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 wasn't recommending running with a flick knife. I'm just hyper anxieous about being attacked.

So conclusion is that benefits outweigh the risks but there are things I can do to make the risks less risky.

I can't imagine anything worse than the zombie app . The occasional over excited dog is all the motivation I need.

OP don't give up! Just avoid anywhere you don't feel safe and/or get a running buddy. Better still join a running club - guaranteed company, motivation and support. Most clubs will have a beginners/slow group if you're worried about it all being super duper athletic types.

Wear proper shoes, you really are far more likely to twist your ankle than be attacked. Watch out for Zombies

I also think some of these concerns are a bit OTT. I did c25k in Feb and now running 5-10K two or three times a week. Usually in the evening and often in woods, trails. I take my phone but mostly so I could call someone if I twisted my ankle on a remote path. Yes it's important to be aware of your surroundings so headphones can be an issue but the chance of a random lying in wait so they can strangle you with them has got to be vanishingly remote.

I take dogs with me. The only issue I tend to have then is knowing they're laughing behind their paws at my sad attempts at running

Warm up and wear good shoes. I run in the dark in parks or over fields in an area where I pass dodgy geezers with Staffies, men lamping and the odd shagger. I have never had a moments bother - get heckled in daylight though usually good natured

I don't take the dog since the tripping incident - the cast came off eventually...

It must depend where you live. I am in a small town. I always wear wireless headphones; I listen to podcasts not music and can always hear what is going on around me. I have run in town, on the river oath and around country lanes, never been heckled and never had any unpleasant incidents.. I guess don't run where you wouldn't walk on your own, let someone know where you are - in fact I think there is an app you can get that you can be tracked on.

When I run I use wireless headphones and only ever have one in, I have a head torch when I run in winter/once it's dark, wear hi vis clothes, I would never dream of leaving my phone behind as if anything were to happen I'd have no means of contacting anyone or calling 999. Cannot understand the mentality of leaving it behind!
I often run in the dark and I do run through rural areas, both lit and dark, but my dog often comes with me and secondly I'm 6' and taller than many blokes.
I have also run around inner city dumps and have never been mugged or felt intimidated. Only one time some weird bloke pulled along side me as asked me if I'd sell my dog!

I'm a member of an international running club so speak to American runners a lot and they're often running with weapons. Knives, tasers, guns...! Some of them run trails so they're to scare wild animals away... but everytime they talk about it I'm blown away. I hate carrying my keys and phone I'd be so annoyed lugging a gun around with me too!

My biggest fear is being hit by a car (rural) so I 'stay safe' under neon yellow kit when I can't avoid running on roads. Join your local running club if you feel uneasy going out alone, if you can't make their official training meets you might find people to run with at other times.

I wear one headphone in and tuck the other one away in my bra strap so I am hear what's going on.
When I started C25K I'd go out dead early in the morning so no one would see me 😁 I've had no problems at all, I just run around populated areas,on pavement rather than down country lanes because I do worry about a driver not seeing me in time

I bought an attack alarm to wear on my wrist earlier this year due to a localised threat of a repeat sex attacker. The bastard is awaiting sentencing at present, but prior to his arrest, he was operating in in areas 2-3 miles away and lived on the opposite side of the next neighbourhood. The risks of these kind of stranger danger crimes is very, very low.

My most realistic concerns are an injury, traffic and cows. I take my phone to call for help if necessary and do use headphones for music/ podcasts- 2 hour training runs for a HM would be very dry on, nothing but birdsong and my own panting I keep the volume low anyway and struggle to hear it over the volume of traffic, and pull them out if crossing a busy road.

I feel safe in the countryside on remote footpaths. There's sections where I've never seen another person out walking/ running so a predator would need a huge amount of patience hanging around there for a victim. (I avoid fields with cows where possible and keep a wide berth around the field having checked escape routes if not)

I feel more concerned about "known" places that are quiet but with a steady drip of people, particularly places known beyond their immediate locality. I feel safe in my dozy suburb which tends to have small open gardens.

At night I wear high vis and reflectors and stick to well lit parts of suburbia.

Running is one of the most popular sports and the numbers of people coming to harm from anything other than trips or wear and tear injuries is very, very low compared to the number of participants.

