| Author |
Topic: Women runners/Safety running in the a.m.? |
jillian357
Member |
 posted Sep-07-2007 11:02 AM
   
The thread about running with the headlamp got me thinking about this...Over the summer time when the sunrise was earlier I became very fond of early morning running (around 5:30 am start time).
Since we are now heading into fall, it's pitch black until 6:20 or so, which is just too late to get a run in before work. Question is this...I live in a nice neighborhood, I feel very safe....but running in the complete darkness makes me feel very vulnerable. We do have folks that deliver newspapers driving around the neighborhood, and they always startle me because they drive slow (almost makes you feel like you are being followed--but of course your'e not!). For the females--how do you deal with this? Are there any safety measures you take? I do have a dog, but she is small and all black, and I am sure if I ran with her in the dark I would end up tripping over her somewhere along the way. I really miss my early morning runs....but I don't want to get myself into a situation that could spell trouble.
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SapphireBlues
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-07-2007 11:07 AM
A headlamp is a great idea...go for the LED type, the light is brighter, the gear is lighter and the battery life is better.
Also consider a reflective vest...being seen is as/more important than being able to see!
http://www.weplay.com/running/vests/
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Saph
My Profile
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fit45
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-07-2007 12:21 PM
I run in pre-dawn darkness every weekday in a very small town with a 'grid' layout. There are street lights at the end of each block on the north-south streets, so I have adequate light to see where I'm going.When I first started walking and then, later, running, I always wore a reflective vest. As time went on, that made me feel more vulnerable - a 'target' if you will. Now, I don't wear a vest, and I know that I can fade into the darkness if I am afraid. On my runs up to 7 miles, there are four or five cars that pass me on a fairly regular daily schedule, a handful of walkers/runners, and one biker. The newspaper delivery car is one of those daily cars -- I just look for it. My town is small enough, quiet enough, and the traffic is light enough that this works for me. I can hear and see a vehicle coming from several blocks away. Also, the town is small enough that, in an emergency situation, I wouldn't hesitate to go bang on the nearest house door -- I know someone on almost every block. I always have my fully-charged cell phone with me when I run. I worry more about the skunks than the people...
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chele519
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-07-2007 12:28 PM
I run at 5:30 am all year. I carry pepper spray and my cell. The road that I mostly go on has a hospital, dunkin donuts, gas station,etc so it has some traffic. I have to go about 1/4 mile in complete darkness but I use the headlamp. I find that I get creeped out for the first few weeks and then I adjust again and am fine. I don't wear headphones when I run early in the morning and when i'm in a wooded area, I'm constantly looking around to be aware of the surroundings but not paranoid. You just have to get used to it.
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jillian357
Member |
posted Sep-07-2007 12:50 PM
Thanks for all the suggestions. I should say that I do have a reflective vest and wore it all the time for my early morning runs. Somehow it does make me feel more "vulnerable" of sorts. Maybe I am overthinking it too much.....I guess I still wonder what I would do if I found myself in a compromising situation with no help around. Maybe that's where a can of pepper spray would do the trick.
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lamerunner
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-07-2007 12:56 PM
A reflective vest is important; traffic is as much or more of a practical risk than bad guys, and the visibility is poor at that hour.I have been going at 6 the last couple of days; it is light but it soon will not be. I don't mind if it is dark for a short time. I also don't wear Ipod or other distractions.
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isondd
Member |
posted Sep-07-2007 03:04 PM
Ever notice that when wearing a reflective vest that vehicles tend to initally move CLOSER to you before pulling away? I think drivers are initailly drawn to the reflection (out of curiosity?) but then back off. Oh well, it beats getting hit! I agree that the danger of being struck by a car is greater than any other risk out there. Be Safe!
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groovy girls
Member |
posted Sep-07-2007 05:18 PM
I have a big dog that I run with. She really slows me down but she really makes me feel better on those early morning runs. She is a very friendly golden retriever but I think because of her size she is a great deterent. I also run in a very rural area so I make sure my husband is aware of my route and the expected time I am due back. Granted everyone is still asleep by the time I return! When I listen to my ipod I can still hear everything around me and I pay very close attention to my surroundings. It sucks we have to live this way! I wish we could just go out and enjoy being outside.
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sunnierunner
Member |
posted Sep-07-2007 08:35 PM
Pepper spray is a good thing if it is legal...carry it in hand. Once I heard something (a bunny) in the brush and could not untie or use the quick release because of the way I tied it. Carry it and be ready. Have your cel phone too.I run in the boonies with no lights. I look at the driver when passed and wear reflective bands and cars move away much quicker. I sometimes wear my earphones on the lowest setting and only one ear in. I am aware of what is around me. Of course the Dateline special had me freaked out the other night after I was afraid of the wild animals here. I trained my lab to walk on my right side. When he would cross I would gently nudge him to the right. So I can now run with him the same way. He tires after 1.5 miles because of the heat here in FL. When the weather cools he'll be better longer.
