We’re going to interrupt this AJC Peachtree Road Race blog to talk about something very important: safety.

The issue has been burning a hole in my brain since Monday after a friend told me a story about a runner whose smartphone was taken – while en route -- early one morning.

I’m a big fan of running with a friend or with a running group, but I think we all know it’s not always that easy to coordinate schedules, so many of us have to go it alone.

But even if you use running as a way to “zone out” (one of the many benefits of pounding pavement), it’s still important to stay alert and safe.

I found a list of general running safety tips here.

The first one is not to wear headphones. Now, as the AJC Peachtree gets closer, I will blog about compiling what I think is the all-important race-day playlist – but again, that’s just for race day.

Now that you’re properly prepared, get outside and get moving this weekend. Looks like the weather will be warm but cloudy, which isn’t bad for ticking off a couple of miles on foot.