Be safe, courteous when on the course

April 27, 2011

The 35th annual Bellin Run is an all-inclusive event often on the “bucket list” of area residents.

If you lace ‘em up for the 8 a.m. Saturday, June 11 event, please practice common sense safety measures and show courtesy when on the course.

Here are a few tips to help ensure a positive experience at run:

•    Arrive early. You’ll be headed to the Bellin Run at the same time as a few thousand other folks. Plan some extra time for finding your corral, area traffic, parking, shuttle lines and pre-race action. Try and get to the race at least an hour before it starts.
•    Be honest when providing your estimated finish time. Doing so allows organizers to properly group you in a corral best-suited for your running pace.
•    Stay off the course if you’re not an official registrant. That should go without saying. Besides, runners that are not registered take away from race resources and course support that registered runners have paid for and are expecting.
•    Running with a group? Don’t block the course. Try staying single file. Shoulder-to-shoulder running makes it tough for faster runners to slip past you.
•    Don’t toss your water cups and other trash on the course. Be courteous and leave a clear, clean path for runners and walkers behind you.
•    Look around before you spit or sneeze. If you really need to spit, do so way off to the side and out of the path of others. It’s rude to catch someone in your bodily fluids.
•    Use the toilet. If you have to use the restroom, use one of the many Porta-Potty facilities positioned along the course. Ducking behind a bush or tree – not cool.
•    Don’t come to a dead stop or suddenly start walking in the middle of runner traffic. If you need to stop on the course, carefully make your way to the side of the road. Don’t get trampled by those coming behind you.
•    Don’t suddenly change directions or cut off other runners. Glance around you before switching directions or pulling off the course.
•    Don’t cheat. You’re only cheating yourself if you “pave” your own course to the finish line. For safety purposes, stay within the designated course.
•    Keep moving. A sea of runners and walkers is expected to cross the finish line and immediately seek water and refreshments. Grab what you need and keep on moving.
•    Don’t take more refreshments than you need. Race refreshments are available based on the number of participants. If you take more items than you need, you are taking away from the people that finish after you.
•    Have fun. Enjoy your Bellin Run experience. It comes once each year. Make the most out of your training, your race day experience and the post-race events. Most of all, have fun.