Around the Blogosphere - The Safety Edition

A look at what I've been reading around the blogosphere over the past week:

The New York Times takes a look at the truth behind stretching. For as long as I have played sports (going on 20 years now. Wow, I'm getting older...), there have been differing philosophies behind stretching. Before or after working out? How intensely? How long? The article concludes that dynamic stretching is the best way to prepare for a workout because it adequately increases blood flow to your muscles and warms up your joints (increases range of motion). I was never a fan of our dynamic stretching during college volleyball season (something about walking like a crab across the gym was more embarrassing than intimidating for our opponents), but it looks like you were right, Coach!

NYT also looks at Runner Road Rage, or when runners and cars almost collide. As an outdoor runner, I have hyper trained myself to be careful of cars, people, dogs, cracks in sidewalks, curbs, bikes and anything else floating outside of my personal being. Nevertheless, as a runner, you can't control everything out there. You can't give people the benefit of the doubt. You have to be alert. The article puts it aptly:

Changing this mind-set, for most runners, simply requires acknowledging the right for both parties to use public roads. “You have to remember the driver is another person,” said Dr. Stosny, which is sometimes forgotten because of the enclosed nature of most vehicles.

My hometown paper, The Hartford Courant, drew my attention to some sad news on the East Coast. Two deaths occured during the New York City Marathon. It's a scary reminder that endurance events may not be the safest hobbies. While running a personal best is thrilling and gratifying, you have to know your limits. After all, it's just running.

The Light and the Dark of It: Active.com seems to write articles specifically to me. The debate between night running and morning running. It's the soap opera of my life. I am in the midst of the transition (Three morning runs last week!!) but it's still a chore to roll out of bed. I'd rather run at night, but for safety's sake, I'll stick to the mornings.

Image: Active.com