Lately I’ve been on a kick about writing posts that were inspired by something I read online. Since I’ve already done two posts, I figured I’d round out the set with a third post.
Since I started running, I’ve typically run in my neighborhood, or on a nearby bike trail. I always try to be home before dark, and to be honest, I never really thought about safety. I mean, c’mon, there’s other people on these trails, running, biking, walking their dogs, walking with their kids, etc. And this was exactly my answer when my husband suggested that I should carry pepper spray on my runs. And his reply was “Yes, it’s those other people that I’m worried about.”
On one particular night when we had a discussion like this, it was getting close to sunset, and I really wanted to go for a run. If he didn’t want me running after dark alone, then he had to go. Seems fair, right? I don’t think he was too happy when 20 minutes turned out to be 20 minutes out and 20 minutes back.
A year later, and I still don’t run much after dark (I really try to be home by sunset, or I run in the mornings). I also got a treadmill, so when I do want to run late at night, I can do so safely in the house (and watching reality tv too!)
Oh, and when I go running, I’m not completely alone. I always take my dog, Roxy. However, I’m not sure how useful she is as “protection” since she’s only 9 lbs.
Should I feel unsafe? Should I be afraid to go out running by myself? I don’t think I’ve lived a completely sheltered life, but I did grow up in the country where pretty much nothing ever happened. But then I left California for a few years, and lived 30 minutes outside of Baltimore. Now Baltimore, that’s not a safe place. If I still lived there, depending on the area, I might not be comfortable running alone.
I read this article last week and it really made me think. What happened to this woman is horrible and a tragedy, and things like this should not be acceptable or allowed to happen. But would pepper spray have made a difference? I’m not sure, since he caught her by surprise. Certainly, if her husband had been with her, that might have made a difference.
All in all, I don’t think my habits will change much. However, I am going to make sure to always be aware of my surroundings and make sure someone knows I’m out on a run and when to expect me back. That is one thing that I don’t do now and really should. Sometimes I do tell my husband when I’ll be home, but not always, and I almost never tell him which direction I’m heading. It’s 1 mile in either direction from our house to a trail and once there, I can go north or south on either trail.
QOTD: Do run alone? If so, what safety measures do you take?
That is so terrible. Those poor women… I hadn’t heard of that before & it scares the crap out of me.
Still… I can’t say I’ll change my habits either though. I NEVER run in the dark though. And I always run with my phone (although – like you say, if you are surprised by an attack – it doesn’t do much so I’m not sure about pepper spray either). I always let my hubby know what time I leave and when I expect to be home, I usually always run when it’s busy outside (during the day when everyone is out and about), I always stick to main streets or a busy trail and I leave the route I’ve chosen up on my computer so he knows where I am.
That is so scary though… we shouldn’t have to worry about stuff like that when we go running :/
The Bia Sports watch I ordered has a one-touch SOS feature that will text your location to a designated person. I think this is awesome because it should be accessible and easy to use in an emergency.
In the meantime, I will just make sure someone knows where I’m going and when I should be back.