Some days I feel like all I hear about are runners and walkers being injured or dying while doing their favorite sport. Some things are accidental (being hit by a car or bike), some are personal (heart attacks, etc.) and some are flat out awful, unprovoked cases of attack.
Because of the recent attacks we’ve seen in the news, April, Patty, and I thought this would be a good time to discuss how to stay safe on the run. I’m sure many of the tips you’ll see will be similar, but we all live in different environments and run under different circumstances, so hopefully everyone will come away from this round up with advice that they can use. And it makes me sadder than I can say that posts like this are even necessary.
Since I have the luxury of being able to choose not to run on trails or in the dark alone, I’m not going to give any tips on that. I don’t have experience with it and I can’t make suggestions, but I’m sure that there will be plenty of posts that can. Instead, I’m going to write about a topic I am familiar with: staying safe while running in an urban environment.
First, a few obvious things:
- Dress to be seen
- Tell someone where you are going
- ALWAYS, ALWAYS carry your phone. ALWAYS.
1. Be aware of your surroundings – yes, this tip is important for everyone, but it’s particularly important when running in a busy city. Dangers can come from all directions: cars, bikes, uneven sidewalks, crowded sidewalks, tourists, bike messengers … I’ve even seen instances when stuff has been dropped from balconies above. I never run with music because often noises allow me to react before I see what I’m reacting to.
2. Know that cars will win – It doesn’t matter that the law may be on your side. If a driver decides to run a light, make an illegal turn, turn right without looking left, and any number of other crazy things that urban drivers do, if you haven’t anticipated their move, you are the one who loses. In all my years of running in the DC area, I have felt uncomfortable about my surroundings and the people in them less than a handful of times, but I have a car related scare about once a week. Thankfully, I expect drivers to do the stupid thing, so most of the time when I would have been hit if I’d expected the driver to follow the law, I was already making choices to prevent getting hit.
3. Know the area – 99% of the time, I feel completely safe on my runs. I know my area well and it’s generally a safe area. And if I’m running in DC by myself, I’m in areas where I’m more likely to trip over a tourist than be attacked. But I also know exactly where the busy roads are and where people congregate. And, yes, I have been followed before and made the choice to run straight to a busy road rather than back down a quieter road in the neighborhood. Knowing in advance what my options are allows me to stay relaxed on my runs. I also know the most likely places for cars to do stupid things and take that into account when planning my runs.
4. Respect your instincts – If something doesn’t feel right to you, respond to that. Change your route, go to a busier area and call for a ride, call the cops if you are truly worried. It’s ok to overreact a bit. I’d much rather look a bit crazy if I change my route or pick up my speed because I thought the pizza guy was following me, than to find out that it wasn’t the pizza guy.
5. Be unpredictable – There is no rhyme or reason to the time of day I run or where I go when I head out on a run. Some of this is the nature of my life – my kids and job influence when I have time, the weather and my training plan influence my route of choice that day. But some of it is that I don’t like the idea of anyone being able to anticipate exactly when and where I might be running by myself on any given day.
What do you think is the most important safety tip you’d give for runners in YOUR circumstances?
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I live in the city too, and I totally agree with NOT trusting drivers. If I run in my neighborhood I know they won’t stop at the stop signs! It’s so important to have someone know where you’re going. I went on a solo run on a Sunday night from my phone to downtown….it was so dark and I was praying the whole time no one would attack me! Very dumb move…thankfully nothing happened! Great theme for this week, so important!
Cars are the worst. I get so frustrated on my runs!
I always tell Beer Geek where I am going and when I’ll get back, but I pretty much never run in the dark. (Should make Ragnar interesting…)
These are all great tips for city running. I think that being aware of whats around you is the most important. You have to look out for yourself because nobody else is going to look ut for you. Great theme for this week!
Samantha@foodfitfamfriends recently posted…Runner Safety Tips
Yep, I always try to anticipate what a car might do so that I can be ready to react…
Cars are the most scary to me followed by bikes these days. You just can’t assume they are going to stop so that means we have to stop even if it means adding a few seconds to our pace. Fun linking up again
Deborah Brooks recently posted…7 Tips to stay safer while on the run
Since I do most of my runs on busy streets, I do a lot of stopping for cars. My version of Galloway?
Great tips! I especially like the one about listening to your instincts. We are so often taught to second guess ourselves but when we’re uncomfortable, there’s usually some reason for it even if we can’t articulate it.
Chaitali recently posted…Weekly Review
I’d rather be wrong but have acted than be right and have ignored a real danger, KWIM?
All great tips, thanks for sharing! I never thought about being unpredictable, but now that you mention it, I absolutely agree. You never know who might be following you or who might be trying to predict your schedule, and mixing up when and where you run for that reason is so important.
Kathryn @ Dancing to Running recently posted…Wow, I’ve Reached 1,000 Miles!
It’s one of the good things about my inability to be on a schedule – I can’t predict me, so it’s hard for anyone else to either.
These are great tips. I try to be unpredictable with my running days and routes. As for cars, I think it is really important to remember that just because you can see them doesn’t mean that they can see you, or have noticed you. I know as a runner I tend to assume that the car sees me, but when I am a driver sometimes I barely see a runner who decided to dash across the street.
Coco recently posted…Blogging Smarter — My CoSchedule Review
Yep, and sometimes even when they do see you, they don’t do a good job of estimating your speed…
Great safety tips! Completely agree. As a runner in the city or in the country, too, you can’t trust that vehicles always see you! Like you said, know that the cars will win.
