My name is Catrina Ralston. I live in Suffolk, VA. I’m a wife, a mom to a 22-year old son, Joshua, 2 cats, Patch & Boots, and one sweet pup, Bella. I’m also a daughter, a sister, an Aunt, a friend, close colleague and play many other “roles”. I began running longer distances 12 years ago. As a runner it’s important to be seen and aware. My greatest fear in cycling was motorists, but I adapted to this more quickly than I thought I would when I first got a road bike in 2014. We live in an area that’s considered more rural with so many options to bike from home. While our roads are pretty safe, an crasht can happen anywhere. In fact, while training for his first Ironman event in 2016, a driver in the opposing lane crossed over and my husband narrowly avoided a complete head on collision during a ride but still scraped down the side of the car and was thrown from the road. It was a hit and run. My husband, Dylan, had injuries, surgery and PT. The driver was never found and held accountable for leaving him on the side of the road. We advocate for safety first, being seen, alert, and courteous. I love the outdoors and my runs and bike rides are absolutely the most wonderful way to explore and to also keep my mind, body, and soul in their best condition. We are all in this together with a goal to make the roads safe for all of us. Stay alert, give space and even if you have to slow down momentarily while driving, it won’t set you too far behind in arriving at your destination and help ensure we all make it back home safely.