Do You Do Your Walking Outside Alone?

cruisegirl
cruisegirl Posts: 43 Member
edited September 20 in Fitness and Exercise
I live in a rural area. We own close to 20 acres, so I have a lot of land to walk on. The problem is : I'M SCARED to walk by myself! My sister will walk with me sometimes (if she's in the mood) at the local elementary school but it has a "No Trespassing" sign for after 6 p.m. Plus I have to drive there to walk. Our country roads are not wide enough for walking. I would love to walk our property sometimes and do the 'cross country up and down hills" exercise. I'm afraid of dogs that might be roaming (we have a few pit bulls in the area). I'm scared of rabid animals. Plus you hear so much on the news of women who disappear while walking alone. Don't think my dog would be much protection --- he's a 3 lb chihuahua!!

So tell me -- am I being paranoid or do I watch the news too much? Tell me what you do if you walk alone. BTW, my husband works during the afternoon and evening, so he can't walk with me. :sad:

Replies

  • 2daughtermom
    2daughtermom Posts: 80
    Do you have any neighbors nearby that might be willing to walk with you? How about a treadmill? Or maybe a fitness center nearby? Just some thoughts.
  • 123gonnareachit
    123gonnareachit Posts: 69
    If nobody wants to walk with me, I just walk REALLY fast around the house!
  • MiniRose2B
    MiniRose2B Posts: 53
    I think with this world we live in you are justified to be extra cautious about walking alone. I invested in a good quality treadmill (sybex brand) and I love being able to walk anytime the day or night without worry.
  • SquidInTraining
    SquidInTraining Posts: 196
    I walk alone most of the time, but only in places where there will be other people, and never after dark. My father in law and husband are both ex-policemen, and they've made sure that I know what to do to maximize my survival if someone were to attack me. I don't think you're being too paranoid, but this would be an excellent excuse for you to take some self defense classes. I think every woman should know how to defend herself. Plus, think of all the calories you'd burn! :smile:

    And barring being able to go to a public park or something, I would probably also invest in a treadmill, or maybe plot out a walk close to the house. (Sorry, realized I didn't actually answer your question)
  • richmondhillgal
    richmondhillgal Posts: 38
    well, you could carry a big stick or a small bb pistol or personally I have a taser. lol Seriously. You cant be too safe. If you can gpo middle of day, make sure you tell a few people and be sure to carry a cellphone. Safety is #1
  • weeble2008
    weeble2008 Posts: 147 Member
    I don't blame you for not wanting to go a alone. I live in a city subdivision of a small town where not much happens. We're like a little Mayberry town! I've decided to go jogging around our block a few times in the morning (6am) and my husband was extremely mad at me when he found out. I figured he would be, so I took "precautions"! I used my cell phone to listen to the radio, with only one ear phone in, and took my pepper spray. In my opinion I was aware of my surroundings and would be perfectly fine! I actually got a little scared the last time I went out after hearing about a women gone missing somewhere. I probably won't be doing that anymore, at least not in the early morning...maybe in the afternooon.

    I don't blame you one bit! Maybe it would be best to drive to walk at the school, even if you're by yourself, your in a public place.

