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Jogging on the road is unsafe. Not because you could be hit by a car, but because you will slowly and utterly destroy your knees.

Protecting Yourself from Vehicles

If you take a few precautions, you're not likely to get hit by a vehicle.

Always wear light and bright clothing - something reflective is best. If a vehicle can't see you, it will hit you.

Run on the shoulder of the road and run into traffic. This allows you to see cars coming, so you can avoid any trouble. It also prevents you from running alongside a car and getting in its way when it tries to make a right hand turn.

Protecting Your Knees

A wise jogger is not going to get hit by a car. However, running on the road will destroy your knees over time. There are no precautions to be taken against that.

Asphalt and concrete are hard surfaces. They have very little "give" so the shock of each footstep is driven up your leg to your knees. The ground doesn't absorb the impact, so your body has too.

Dirt is a much softer surface. If you're running along the road, it is better to run on the dirt than on the sidewalk or the street. The dirt and grass along the road may not be an even surface, though.

For this reason, the best place to run is on a well worn dirt path or on a clay surface. Parks often have long, worn dirt trails. These offer great cushion for your legs and knees, while also offering a flat surface. Artificial clay - like that found on track - is another option.

Ingore the Roads, Go to the Park

Cars don't make the road unsafe. A few precautions will keep you - as well as bikers and walking pedestrians - perfectly safe.

What is dangerous is conrete and asphalt. Over time, they will do damage to your legs and knees and you would be wise to find a dirt or clay path to run on.

Learn more about this author, B. Rock.
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