If you’re a woman who loves her daily run, you’ve seen the new headlines and know the danger. So how can you keep yourself safe while running the roads?
Tanya Boyer, founder of The Pink Series, shares five ways women can protect themselves.
There are the obvious rules of running safety: don’t run alone, don’t run in the dark, wear reflective clothing, tell someone where you are going and when you’ll be back. As an event planner and race director for a ladies only running series, I know that in order to stay fit and on training schedule, sometimes one of those rules have to be broken. Here are 5 suggestions to keep you safer while running:
Don’t Get Lost in Your Music
Some runners can only run when they listen to music. It takes them to their happy place and provides encouragement. However, getting lost in your music puts you at risk. While it’s safest to run the roads without earphones, if you must have music only wear a bud in one ear and keep the volume low. This way you can hear what is going on around you – cars, other people, animals, sirens, etc.
Have Someone Track Your Run
Several apps are available that will send a family member or friend updates of where you are running and your mileage. Don’t worry about annoying your husband, mom, or friend with these updates. No one who has faced danger on a run thought it would happen to them on that particular day. If you end up in need of help, someone will know where to find you or at least where to start looking.
Wear a Whistle
Whistles are cheap, lightweight, and can make lots of noise. Don’t carry the whistle in a pocket, rather wear it on a long cord around your neck. This way if danger appears, you’ll be able to make noise quickly and not have to dig in your pocket. Noise can scare away would-be-attackers, both animals and humans, and can also alert others to your need for help. If running in the mountains, it may be a good idea to blow your whistle every couple of minutes so as your warning signal to animals.
Bring Along Pepper Spray
There are a few different types and brands of pepper spray that come in small pouches that you can wear on your wrist. Like the whistle, you want a product that is readily available to use, not something that is buried deep in a pocket. Use caution with this product and make sure you know, beforehand, which direction your pouch will spray. You don’t want to mistakenly spray yourself and become your own pepper spray victim.
Hold Your Head High and Trust Your Instincts
Runners who appear alert, confident, and on a mission are less likely to be victims than someone who looks nervous and scared. Some experts have suggested that women who appear nervous and scared often fuel aggression. However, as women, most of us have a keen sense, and you need to trust those instincts. If something tell you to stay off a street or route, stay off! You may never know why you didn’t run that particular route on a given day, but trust your instincts.
Tanya Boyer is a race director and event planner for The Pink Series, Utah’s first and most fun ladies only running series. Her main job, however, is that of mommy to three young children and wife to the most patient man on earth. Visit www.thepinkseries.com to learn more about The Pink Series.
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