    Good luck!
  • smae1980
    smae1980 Posts: 794 Member
    Bring a walking stick (potential protection from animals) a cell phone and don't bring an ipod, so you won't be distracted by the music and can stay aware of what's going on around you. Keep in mind most of what you see on the news about missing people is rare. Just be aware of your surroundings and be as safe as you can.. I wouldn't let it keep me from enjoying my walks though
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
    If I am at my parents I have no problem walking alone, they live in the country too. I just try to go when it is still light out. You can bring a walking stick that would help with the hills and protection from the dogs.
  • justann
    justann Posts: 276 Member
    Carry pepper spray if it's legal in your state. However, I'd probably stick pretty close to the house if it was me. Can never be too cautious these days.
  • confuseacat
    confuseacat Posts: 137 Member
    I understand your concern about being chased by dogs. I was chased once walking down my road and a neighbor happened to come by and fend off the dog. If you are a gun owner and have a small pistol I would carry that and walk on your property. I walk on the country road by my house and I only go so far because I know where the territorial dogs are and I don't go there. I carry my cell phone and my big dog walks with me but she is a big baby. Some folks used to carry pepper spray to use against man or beast but not sure if that is available any longer. I hate treadmill walking myself and would much rather walk outdoors if it all possible.
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    I do walk alone. I probably should be more frightened than I am, but I just walk so much that I usually don't really even think about it. (I don't have a car and I live in a dense urban area, so walking is one of my main modes of transportation.) There has been a recent bunch of attacks on people near the campus where I work and right in the area I pass twice a day, so my boyfriend got me pepper spray for my walks to work and back.
  • FabulousFifty
    FabulousFifty Posts: 1,575 Member
    I walk with my BIG doggy and cell phone. I am out in the country in another Mayberry RFD like yourself. I feel totally safe, but if I were you, I would trust my gut feeling. I also have a treadmill and have been known to drive to our city park just for variety. Always better to be safe than sorry. I cannot imagine NOT walking down my country road. It is my therapy. :flowerforyou:
  • TOYGRRRL
    TOYGRRRL Posts: 251 Member
    I am right there with you on the walking alone. I always feel fairly safe with my dogs all 70lb range and one very protective of me. I guess I'm lucky that I'm in a high populated area but recently there have been some armed robberies in an area near the university where I walk when I don't have my dogs with me. It's close to shops and restaurants. I stop shop and sit outside on nice days with coffee. The window shopping was my incentive and reward for going for the 4-5 mile round trip walk. Now I am a little afraid to do that.

    I suggest you carry a walking stick to ward or fight off animals and your cell phone to call for help just in case.

    Good luck... I love walking outdoors and wish we had more off leash areas near me to go with my dogs. 20 acres is my someday dream.
  • nursee67
    nursee67 Posts: 503
    I walk alone sometimes. We have paths that are around my house but I stick to the one that runs along the busy road. It would be nice if the world didn't suck so much with people out there who want to hurt others because I would love to go on the wooded path. I also have a treadmill but it can be a bit boring when it is so nice outside. Good to find a friend or neighbor to walk with.
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
    I invested in some pepper spray because I had an incident in my neighborhood with a miniature doberman and my husband suggested it. I have also been going to the school track in our neighborhood. There are always kids and adults there.
  • PureAndHealthy
    PureAndHealthy Posts: 539
    I walk alone 95% of the time, always with my cell phone, and mostly in my quiet little neighborhood, but sometimes on the railroad tracks that go in and out of the woods, or wherever I find myself working that day on my lunch hour. I was attacked by a couple bulldogs once, bitten by one of them... not bad... just enough to give me a fear of dogs that I HATE feeling. :grumble: If I were in your situation, honestly, I'd carry a gun. Take a class, get a permit, and have it with you on the outside chance anything (man or beast) should attack you. Probably nothing will ever happen, but you'd definitely be able to protect yourself and then call for help (carry your cell phone!) if anything did.
  • hooah_mj
    hooah_mj Posts: 1,004 Member
    Wow... 20 acres and a good tractor...what an incredible gift it would be for you to have a secured path carved out around/near the perimeter of your home...

    just behind a screen of trees/brush...nice. that's my dream...

