Is Running Risky? - a podcast by Dr. Christopher Segler

I recently went to pick up my 10 year son Alex from an after school program. He and all his classmates were playing on the playground. The camp administrator that runs the program actually approached me as I was walking across the playground.

He said, “Alex doesn’t make good decisions for his safety.”

I looked over and Alex who was standing up on the tire swing. He was swinging so high that he was almost horizontal at the top of the arc.

I looked at the Camp instructor and said, “That may be true. But it looks to me like he makes awesome decisions in terms of adventure!”

I will openly admit that I may be defined or labeled as a “risk taker.”

I raced motorcycles professionally. I fly a paraglider. I’ve climbed mountains in Alaska. I have done lots of solo big rock climbs in Yosemite and Zion national Park. I've even free soloed routes, climbing over a thousand feet off the ground, alone, with no rope.

When Alex was little we used to ride motorcycles together. He would often ask me to ride wheelies while he was on the motorcycle with me. Does that seem risky to you?

A lot of people think that motorcycles in and of themselves are risky or dangerous. But is riding a motorcycle dangerous?

What about someone riding a motorcycle on a road, somewhere in the countryside with no other traffic or no cars around. Does that really seem risky to you?

Look, the point here is that some things are just more risky than others.

If you are a runner and you've been injured you have to think about risk. There is risk in everything! Is running risky?

Further episodes of Doc On The Run Podcast

Further podcasts by Dr. Christopher Segler

Website of Dr. Christopher Segler