North Dakota Fitness: How to Exercise Outdoors Safely

No matter the season, exercising outside is excellent for your body and mind. If you tend to be more inactive during the winter, fresh air and exercise can help you beat the blues, increase your energy and keep weight off. Even though it's cold we work-out outside in North Dakota.

I'm all for an outdoor walk or run but be smart about it especially if it's dark outside. Regardless of if it's winter or summer, on my way to work early in the morning I encounter people walking or running and very few are wearing light colored clothing or reflective gear.

Plus, they don't walk or run on the sidewalk, they're on the roadway. A friend of mine nearly ran over a runner on 1st Avenue West by Spring Lake early one morning because the person was wearing all black and he couldn't see them.

Black may be chic, but bright clothes are better for outdoor exercise. Not only is it colder in winter, but it also gets darker earlier and for more of the day, too. Poor visibility from rain, snow, or overcast or dark skies makes it tougher for others to see you. This applies whether you’re sharing the road with motorists or sharing the trail or path with others.

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Wear brightly colored clothing and gear whenever possible all year long and consider purchasing reflective gear or blinking lights. In addition to helping others see you, wearable flashlights are good because they improve visibility for you, too, to help prevent missteps and falls.

Another thing to remember, if there is no sidewalk and you must walk on the side of the road, choose the side where you are facing oncoming traffic. When you walk facing traffic, drivers can see you. If you are walking your dog, make sure they have something on that's reflective too. Knowing how to walk safely on the road will enhance your work-out experience and keep you alive.