Run safe.

This morning while checking the news, I read about a female jogger who was sexually assaulted in the very same park I run during the week. Article HERE:  This makes me furious.  I’m not going to stop running alone, but I do take every precaution that I can. I run defensively with my pocket knife and alert.  

Here are some safety running tips to consider.

1.    Be alert when running alone. Many runners are verbally assaulted or physically harassed by motorists and cyclists.  It’s equally important to pay attention to your surroundings for you to have a quicker time to react.

2.    Take your runs in well-lit, well-traveled areas during night time. For night jogging, have someone accompany you or run with a group. You can bring along your dog because dogs bark and make noise. More so, consider carrying a whistle or pepper spray, especially for women.

3.   Avoid playing loud music using your headphones. Especially in isolated areas and while running alone, you will not be able to hear somebody approaching you.

4.    Avoid isolated paths that have lots of trees or unpopulated areas like parks, bike trails, non-residential streets or deserted tracks especially at nights. It’s easy for someone to hide around corners, in the trees or bushes and parked cars.

5.    Check out for loose clothing like jacket or sweatshirt hood. Attackers will look for something to grab on their victim. Also, it’s easier to attack victims who have ponytails, this is an easy thing to grab and pull.

6.    Let somebody know where you will be running. Inform them the route you will take and how long it will take you.

7.    Vary your routes. Don’t be predictable. Switch Things Up. Don’t use just one area;  switch up your running routes. In addition to varying the places you run, also change up your schedule. For example, a person should never know where you are going to run on a Thursday night. Vary your running times by at least an hour, and don’t go to the same location on the same day 

8.    Follow your intuition; if an area feels suspicious, turn back.

Run safe everyone.