Safety Reminders for Runners
I like to {still} believe that people are inherently good, but 2016 has tested my theory. Terrorist attacks victimizing innocent people. Violence directed at both police and young black men. A political environment that breeds divisiveness and hateful rhetoric. Tragic accidents that spark strangers to point fingers in an effort to find blame. And now, the murders of three female runners in Michigan, New York and Massachusetts in a span of nine days, each who went out for a run and never came home. I recently asked my mom if she thought there had always been this much violence and tragedy, or if our exposure to it via social media and 24-hour news cycles simply made us more aware of it. Neither of us knew the answer.
One thing I do know, a lesson I’ve learned through my many years of running, is to control the controllables where possible. There are many accidents, tragedies and circumstances that we will never be able to change or control, but there are some basic safety precautions we can take to help better prepare ourselves if we ever face a potentially dangerous situation. My good friend and closest training pal while living in Atlanta was a victim of a running attack, and a female runner was attacked in a park I run past almost every time I run not long after we moved to Tampa.
The dangers are real. They don’t just happen to other people or women we don’t know. They can happen to each of us.
This round-up of posts from both runladylike.com and some other fantastic runners are good reminders for staying safe while running. Please be careful out there my friends.
Self-Defense Tips and Strategies for Runners
Realistic Safety Tips for Female Runners from This Runner’s Recipes
Escaping a Running Attack (featuring Running For Bling)
Tips for Staying Safe on Morning Runs via Women’s Running by Mile Posts
How do you stay safe on the run?
Comments
Thank you for sharing my link! All this senseless violence has certainly tested my belief that humanity is inherently good as well, although then you see stories of truly good people and good acts that don’t make the headlines. I run with mace and never wear headphones, but after the three horrific, tragic murders I’m signing up for a self-defense class (especially after reading your post on the class you took). Stay safe out there, Jes!
Thank you for these excellent reminders! I was out running one morning around 9:30 with my 6-month-old baby and was rushed and groped by a man just off a major busy road. I thought having a child with me would be a deterrent but the police told me that the stroller likely made me more of a target since my hands were occupied.
My intuition also told me something was amiss but I talked myself down (“you’re just being paranoid”) and thought he was far enough away to not pose a threat. I was SHOCKED by how fast he covered that distance though.
Now I almost solely run at a park with a very busy trail, always have my phone on me, and never run with headphones on when I’m alone. It’s sad to have to take so many precautions but you can’t be too careful!
I cannot believe this happened to you Heather, and I cannot begin to imagine how terrifying this was for you with your baby in tow. I am so, so glad you escaped OK. Your personal experience is such a real example that it can happen to all of us. It is really interesting what you share about your intuition. In the self-defense class I took, our instructor told us that the majority of situations might likely be different if we just followed our gut more (of course that certainly isn’t a guarantee). She said we tend to know and sense things and should always follow our intuition, even if it seems silly at first. Please stay safe out there. xoxo