Running without risk

Our Race for ECHO 5K/10K run/walk is coming up in five weeks! We’re excited to be supporting a great cause this year, ECHO Minnesota and to get a chance to catch up with security professionals from a variety of industries.

The 2014 Race for ECHO is for participants of all fitness levels. You can run or walk it at your own pace. Either way, we want you to be safe out there. In the spirit of risk management, we want to share some tips for all our runners and walkers.

Start training early

Everyone is welcome to come out and walk, but if you plan to race, start your training early. You don’t have to be in shape right now to run that 10K or 5K, but it’s definitely time to start training.  You’ve got five weeks, so get started, but don’t rush it. Prepare physically and mentally. If your more comfortable using technology to get you going, check out this couch to 5K app.

Be aware of your surroundings

Our race starts in St. Paul’s Upper Landing Park. You will want to be aware of what’s happening around you. Relying on sight alone can’t always keep you safe. If you must wear earbuds for motivational music while you run, make sure the volume is low enough so you can hear approaching participants. Hint: unplugging completely will be safest and the best way to network along the race route!

Carry identification

Yes, you will have a race bib and number to help identify you to staff and volunteers, but if you should need medical attention, it’s good to have insurance and blood type information on your person. Whenever you are running, carry identification that includes any important medical information as well as contact information.

Follow the rules

Our Race for ECHO race routes will be marked off and managed, but you’ll still want to pay attention to your surroundings (see above). With any event that is outdoors, it’s important to be aware of traffic and prepared to yield if necessary.

Run with a partner

We’ve got lots of partners for you to run with! Exercise is more fun when you do it with friends, and it’s a lot more fun when you do it with hundreds of industry professionals in your field.

We look forward to seeing all you runners and walkers on September 27^th! If you haven’t registered yet, you should do that now. Get some exercise, some race swag, network and support a good cause! See you there!