It's Who I Am....

Since returning to Texas I've been back out on the road, covering some miles for my marathon training. However when I was unpacking I realised that I'd left a really important piece of my kit back in England... my Road ID. 

I first bought one of these back in April last year. It had crossed my mind a few times that, here in the USA especially, I run on roads where there are no paths. I'm careful and don't run with an iPod so that I'm aware of my surroundings but it only takes one careless person whose too busy texting to veer off the road slightly. Also it's tough running in the heat... what if I just got woozy from dehydration? Even in York it is unlikely anyone would recognise me and regular running buddies and groups don't have my family's contact details. However running with ID is not an option either ...(immigration have enough questions to ask on the way in without being presented with a passport that has been in my pocket for a few hundred miles in sweaty Texas weather) and a passport or driving licence doesn't include the sort of information a first responder needs. 

When I heard about the Road ID on a runners website I realised that was what I'd been looking for. RoadID was set up by a father and son who are committed to the safety of athletes after Edward almost came to blows with a 'king-kong sized pickup truck' when running. It's not complicated... just a bracelet with the vital info on.. my name and person to contact plus any medical info that would be helpful to a first responder. 

There are several different colours and styles to chose from ... I opted for the yellow last time and red this time as I'm hoping it would stand out if I needed it to. They have reflective bands all around too to increase night-time visibility.

Basically it's one of those things that no runner ever wants to need, but definitely shouldn't be without. There are several different products and styles to chose from and you can check them out on their website, facebook or twitter. They are an American based company but ship to the UK for only $2.49 (£1.60).