Teen runner struck by a train

train tracksA 17-year-old girl from California was struck by a train this weekend while running on the tracks. Investigators reported that it seemed as though the teen, Maria Mendoza, was running in the same direction that the train was going and did not notice the train, despite the conductor claiming to have blasted the horn and hit the brakes.

Mendoza’s parents admitted that she frequently ran routes that involved the train tracks.

Her death is a reminder to runners everywhere to remain vigilant of their surroundings and carefully consider the routes that they choose to run. Train tracks are not the only threat–running on busy roads, highways and unmarked trails can also leave runners vulnerable.

Part of the joy of running can be ‘tuning out’ the rest of the world, whether that be with music, or through letting go of your attention to your surroundings. Runners need to be careful to keep the volume low enough that they can still hear and react to their environment.

Wearing reflective clothing, telling someone where you are planning on running and keeping a cellphone in your pocket are all good ways to stay safe on a run.

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