Personal safety is a hot topic in the UK at the moment, but it's always an important thing to consider. I noticed a lot of helpful replies in response to a recent post by a running community member who is worried about running by herself. I thought it would be useful to share them in a pinned post.
Many of these measures are invaluable when ANYTHING goes wrong with your run - for example if you lose your way, or if you have an accident and need assistance.
If you have any other suggestions feel free to comment and I will add them to the list! And thank you to the original poster and to everyone whose ideas I am sharing - I hope you all know who you are 😊
Happy safe running!
roseabi, and the Admin Team xxx
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How to feel safer while running
★ First off, I would just like to emphasise that there is usually no need to worry about running alone. People are very rarely attacked when they are out by themselves, or at any other time. But I do realise it can be difficult to stop this kind of thing from preying on the mind, so please do consider your options and make sensible choices that work for you. You can have peace of mind to enjoy your running!
★ Find places to run where there are plenty of people about, or where you feel generally safer
★ Dress in bright and reflective colours, particularly if running at night and/or where there is traffic
★ Dress comfortably, and in clothing that is appropriate for the weather - choose clothes that make you feel good as this will help improve your self confidence and bearing
★ Remain aware of your surroundings, but also of the impact you might have on others - you can help them to feel safe too!
★ Be courteous to other people you meet (although perhaps not overly friendly!) - building recognition helps foster a stronger and safer community
★ Behave like you have purpose and confidence in what you're doing and where you're going
★ If you enjoy running with other people join a running club and find some running buddies
★ Tell someone at home, or a neighbour, that you are going out for a run, and when they should expect you back
★ Take your phone with you on your run, so you can contact someone if you are delayed, injured, or otherwise worried
★ Use the SOS facility (iPhone, Samsung phones)
★ Use the Personal Safety feature on Android phones (newer versions)
★ Strava subscribers can use the Strava Beacon facility for sharing their real-time location
★ Garmin Connect has the 'Livetrack' feature which allows users to share their real-time location plus all the data Garmin measures (including elevation gain, heart rate, cadence, etc.)
★ Keep your profile on Strava and other GPS apps private, so you are not advertising your routes to all and sundry
★ Vary your routes, and the times you go running, so you are less predictable
★ Carry a whistle or other type of alarm
★ Avoid running in the dark, or choose well-lit routes
★ If you need to, or indeed prefer to, run in the dark - wear a head or chest lamp, and carry a spare one with you
★ Remain aware of your surroundings by choosing to run without music. Or use just one ear bud, or bone-conducting headphones, which will allow you to hear what's going on around you
★ Share your location with your loved ones on Google Maps
★ WhatsApp has a live tracking feature
★ If you don't like the look of something or someone up ahead change your route
★ Set up incident detection features on your running watch
★ The Hollieguard app allows you to use your phone as an alarm
★ The What3Words app can help you share your precise location in a nicely user-friendly way
★ Be aware of safety hazards and safe places on your running routes
★ Check very carefully when crossing roads and approaching road junctions
Written by
roseabi
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Recent Android versions (especially on Pixel phones) have a Personal Safety function with Safety Check.
You can set up a timer that will trigger after a certain time. It'll then pop up a screen asking if you're OK, want to start emergency location sharing or dial 999. If you don't respond it will automatically send a text message to nominated contacts and turn on emergency location sharing.
For those with a Strava subscription, I think you can also set up ‘beacon alert’ and send a link to a contact who can follow your route. I tend to use it for longer runs where I’m away from town, provided I’ve told my sister to expect the email beforehand🙂🤣
The only time a young lady ever asked me to accompany her to her car as she was concerned for her safety in the dark company car park I was quite surprised. She was a 6 foot 3 inches Kiwi blonde in flat heels with very broad shoulders. Most men in their right minds would have been intimidated by her.
Mind you I'm very mindful of womens' safety as I have 3 girls to look after.
Dare I say it even in the upwardly mobile leafy suburb of Wokingham there are young schoolboys making inappropriate remarks to my 12-year-old daughter and her friend on their way home from school in their PE kits baring their legs more than usual.
I wish I could have been there to offer the boys a token of my affection with the back of my hand.
Thanks roseabi , great idea to make this a pinned post!
Also, as the freak from the back of beyond, I personally appreciate the balanced wording of ★ Find places to run where there are plenty of people about, or where you feel generally safer
Personally, I like running where there are no other people, on the basis that if there's nobody there, they can't attack me! Not so good for getting help though, which is why I do follow a number of the other tips.
The other thing I'd suggest is: Remain aware not only of your surroundings, but also of the impact you might have on others.
Being thoughtful about how others might perceive your approach - and I've seen good examples of this mentioned on here - can help to make others feel safer. Plus, it might also save you from whatever defence mechanisms they've prepared!
That is an amazing point, thank you!!!! I have added it to the list. I often wonder what people think when they hear me running up behind them, and I am trying to minimise this.
And I agree, I go running up in the South Downs often, which is pretty lonely but it always feels like such a friendly place! Except sometimes when I have to pass a group of cows... 😣
Cow's are the friendliest beings 😉. If I run up behind someone I always cough (maybe not good idea at present) or say HI in a loud voice a little way before I get to them, so not to make them jump....especially if they are elderly!
