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Unfortunately, being a woman, I can’t just go for a run outdoors. Or I could but it wouldn’t be very wise. It’s important for women to know how to keep themselves safe when running outside. Because in my opinion, there are 3 common factors to being assaulted while running: running alone, being in a low traffic area, and being female.
I run alone fairly often. And when I was training for my half-marathon I ran alone a lot. But for the most part, I did what I was supposed too to keep myself protected. I say “for the most part” because I did have one run last year where I made an error in safety and was lucky I didn’t pay for it. Basically, I found myself isolated in the middle of nowhere and far away from my car. And this had happened because I was distracted by music and wasn’t paying a lot of attention to my surroundings. Once I realized how far away I had gotten, I quickly turned around and made my way back to where there were more people. But I would have been in big trouble if someone had approached me or followed me.
Things I NEVER Do When Running Alone
There are some things as a female runner that you should never do. When it comes to running outside you should never have a “regular” anything. That means no running a regular route, or having a regular outdoor running schedule, or regular stops or ending places. Basically, never develop a pattern that someone else could take advantage of. Always vary your times, routes, and day of the week that you run outside. Never let your runs become predictable.
Ways To Stay Safe When Running Outside
Run with a friend.
Whenever possible run with a friend or group. As they say, there is always safety in numbers. You are significantly less likely to be attacked or harassed if you’re with a friend or more.
Wear reflective clothing or safety lights.
Always wear something reflective or bright when running outside. This can mean reflective clothing or a wearable light around your wrist or ankle. Personally, I’m a fan of both. I wear a top with a reflective stripe on it, and a wearable light around my wrist.
Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.
Before you head out for a run, make sure that someone knows exactly where you will be running and when you intend to be back. If for whatever reason you aren’t home when you say you will be, someone will immediately know where to look for you.
Keep music low or off.
Music is great to run with but it can also distract you from what is going on around you. And if you’re distracted you’re more likely to be an unsuspecting target. Unless you are in a very high-traffic area, I would keep the music either very low or off completely.
Use a tracking app.
If you’re planning on running alone, or in an area that isn’t super high-traffic, I would recommend using a tracker or family locator app. Should anything happen, even something as simple as spraining your ankle, your family member will know exactly where to find you. Here is a great list of recommended family locator apps.
Bring your smartphone.
It’s important to have your phone with you in case of an emergency. If you injure yourself, find that you need help getting home, or need to call the police, you’ll be thankful you have your phone with you. Just make sure that your phone is there in case you need assistance, not to distract you and make you a target.
Change up your route.
Even if you’re running with a group or with friends, it is always important to change up your running route. It should never be obvious to anyone when and where you are running. It’s okay to have a few different regular routes, just make sure you are varying when and how often you are running them. I personally made the habit of never running the same route twice in a row to stay safe when running outside.
Run with a stick/spray or some form of self-defense.
It is becoming increasingly common for women to take up a self-defense class. Which is awesome! I, myself, have been considering taking up jiu-jitsu or kick-boxing. Knowing how to defend yourself or break away from an attacker will have you feeling much more confident during your runs. If you aren’t able to take a defense class, running with a stick or some pepper spray will help give you peace of mind.
Never share your routes on social media.
This is a big one! Never ever share your running routes on social media. This lets way too many people know where you like to run and potential times that you’ll be there. Lot’s of people love uploading their running times and pace using various apps which is great, but be careful that your route doesn’t accidentally get posted as well.
Be aware of your surroundings.
And listen to your intuition. If something doesn’t look or feel right, it probably isn’t. Pay attention to what’s going on around you, if it feels like someone is following you, head for the nearest public place or use your phone to call for help. Even if you think you may be overreacting, it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry.
Wear An Alarm Device
In some cases, it may not be possible to access your phone or call for help as easily as you would like during a potential emergency. In such circumstances, wearing an alarm device can literally be a life-saver. They are easy to use and are so loud that they quickly draw immediate attention. Wearable alarms will help you feel more confident and safe when running outdoors.
Have a running safety tip to share? Place it in the comments!
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