Runners safety

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  • jenniferjeanne84
    jenniferjeanne84 Posts: 17 Member
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    I live in a very remote area. My concern is not so much people as wildlife and stray dogs.

    I run with dog spray andI make sure my Ipod is low enough I can hear wildlife/people around me and I am constantly on the lookout.
  • cwsikes
    cwsikes Posts: 86
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    I go out, I run, and I attempt to be the most aware I can be. If it's dark, I make sure I run where there are street lights and wear reflective clothes and blinkies so hopefully people see me. My husband also knows my routes and when to expect me. Other than that, I take my chances. I figure I'm more likely to die from a car accident or some kind of disease so I'll take my chances with the rapists and serial killers targeting runners.

    Edit: I also live about 10 minutes from the park where this happened.
  • AisforAmazing19
    AisforAmazing19 Posts: 68
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    I go out, I run, and I attempt to be the most aware I can be. If it's dark, I make sure I run where there are street lights and wear reflective clothes and blinkies so hopefully people see me. My husband also knows my routes and when to expect me. Other than that, I take my chances. I figure I'm more likely to die from a car accident or some kind of disease so I'll take my chances with the rapists and serial killers targeting runners.

    Exactly.
  • kathystrauss1
    kathystrauss1 Posts: 142 Member
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    I am just starting to run again and I really like trails the most. I usually have at least one of my dogs with me and I am always armed. Carrying a firearm isn't for everyone but it makes me feel more secure.
  • Kristine_7707
    Kristine_7707 Posts: 28
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    I have my license to carry
  • sarrah_n
    sarrah_n Posts: 192 Member
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    An additional safety measure that is SUPER easy to run with:
    http://www.safetygirl.com/pepper-spray-joggers/fury-personal-carry-series-pepper-spray-jogger-with-velcro-75oz.html
  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
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    Women are right to be concerned about the potential dangers of running alone in the dark. I wrote up an article with some thumbnail calculations of the dangers of running. Here's the MFP forum on the article:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1123182-some-statistics-about-running-and-safety-from-crime

    And here's a direct link to my article:

    http://sciencebasedrunning.com/2013/10/are-runners-likely-to-be-targets-of-violent-crime/
  • Runs4Wine
    Runs4Wine Posts: 416 Member
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    While I don't think you can prepare for all situations, but there is such a thing as running sensibly.

    I do not run on the trails unless it's daylight - it's a highly traveled path, so I feel safe knowing someone is always nearby
    I run in the AM (often dark) and stick to my neighborhood, frequented by others (dog walkers, fellow runners)
    I wear reflective clothing/vest
    I wear an ID tag on my shoe with ICE Contacts
    I carry my phone on me
    When I travel for work I speak to the front desk/take account of the area to determine if I will run through the area near the hotel or if I just hit up the TM
    I do run with music, but I'm careful about the volume.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    When some guy tried to pull me in his car while I was running (decades ago), I was not doing some of these things, so it's interesting to hear them.

    --I was running early in the AM with little traffic/no known witnesses and bad light.
    --I did have the exact same route and schedule every morning.


    I didn't expect a car to pull over where he pulled over, which was sort of dumb. A kidnapper/rapist isn't going to only stop at intersections, lol. So be more aware of cars than you already are in the sense that a true danger may do something sudden and unexpected.

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