The route I normally take is beside a river so no cars only the occasional dog walker. There section up to the first bridge does have gardens leading up to it so I feel pretty safe there. After that it's just fields. On lasts nights run there was two men just sort of hanging around on bikes and it made me think how it easy it would be for them to learn my routine. But no cows or traffic to be concerned about.

I think I'll just do the bit houses from now until I get confident enough to join the group.

I always run in the countryside and have never felt unsafe. Until the other day, when I got attacked by a bastard buzzard...

Deeply disturbed at the idea that nutters were hunting people at 6-8am. I had always hoped for some reason that rapists slept in (which is absurd).
I will buy a whistle!

Hat. Hair tucked away - no swishy ponytail.
Hi viz or reflective clothing.
No t-shirt with your name on.
I like tracky bottoms or shorts if I'm on my own.
Shapeless tops.
(Not that I could possibly look sexy with a red face, struggling and panting.)
Proper sports bra so there is no jiggle.
No headphones.

No cash. Normally don't take a phone. Housekey in hand or in easily accessible but secure pocket.

Stick to a lit route you know.

In the south east and I get heckled. (Usually by smug smoking teenagers who if female are in shoes they can't walk in or some ugly unfit fecker imitating my gait. They do it because they don't realise that I am old enough to be their gran/wouldn't piss on em if they were on fire)

StiginaGrump Ah. That would be disconcerting...

Mike I think I draw the line at changing my personal appearance to keep myself safe. I wear a sports bra for my own comfort but if jiggling boobs is going to make the difference between being attacked or not then I despair.

Shapeless tops

Really?

Don't be put off OP. Some of the advice here is verging on the hysterical. Be as cautious as you would going for an evening stroll. Best advice - find a running buddy - great motivator not to mention feels safer through winter running

I would never dream of leaving my phone behind as if anything were to happen I'd have no means of contacting anyone or calling 999. Cannot understand the mentality of leaving it behind!

Never take mine. Only thing I carry when I run is my house key. I love the feeling of being off the radar.

Shapeless tops? Yes. By shapeless, I mean a running jacket or a not skintight running top as opposed to a crop top. I also avoid pink stuff.
When I go to the gym there are young women there in skimpy tops and leggings and obviously just on the pull. This may sound like a prejudice but you can tell who is there to work out - they're working out not pouting; coincidentally, they are wearing kit or manky old kit not athleisure.

Save the top with a name on it for race day.

I go running because I enjoy running not to look pretty. I can wear the nicer running kit for a race or going out in a group but if I am alone I don't want to draw attention to myself.

You are more likely to trip or something than be attacked.

Oh and I can't say it often enough, you need a high impact bra and decent running shoes.

Not listening to a device means you are more aware of what is around you.

People running with their boobs bouncing is not good for their boobs. I don't think that jiggling boobs would make you more likely to be attacked but I try to not look too feminine as I run through a rough area.

I'm not suggesting that anyone change their appearance just that I feel safer looking like a jogger than I would if I looked like a woman out jogging. One of my neighbours wears a crop top and running tights and she doesn't look vulnerable but she is tall and not slight. She looks great actually, strong, fit and comfortable in her own skin.

If you have ever been in a race where there is someone running along side you and their listening to something loud on their headphones, it is really annoying, especially if you can't run away from them.

I do think people are being somewhat OTT.

The kind of person who would try to use headphones to strangle someone is firstly extremely rare, secondly would probably have their own strangulation thing with them, and finally I reckon with most headphones the wire would break.

• if you are still worried about them get some wireless ones.

To still hear around you, have the volume on low and only one ear piece in at a time.

I would always take a phone with me, the chances of someone trying to mug you when running are extremely low (even more so since would be muggers would know a runner can a- run from them, b- run after them and c- is unlikely to have anything else of any value on them). The chances of you falling and hurting yourself and needing to call for help are much higher.

Clothing wise - it just needs to be practical and comfortable - I highly doubt how fitted or not it is makes a difference to the extremely rare sick individuals that would actually do anything - however clothes/footwear that might make you trip or twist your ankle are dangerous.

If you need to be on roads high Viz so cars can see you - regardless of time of day and/or light conditions.

Basically though, if you'd be willing to walk there, then there is no problem running the same route.