Letters to the Editor...Running on roads is better for joggers

Dear editor, Re: Joggers should stick to the sidewalks. I was surprised to read both recent letters asking why runners cannot run on the sidewalks? To inform the uninformed, every running magazine, every physiotherapist and every sports medicine specialist will tell runners the same thing... running on sidewalks is a no-no. Injuries increase dramatically when runners take to the sidewalks, due to the unyielding properties of the concrete; this is very hard on the joints in the lower body. Where possible, runners are advised to run on earth/trails first, asphalt second and sidewalks a distant third. When running on the road, it is best to run against traffic (visibility), slightly away from the edge of the road as the downward slope of the road towards the curb (for water drainage) causes one leg to go further down than the other, causing an imbalance in the running cadence. This again can result in injury. Unfortunately for us runners, Georgetown is not packed full of suitable running trails dotting the town, and many of the trails we have are unserviced in the winter, leaving dangerously icy conditions underfoot. Also, many people do not shovel their sidewalks (despite a bylaw demanding this), creating the same difficult and injury-inducing conditions. Also, there is no law which applies to runners and the sidewalk. I hope this information is helpful to those who do not run, and I hope it answers your question as to why we cannot run on the sidewalk. Perhaps its best if we try to understand one another and get along.