Yep, I tend to err on the side of caution - we have had a couple of fairly recent incidences of people being killed by cows on the South Downs. I do love how curious cows can be though - sheep too! I slow right down to a walk when passing any farm animals, and give them a wide berth - for safety but also because I don't want to startle them.
I'm totally with you Cmoi I go with the thought that it's people that cause issues so no people and you are safe.... Unless of course you trip over and twist your ankle!
Hi, I saw a response suggesting to vary your route, time you go running etc and this is something we had to do in the forces to make you less predictable to anyone who may be watching you to understand you’re routines. I think it is a good suggestion 🙂
Someone one social media was bitching about 'joggers' on their pavements last week and I said I'd love to run in Epping Forest where it's green and beautiful and the air is clear, but if I'm on my own I want pavements and streetlights and people.
Correct answer - don't worry about it! 😂 I assume this 'bitching' has to do with the pandemic - in which case remember that the virus is much less likely to be transmitted in any meaningful way outside in the fresh air. But you can help make everyone happy by keeping as far away as possible from people you pass, stop and stand back if necessary, and perhaps wear a buff which you can pull up over your mouth and nose when you have to pass people more closely.
In general I don't feel all too scared when I'm running in and around my little park, but when it is icky weather and nobody is out, I do tend to look over my shoulder a lot when running through the small patches of trees I have on my route. I always run the same route, because I don't have a lot of choice in where I run. I have been thinking about turning the route upside down for example, but it's still the same roads I would be doing. I'd just pass a bit earlier or later at the same spot.
Once I do longer distances, I might switch my territory to the huge graveyard a couple of streets away. A lot of people go there to run. But it is so huge that in general you are there alone. So part of me would like to run there, lots of space (between trees). But part is scared to run there as you are mostly alone. So not sure yet if I'd do it or if I'd just run my regular little route multiple times.
What I do try to do is to nod friendly to anyone I pass or say hello, this in the hopes that they come to recognize me over time and should I ever have a problem, that they would come to help me as the 'know' me. Does not help when there is nobody else around, but still, doesn't hurt to be friendly.
Might look into something like a whistle or something though. Not much use when there is nobody around, but still, might distract an attacker long enough to get away...
A loud noise from a whistle or similar may well startle an attacker and make them leave you alone - but please try not to scare yourself, remember that attacks are extremely rare! I hope you have someone to contact if you need any help out on your runs?
That is a great idea to acknowledge passers by! Also, I imagine if you get a friendly smile in return it must help you feel more relaxed? Just generally, smiling can help make you feel calmer and more confident, which is also great for your running.
Thinking about it all, I have actually just ordered a personal alarm. It is a small thingy that you can attach to your trousers or pack or so and if you feel threatened or you're being attacked, you can pull a thread on the alarm and it sounds a high 130 db sound. I do hope I'll never need it, but I read that just having it with you already makes you feel safer, because you can do something if needed.
As I said, in general I don't feel too unsafe. It is just when there is really nobody around, that my imagination gets loose. But in a few weeks I go back to the coast once in a while, where I run between fields. Sometimes it's busy on those roads, but sometimes you are all alone there. The alarm will help me feel more safe there too. Though if there is nobody around amongst those fields, the alarm will not exactly do much either, haha. Oh well, it's the idea eh.
And yes, I do feel a bit more relaxed when people nod back or so. Mostly they are elderly people, but still. They can call the emergency services too if needed eh?
Thank you roseabi for pinning this post, there's lots of useful stuff here I didn't know. Can I just add it's not just stranger danger we have to be aware of. When I fell and broke my ankle, I was able to call my husband to come and get me, but I saw nobody while I was waiting for him to pick me up. If I hadn't had my phone on me, I could have been sitting there for a long time, or I'd have had to crawl. Take your phones, people!
Just to lighten the load and hopefully give everyone a giggle but obviously not to detract from the importance of the post.
A few years ago my husband was walking our dog along the bridleway I now run on, when he was approached by a female dog walker who was a bit distressed. She had turned round because of "an odd man walking up and down mumbling to himself" further up the track. Anyway my husband reassured her that he'd go and have a look....... it turned out to be the local vicar pacing about practicing a sermon. 😂
I remarked to my partner yesterday that thirty years ago anyone who talked to themselves in public would be considered most unusual and possibly mad. Nowadays they're probably on a phone call.
I don’t know if these are helpful, but these are the ones I told my son.
Don’t run a new route in twilight or dark. If you plan to run in the dark, make sure you know where all the potholes and loose paving slabs are.
Be careful under trees. The pattern of shadows cast by the branches from the street lamps are indistinguishable from the pattern of cracks in the pavement where the roots have pushed the pavement up. They’re a trip hazard.
Know where the pubs are on or near your route. If you are feeling uneasy, a pub can be a good place to stop and call a cab / housemate to pick you up.
Be aware that street lamps turn off in some places between certain hours, they aren’t on all night.
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