out. I myself have worked out regularly for almost 20 years and have carefully picked out some locations that I think are safe and comfortable. (And yes, I've noticed that it seems to get harder with age to keep it together - oh the wonders of gravity and a slower metabolism!) So I would like to share with you some of my suggestions for where to start your own exercise regimen.

This article is primarily aimed at those who are just starting their exercise program or just looking for suggestions to spice up their own routine. So, for women, those who are safety conscious and those who haven't decided on a good place to get their walk or run on, below are my suggestions for the best (and safest) places to work out:

Join a Fitness Center or Community Center

Many walking or running programs suggest you hit the trails or blaze one down your residential street, but if you are just starting out, you don't need wide-open spaces. You just need one small space - big enough to hold a treadmill, bicycle or elliptical machine. You are probably not going to jog five miles the first time you hit the treadmill or walk over an hour on the elliptical, so being at the gym or community center will help focus your energy and attention. The added benefit is that when your half hour or hour is up, you can step down and be finished. No having to walk 2 miles because you've stranded yourself two miles from your home. Nope, you're safe, in one place and can leave whenever you get ready.

Many of us say we are going to walk around our block and then the neighboring blocks, but when the snow begins to fall or a thunderstorm threatens, we stay closer to our homes than a flea on a kitten. Joining a gym or community center eliminates weather concerns and also prevents you from making any more excuses about getting wet or the temperature being too cold.

By joining a gym or community center, you are formally committing yourself (through the painful reinforcement of a membership fee) to a life that will include at least 3 to 4 hours per week of working out. (If you are not sure you want to do it, most gyms will allow you a 30-day trial membership, a one-year membership or allow you to pay a month-to-month fee.) The other benefit of joining one of these places is that they usually have on-site child care - great if you have little ones that can't be left alone.

Also, by joining a gym or community center, you will always have your own speical little place to commune with your Ipod, catch up with the latest TV program or spend time with your best buddy. Not to spend a lot of time talking, mind you, but to have the solidarity a good friend provides in your time of phyiscal fitness need.

If you need to be extremely money-conscious (or just truly love being outdoors), then I would recommend:

Walking/Jogging in a (Safe) Neighborhood

If you can commit to a regular program of walking or jogging (and don't mind all types of weather), then I would recommend exercising in a safe neighborhood. If you live in a safe neighborhood, great. If you don't, this is a great time to explore the community next door or the one right down the street. The problem with walking in an unsfafe nieghborhood is the very real possibility that you might encounter someone who means to do you harm or a careless driver. It is important, thereforem to remain as alert as possible. I used to run with my Ipod, but I now reserve that pleasure solely for my treadmill adventures. I justify by saying it's boring on the inside (which it is) and having it with me inspires me to drag my tired carcass over to the gym or community center to complete my workout.

If you run with an Ipod or any type of musical apparatus utilizing headphones, you won't be aware if a) someone is following you or b) traffic is just a little too close for comfort. I don't mean to make you paranoid, but stories abound of people being run over, mugged and/or raped while jogging or walking. You don't want to be one of these people if you can help it. Help yourself by being alert to your surroundings, never wearing headphones and by being as visible as possible. You can increase your visibility by wearing light colors, buying a neon runner's vest or runner's belt or wearing something that has a reflective surface. You may feel silly, but you'll feel a lot less silly knowing that cars and other traffic can see you clearly. Also, be sure (if you are alone) to go outdoors doing relatively safe times. No time is completely safe, however, plan to be out primarily during daylight hours. Obviously, in the summer, that window of opportunity is longer than in the winter. To protect yourself while exercising outdoors, be safe, be proactive and stay alert!

If your neighborhood has a middle school or high school, you are in luck! Most likely, that school as a track around its athletic fields which are hopefully filled with the athletically-inclined at all times of day or night. Walking a track is a great way to keep up with how far you walk or jog, to determine your jogging or walking pace and to track your progress as your exercise times grow longer and longer. Just be sure to follow the above guidelines to ensure your safety.

And, for those longer runs:

Find a good local or national park

Hopefully, your neighborhod, city or state has a good selection of local and national parks. The nicer ones have walking or jogging trails, hiking trails, picnic areas and the like. You want to find a park that has clearly defined trails, is used by a great number of people (for safety reasons) and has a number of clearly visible people working there. As you get more adventurous, you will probably seek out more and more isolated spots to get that glorious 'runner's high' in solitude and splendor, but, for now, stick with the better-traveled places.

If you're still using your neighborhood as a training spot, this is a good time to map out routes of various lengths. To do this, find a well-lit street with a sidewalk near your home (or the neighborhood where you run), get into your car and watch your odometer for the next several miles. For a 2 mile route, you note when your odometer says one mile, for three miles, one and a half miles, for four miles, two miles, etc., etc. (You are only tracking half of the distance because you'll cover the rest on the return trip.) Make sure you note if you see other walkers, bikers or joggers out and any areas which you would not feel comfortable walking past or through if you were on your own. These routes will become your new best friends and you will soon be able to accurately predict which neighbor waters his lawn on which day and what time various convenience stores open up along your routes.

Another important thing to remember as you exercise outside is to vary your routine. A would-be criminal would love to know you run or walk at exactly 6pm every Thursday on Park and Third. While you are mapping your first routes, or jogging in the park, make sure you find two or three other likely paths for routes as well. That's why it's good to always belong to a gym or community center for backup (in case it rains or you need a change in scenery). Even if you use the same route each time, at least vary the times when you use it. Trust me, it's important to be safety-conscious with a very precious commodity: you,

Home DVDs and Mall-Walking

If you are at the very beginning stages of any fitness program, or feel a bit shy, you can always start out with a walking video at home or walk your local mall. It's amazing how fit you can become in the privacy of your own home. And, with DVDs, you have no excuses about having to drive, getting ready or having no time to do it. After all, you're only going to your living room! The mall is also a great place to walk and you can interact with others, people watch or engage in whatever you do to entertain yourself. It is definitely safer than being on your own as you are surrounded by people and some malls even open early to allow walkers free access to their halls. As always, stay alert. Would-be criminals stake out malls as well.

Finally, if you're feeling adventurous:

Enroll in a boot camp, take a class at your local community center, gym or community college or join a local walking group

If you're seriously bored with your normal routine and need to kick it up a notch, it's a great time to join a fitness boot camp, take a class at your local community center, gym or community college or join a walking group. When I finally decided to train for a marathon, I looked up my local running groups just out of curiousity and found I was practically surrounded by like-minded people. A good friend of mine found her walking group through Craigslist. Local community centers (like the Y or local recreation departments) regularly post their schedule of activities on their websites or you can call or visit them to see what they have available in person. Or, you can find a local boot camp that'll get you up in the wee hours of the morning to enjoy a cardio blast. Make sure you check online, in the yellow pages or in the classifieds to find a place that works for you.

Your exercise routine is only as boring as you allow it to be, so if you're craving some company or adventure, now is a great time to see what your community has to offer you. Can't find a walking group? Start one of your own. I've regularly met with friends throughout the years at the gym, at the park or where we lived to greet or end the day with a long walk or run while chating and socializing. It was great fun! Being with like-minded people will boost your own resolve, create a positive social outlet and give you something to look forward to at 6am on a drearly Thursday morning. And it goes without saying that the more people involved, the safer you will be.

However you decide to implement your walking or jogging program, the important thing is: Just Do It! It's for you, the betterment of your health and your heart will thank you.

Good luck!

(I'd love to hear any other suggestions for places to walk or jog, so please comment!)