RUNNERS: Road or Sidewalk ?

QuietBloom

I've heard mention of it being 'better' before - does anyone know if there's any testing that's shown that the difference in 'hardness' does actually affect runners?

Just looking at it and the fact that, say, a motorbike accelerating at full whack (a lot of force) doesn't seem to particularly bother either and that it takes many repeated runs of lorries or high-downforce vehicles pulling big-gees to start to cause problems to tarmac, I'd have instinctively presumed it was hard enough not to make a difference.

I got a stress fracture from running ONE time on concrete, after only running on trails or asphalt. It really does make a significant difference.

QuietBloom

I run on the sidewalks! I think it's pretty selfish of people to run on the road ESPECIALLY when there are visible cars coming your way! Not to mention it's also dangerous.

Selfish? The roads are to be shared by all users.

QuietBloom

I usually run first thing in the AM when traffic is not an issue. In the summer I'll run on the recreational (asphalt) paths in winter I prefer the road as the city usually does a better job clearing the snow. If I'm running in the evening when there is more traffic I'll use sidewalks when they're available.

I do agree that runners do not belong in bike lanes.

I run in bike lanes, but you have to run against the traffic.

vjohn04

Road unless it's a well traveled street, then I use the sidewalk.

RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle

I do the same as you OP

Sabine_Stroehm

I run on the sidewalks! I think it's pretty selfish of people to run on the road ESPECIALLY when there are visible cars coming your way! Not to mention it's also dangerous.

How's it selfish?

nathalier71

both - i'm lucky - we have bike lanes pretty much everywhere - so I often run there - as there are no bikes in the winter. Roads are sometimes safer than sidewalk covered in ice.

QuietBloom

http://ncrunnerdude.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-asphalt-better-than-concrete.html

"Typically sidewalks are made of concrete. This is probably the hardest surface and most unforgiving surface you can run on. If you have a choice, avoid running on concrete. Many reoccurring injuries can be traced back to running consistently on concrete."

geebusuk

I got a stress fracture from running ONE time on concrete, after only running on trails or asphalt. It really does make a significant difference.
...
http://ncrunnerdude.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-asphalt-better-than-concrete.html

"Typically sidewalks are made of concrete. This is probably the hardest surface and most unforgiving surface you can run on. If you have a choice, avoid running on concrete. Many reoccurring injuries can be traced back to running consistently on concrete."

Thanks for the comment, but I'm afraid I was more looking for the study above, rather than a single anecdote.

I have ONCE ridden a motorbike on a tank-training ground.
That is the ONLY time I had broken any bone in my entire life.
Therefore tank-training grounds must be bad places to ride?

Similarly, your link doesn't provide a decent background to it's views unfortunately.
This is the study posted above, which DOES provide good evidence.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1460-2687.2002.00101.x/abstract
In this case that it doesn't make a difference really.

MiloBloom83

I always run on city streets/rural roads. Sidewalks sucks. Typically very rough and uneven. My 5 mile rural loop is blacktop and oil and chip surface. Awesome to run on. And I always run into traffic. I cycle with traffic, as is proper.

JTick

Road. There are no sidewalks where I live. I wear a construction vest and hat along with a road ID. Our roads are flat and straight here, so if a driver appears to not see me I get on the grass. I also run on the grass through curves where visibility is poor, but the route I use only has a couple curves in it.

Sabine_Stroehm

Road. There are no sidewalks where I live. I wear a construction vest and hat along with a road ID. Our roads are flat and straight here, so if a driver appears to not see me I get on the grass. I also run on the grass through curves where visibility is poor, but the route I use only has a couple curves in it.

This. I wear a cycling jacket, and bright yellow hat and road ID. and I face traffic. Usually at first light. If it's darker, I wear a flashing light.

Sabine_Stroehm

I always run on city streets/rural roads. Sidewalks sucks. Typically very rough and uneven. My 5 mile rural loop is blacktop and oil and chip surface. Awesome to run on. And I always run into traffic. I cycle with traffic, as is proper.

Exactly. cycle WITH traffic, run facing traffic.

AllonsYtotheTardis

I try to avoid running on concrete whenever I can. It's a lot harder on the knees and other joints, than running on asphalt.

I hear this all the time but I never really agreed with it. It is true that concrete is about 5 times harder (or more dense) than asphalt, but the energy absorbed by either of them is so miniscule I don't think it will really matter. That's just my theory though, I don't have any scientific data to back it up. But I figure I have a better chance of getting hit by a car running in the road than hurting my knees because I'm running on concrete instead of asphalt.

OK, maybe I should have been more clear. It's a lot harder on MY knees and other joints. I'm not in pain when I run on asphalt. if I run on concrete, I pay for it, for several days afterwards. I don't give a rats *kitten* about studies on this subject - I'm going to avoid doing things that are clearly causing my body harm.

As for safety - I choose roads that don't have a lot of traffic (it's all residential, and mostly sidestreets)