Amy @ Life to the Full recently posted…Barefoot Summer
Thanks and yes, it’s the whole law of gross tonnage… Bigger wins.
this is a great post. i have to admit, i rarely take my phone on my runs (the exception being my long runs). however, i’m not running alone and my husband knows the route i take to meet my run buddy.
Courtney @ Eat Pray Run, DC recently posted…Blogger Tip Tuesday: How to Increase Your Blog Traffic
I got in the habit when I would run while my kids were in preschool. Now I only buy new running bottoms if they have room for my phone…
I posted about this last week (link in the LinkUp), but the best tip I’ve given and I’ve followed is – DO NOT post the GPS/Map of your run route!
In the day of the interlinked social media, everyone logs into their apps and their run details get published – Nike app, dailymile, garmin, strava… If you have to share your workout, take a snapshot of splits, etc but NOT the map.
Smitha @ FauxRunner recently posted…Race Day Preparations
Luckily, I never upload my runs anywhere, so no worries there, but that’s good advice.
It seems that this is on the minds of all runners right now. I have a similar post on my blog today as a matter of fact!
Betsy recently posted…Fears While Running
I hope you added it to our link up! I’m hoping to make this a super relevant round up, so the more the better.
Great post and so important given all the stuff that has been in the news lately!
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul recently posted…Omaha Crush 2014
Thanks! And it’s sad that it’s so relevant.
Great tips. I hate running with my phone but would rather take the chance of it getting stolen then me not having it. I just got a Road ID which is awesome too. I agree with running in busy areas, esp if it’s not a busy time of day or getting darker outside!
I used to hate it, but I’m so used to it now that I hardly notice it. One of the many reasons I love Skirt Sport skirts – the pocket.
My schedule is hectic and sometimes this means running at odd hours. Since I like to not run on the treadmill a ton when it’s nice out…this means night time runs or early morning runs outside…usually when it’s dark. I always wear reflective gear when I have to do this, and I also text at least someone and let them know when I am leaving and plan to be back. The good thing about my schedule being crazy and constantly changing is that I rarely run the same route at the same time on back to back days. This is something I know a lot of people do and it makes it super easy for creepers to learn your schedule. Change it up people!
Laura @losingrace recently posted…ROC Training: The Turning Point
Yeah, I think the changing it up is important. Good for you for getting the runs in even with a crazy schedule.
Great tips! I live in a very busy area and I hate running on sidewalks, but sometimes I have to in order to run safely!
I do a lot of sidewalk running. It’s the only option on the busier streets.
I run in areas that are not desolate as I tend to like to run alone. I also always let the husband know I am going out and where and that I will let him know when I am done. Great topic this week!
It’s always good to make sure someone knows where you are.
Really great points. I live in a complex off a very busy road and I run on the sidewalk 80% of the time – and still my biggest worry is drivers. Being unpredictable is a great tip, too. I keep which parks the baby and I walk in completely random for just the reasons you pointed out.
Jennifer recently posted…The post without a catchy title
Cars are crazy. Add in people on cell phones and/or lost because they are unfamiliar with the area and that makes for a scary run sometimes.
I loved your statement; “cars will win”. Because that is the truth! And people in cars don’t care. Two weeks ago while out for a run, I found a bicyclist laying in the road, a victim of a hit and run. Turned out it was the newspaper delivery man. Guess getting those papers out was more important than stopping to help the guy you hit. Anyways, the cyclist called me last week to thank me and he is doing fine. Grateful that he was wearing his helmet.
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…Marathon training week 3–finding my mojo
Sometimes I think people in cars just don’t even notice… Glad the cyclist is ok.
I’ve honestly never thought about city dwellers having that problem. You know, as long as you don’t go through the ghetto at midnight. lol I live in a very rural area. When I run from my house, oftentimes I never see a single car once I make the turn off the highway a quarter-mile from my house. It’s just me and the cows. It would be pretty easy for someone to snatch me up. I have my CC permit and have thought about carrying while running but that seemed so cumbersome. Then Monday there was an incident with a runner being harassed and assaulted one town over. This will be mine very soon: http://www.pistolwear.com/pt-2-concealment-holster/
Pam recently posted…The End
I can’t imagine running with a gun, but I’m also not particularly comfortable with them. Generally abduction is not an issue here – more just cars and catcalls.
I think trusting your instincts is such an important tip! I run in a more suburban area, but the drivers can be pretty dumb here too and I’ve had quite a few of those “I would have been hit if I hadn’t expected the driver to be an idiot” moments. I try to always make eye contact with a driver if possible to make sure they see me. Great tips!
April @ RunTheGreatWideSomewhere recently posted…Disney Days: Columbia Harbour House
I figure slowing down to let a car go gives my body a little break on the run, so I just try to avoid assuming they are ever giving me the right of way.
You are nominated – http://myfirst5k.wordpress.com/2014/08/06/i-guess-im-inspiring/ – Congrats!
Thanks!
Great tips. Especially the last one. I’d never considered how always taking the same route could be a bad idea, and not just because my body would get used to it.
Glad I could actually provide a helpful tip for you!
I read every single post that was linked here. I learned a lot, but maybe more importantly remembered a lot of things that I know are best practices but that I don’t do. Great topic.
Good for you! I’m glad you’ve found some good tips and remembered others.