How do you stay safe when running?

[Fantastictwistsand]

I've started C25K and my preferred route is a river bank near my home. It's pretty secluded though and I'm worried if I make it a habit to run the same route I could be putting myself at risk.

Am I being over cautious? There's other routes I can take but they are all really busy and I'm really worried about being heckled.

I'm in a really remote area of zero crime. I can't run yet thanks to health issues but I do very long power walks daily and crap myself in some areas. I'm so afraid of being attacked or raped which is ridiculous but my anxiety goes of the scale and my dh hates it if it's dark and makes me take his pocket knife. Not helping sorry. I know the possibitly is really low but I've come from a run down area of London where I'd never have gone out exercising alone after dark and the fear of being attacked has stuck with me.

Sorry I wouldn't advocate running with a flick knife though. I just do that so dh is happier.

I stick to built up areas and parks. Very rarely run down empty, isolated paths, did it a couple of times and it was horrible.

I've not been heckled in 20yrs of running.

Run in public places
Run in well lit places
Take your mobile phone
Tell someone your planned route before you go and when you are expecting to be back
Don't run alone
Wear high vis clothing if running in low light

Taking my rottweiler running with me is a good safety measure!!

I usually run with someone else when I go so rarely go alone and when I do I feel safer with no headphones so I can hear traffic but miss the music so unsure to run with them

Run in the early morning. Feels like the ne'er-do-wells won't be up yet, plus you get to see the nicest part of the day.

Always vary your routes and times.

Busy routes are much better. I never use secluded areas at night. Busy areas = lots of people if you need help if you are injured etc.

Never, for the love of God, ever, use headphones.

Do not have your mobile, iPod etc with you - you are a target for muggers or opportunistic scally.

Always wear an ID band with your ICE contact details, medical conditions etc.

Always run facing oncoming traffic but cross to the widest side of a bend.

Never run through a herd of cows - if you separate a mother from a calf you will be in serious shit and it won't be the shit on the floor. Same applies to horses. My personal preference is to never run through a field with a bull.

Wear hi-viz.

Do not engage with weirdos.

Keep you keys in your bra so that you can grab them quickly and use as a weapon by holding them like a knuckleduster. No-one can accuse you of having a weapon - it's your keys.

Use a head torch in the dark, even if you wrap it round your wrist. Also - I use wrist and ankle flashy things - dead cheap from Aldi.

Carrying a flick knife when going out to exercise is a terrible idea. What do you think is going to happen if someone confronts you and you pull out your knife?

Everything Undercoverbanana says is right. Headphones are a definite no-no. Always be aware of your surroundings.

Heckled? That's weird. Do you live 'oop North somewhere barbaric?

Do you need to run at set same times & days every week?

I don't do all this safety stuff. I live somewhere where folk are open about fogetting to lock their cars or house doors, though.

Crikey I guess I wasn't being overcautious at all. I can't really do without headphones because I wouldn't have a clue when to stop or start running. I can switch up my routes though. Also will drown out any potential heckling. By that i mean like wolf whistling or shouting run fatty run. It's not that rough where I am but I've been insulted on my way to the shops before.

Everything else I can take on board though.

I also echo what undercoverbanana says.

Do you have a parkrun near you? If so, you could start going along to that (you don't have to be able to run 5k already to do it) for one of your runs, or find a local C25K group, or see if you can buddy up with someone for running, all options so that you're not alone. Personally I love running alone but I vary my routes a lot and there are some that are only suitable at certain times of day as I'd be too scared in the dark even if I did have a head torch!

As for heckling - it can happen unfortunately. The important thing is to recognise it for what it is - pathetic men who probably couldn't do what you're doing (you'll never be heckled by someone who themselves is a runner!) Ignore it, don't engage, don't let it stop you. The area I live in now, heckling is very rare, but I always imagine it's from a saddo who is not used to seeing a woman hot and out of breath if you know what I mean and the good feeling you get from a run lasts way longer than any buzz they get from shouting at you.

Wear a headphone in one ear only - that gives you one for the traffic/baddies/whatever

I'd probably end up falling on a knife if I took one so that won't be happening.

I've also never been heckled while running - running on & off for 25 years.

LtGreggs that's a good idea.

Wonder I'll look into parkfun. There is a very active local and friendly running group but I wanted to build up by stamina a bit before joining in.

We're doing c25k in the house together at the moment, running on the spot and watching tv. Onto week 6 now I think. Not the same level of exercise as running outdoors but still good fitness training. Not for safety reasons just cos if we went out separately after bedtimes we wouldn't get to eat til too late.

The wires on headphones can be used to strangle you in an attack. Never, ever run with headphones.

Also, I have witnessed an atrocious accident caused by a runner not being completely aware of what is going on around them. Selfish and horrendously dangerous.

Join a running group. Most of them welcome beginners. Us runners are a friendly lot (mostly)

I live in the country and love a good 8-10 mile run on my own. Just me, on my own, with no-one about. I really dont fancy running in built up areas as I think that is where Im most likely going to get into trouble (mugging, raping etc)

I'm getting the impression it's just not worth it.

By the time I've taken on all these safety precautions I'll have taken all of the joy out of running. I think I'll go back to the drawing board of exercises.

Advice about not wearing headphones etc. feels a bit over cautious to me, and could also be seen as victim blaming.

I run alone, at night, in secluded areas and never tell anyone where I am going because I choose my route as I go along. I also wear headphones but take them out or turn them down if I'm on a road so that I can hear the traffic. I take a head torch, but mainly so I can avoid dog shit.

The only trouble I have ever encountered has been comments/whistles from stupid men. This has only happened in more well lit and populated areas.

I use bone conductors. No wires and not in your ears so you can still hear.

I did not think about being strangled with the headphone wires
I second telling someone your route and predicted time.

From all this, I get the impression that things are probably quite different depending on the area / routes that you are on... Some of these precautions sound a bit OTT to me, but I'm in a small market town and run in parks, residential roads, and in to the country just outside town -
quiet but not hidden/secluded or heavy traffic.

Although it won't stop an attack strava is a really good app that as well as tracking your run will allow someone you nominate to track you in live time. They can follow you on a map and will know if you stop unexpectedly. It gives a bit of peace of mind that someone if looking out for you and will know to act if you stop running or go of course. Also useful incase you fall or injure yourself. You can also buy an clip on panic alarm to wear and they aren't expensive .