    otherwise, stick close to home or get a bigger dog.
  • cruisegirl
    cruisegirl Posts: 43 Member
    You guys are so great! Thank you so much for your replies. You've made me feel a whole lot better about my circumstances. I think I'll probably drive to the school ( I do have a neighbor who will walk but she's an attorney and her hours are crazy), but maybe on the days she can walk, we can walk on the property. Lately, I've just been taking my little dog on walks in our yard (it's a couple of acres), but after a while, the same yard gets boring! We go round and round and up and down!! HA! :flowerforyou: THANKS!
  • KarenECunningham
    KarenECunningham Posts: 419 Member
    I do walk outside alone but I live in a subdivision. However, I am near a regional park and I do not walk there early a.m. or evening because there are Mountain Lions and Bears :noway: . If I walk up in the park I like to have someone with me and be sure there are other walkers around. Usually I stick to the more populated area and I guess technically I am not alone because I do take my little 11 lb poodle with me (a lot of protection there) :laugh: . I know what you mean about country roads because I grew up 5 miles out of town where we had small narrow country roads and no sidewalks and for some reason people thought it was a great idea to go 65 miles an hour down the roads :grumble: . It sounds like you have great property to walk on. Is there an area where you can walk closer to your house? Is there a time when your hubby would go with you (I ask because sometimes I make mine walk in the park with me). Leslie Sansone has some great walking DVD's that you can do at home (you walk in place). I have used those on rainy days or when I am traveling. :flowerforyou:
  • SquidInTraining
    SquidInTraining Posts: 196
    I do walk outside alone but I live in a subdivision. However, I am near a regional park and I do not walk there early a.m. or evening because there are Mountain Lions and Bears :noway: . If I walk up in the park I like to have someone with me and be sure there are other walkers around. Usually I stick to the more populated area and I guess technically I am not alone because I do take my little 11 lb poodle with me (a lot of protection there) :laugh: . I know what you mean about country roads because I grew up 5 miles out of town where we had small narrow country roads and no sidewalks and for some reason people thought it was a great idea to go 65 miles an hour down the roads :grumble: . It sounds like you have great property to walk on. Is there an area where you can walk closer to your house? Is there a time when your hubby would go with you (I ask because sometimes I make mine walk in the park with me). Leslie Sansone has some great walking DVD's that you can do at home (you walk in place). I have used those on rainy days or when I am traveling. :flowerforyou:

    Bears are an issue here, too, this time of the year -- I love to hike, but that's always in the back of my mind.. Every snapping twig gives me a start!
  • miswen
    miswen Posts: 113 Member
    I also live in a rural area.I guess I feel comfortable in my surroundings. I live about 8 miles from town and it is mostly farmland around my home. We have 80 acrea and once in a while I walk through our property but it is pretty uneven and I have to watch our for cow droppings. I prefer the country roads around my home. I have lived out here 20+ years and do know most of the people who live on the route I take. I do take my cell but maybe I am naive but I have always felt completely safe. It also feels pretty peaceful to me.
    I guess you have to do what feels "right" for you:smile:
  • tipusnr
    tipusnr Posts: 572
    I'm surprised no one has mentioned a loud and/or high pitched whistle in their self-defense arsenal. It not only startles the attacker but lets others in the area know that something unusual is going on. If you're not sure you'd be able to power it in an emergency there are whistles available that are powered by compressed air and have the additional benefit of being able to direct the sound so that you are behind it.
  • xonophone
    xonophone Posts: 474 Member
    I walk alone all the time. I've walked through cities and forests with my own good company and have never been scared. Now I have a dog, so I am even more not-scared. Life is just too short to be scared. Carry yourcell phone and some pepper spray and go enjoy that beautiful property of yours!
  • jessicajoy87
    jessicajoy87 Posts: 905
    Have you ever heard of Leslie Sansone Walk at Home workouts? I love them and they give you a great workout without killing you. They are only 10 bucks at walmart and you can buy them by miles. :wink:
  • kiffypooh
    kiffypooh Posts: 1,045 Member
    There are some places I walk alone and some places I won't. Honestly though, I walk with my 119 lb cousin and if someone wanted to take either of us, they would. There is one hill I LOVE to walk (with my cousin) and there are spots with no cell coverage. I'm a little weary at times, but I'm not going to let it keep me from doing it (and there are mountain lyons and wolfs there). I always tell my husband (if he's at home) or someone where I'm going. I know the walk takes me 45 min at the very most, and often text someone when I'm going the bathroom at the half way point. I often bring my 90 lb lab that would lick someone to death and there is a ranger station near the half way point. I think it all comes down to how populated the area is.
    I keep meaning to get pepper-spray too, but I keep forgetting and don't want my daughter to get a hold of it.
    If I were in your shoes I would try to map out a safe route close to your home and have your hubby walk with you on the weekends a few time. Trust your gut and don't use your iPod.
    I'm a huge fan of Criminal Minds and my husband always tells me I should stop watching it because it makes me too paranoid, I'm glad I'm not the only one who worries about walking alone at time.
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