Lexington, SC - What: A 24-hour weeklong run-a-thon to highlight the importance of sharing the road and following safety protocols for both drivers and pedestrians.
When: noon on Friday, January 1, through noon on Friday, January 8, 2021
· Monday, January 4 will be Cycle Day – cyclists will set up their trainers (stationary bikes) at Radius Church from 4-6 p.m. to bring additional emphasis to the need for drivers to share the road.
Where: the route begins at Radius Church on Main Street in Downtown Lexington, travels to Church Street, then Columbia Avenue, and back to Main Street.
Who: Hundreds of runners have signed up to participate at various times throughout the week, including Rebekah Flanagan and Joey Wells, the spouses of runners killed on Lexington roads in the past three years.
Why: After the deaths of two runners in our community within 18 months, a group of Lexington runners and cyclists came together to form SAFE Lexington (Streets Are For Everyone). The group’s goals are:
to increase awareness among drivers about the presence of runners, pedestrians and cyclists on our roads
to educate runners, pedestrians and cyclists about the safety measures they can take to protect themselves on the roads
to advocate to lawmakers and community leaders for better pedestrian features and the establishment of better off-road routes for runners and cyclists.
For the first week of 2021, we plan to have pedestrians walk or run a common route through downtown Lexington, 24 hours each day for the entire week. It is not a relay, and it is not a race. We simply want to fill the sidewalks along the route with runners to make a visual impact and remind drivers of our presence. Thanks to a generous sponsorship from the SC Baseball Academy, participants will receive a bright green shirt to wear during the event. We will ask runners to follow all safety protocols — remain on sidewalks whenever they’re available, wear lights and reflective gear at night, and use crosswalks and obey traffic signals when crossing intersections.
For more information or to arrange coverage, please contact SAFE Lexington at SAFElexington@gmail.com, or Bridget Winston at 803-580-9511.