You can train the dog to one side and it wont take long. Encourage and pet him/her when he/she obeys. Good luck
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kimber45
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-07-2007 09:24 PM
I run with pepper spray in one hand and an air horn in the other. I wear a reflective vest and have a blinking light on the front and on the back.
You can buy crack 2 blocks from my house. There are homeless people in the woods down the street. I've talked to the cops, we've discussed various routes. They prefer I run down the street, on the sidewalk, under the lights. The "safer" neighbourhood behind me is completely dark without sidewalks. The cops think it's safer on the lighted sidewalks. They're afraid a car will hit me if I'm on an unlit street.
Am I a nervous nelly when I run? Absolutely. I'm hypervigilant, looking at every shadow. I have a job that exposes me to the worst things in life. All my female co-workers run in the evening, before it gets dark. The men will only run on well-lit streets and stay away from the bushes.
Are we paranoid? Maybe a little. But our job has made us that way.
Please be careful.
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yellowlamp
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-08-2007 06:40 PM
Last month while running in the morning (early, but light outside) I was attacked. Let me tell you, not much can "prepare" you to be taken down by an attacker who is a couple times your size and clearly crazy. Going to your kickboxing class isn't going to help. Pepper spray might if your reflexes are sharp. A reflective vest will only (hopefully) prevent a car from running you over in the dark. My incident occurred right in the middle of the street in an urban area. I was able to fight the dude off, and am fine. You just have to anticipate that these things can and DO happen. And when it happens to you, be ready to scream and fight back.
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SB2001
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-09-2007 11:05 AM
Yellowlamp, Glad you managed to fight off your attacker. Talk about scary....
I tend to worry more about the critters out in the early hours. We have a skunk in the area that I often smell.
If you can't get pepper spray, maybe you could run with a couple of keys on a key ring. Keys poking out between the fingers always makes a nice weapon.
For me, I've had martial arts training. I had to stop my training just shy of my black belt. It's been a few years since I've trained, but if I was ever attacked I hope my training would kick in. Even with my training I still worry. No one ever wants to be in that situation. I just comes down to you or them.
I often wonder what I would do if a dog ever attacked me. One thing I read that was interesting was to remove a piece of clothing and try to get the dog to latch on to that. Of course that could be tough if you're only wearing a sports bra and shorts. Shannon
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Warpechowski
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-09-2007 11:18 AM
If you´re a reasonable runner you will probabily be able to outrun your atacker. Also, you have to be constantly aware of your suroundings, so dont run with headphones or something like that.
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brandyk
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-10-2007 05:34 PM
I run most often in the morning - 500 am or so. I run mostly at a busy running area (a lake) so once I am there, I feel pretty comfortable. To get there, I avoid the wooded path and stay in as much of the light as I can. During this time, I run on the street against traffic, which there isn't much of (it is a mainly residential area). I don't wear headphones and I keep a pretty good eye out for stuff that is "weird". If I see something I don't like, I'll avoid the situation, a person up ahead, a dark turn, whatever. When it gets really dark, I have a flashing LED that I wear for visibility.
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Kegan36604
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-10-2007 06:09 PM
I’ve done some personal safety instructing in the past and let me share some tips—Run facing traffic. We all know that of course, but when it comes to personal safety, it has the added benefit of if an attack is attempted; the bad guys are in a much less 'tactical' position to chase you down if you run. Couple other thoughts: If it a theft the guy has in mind, your iPOD is probably his target. Even the most dimwitted thief knows you're not likely carrying much cash. Having said that, if you get accosted, take your iPOD, toss it behind you, yell “there it is”, and run forward. He’ll more likely chase the iPOD than you. You can consider carrying ‘mugger money’. Same concept as above. Toss it away, he’ll follow it, you escape. It doesn’t have to be much. A couple of dollars in a paperclip will do. Yell POLICE or Call POLICE or Call 911. Don’t just yell “help”. Studies show that yelling “help” is not likely to get the same response as the other calls. If it isn’t a theft, and it is YOU he is looking to accost, consider: If he does attempt to chase you down, drop down next to a parked car and roll under it. Makes you rather difficult to manage. Tuck your arms in and keep away from his grabs, if he is even still trying at that point. Alternately, run to someone’s front door if available and bang like mad. If he does get you, and this might be gross, but it might just work, urinate on yourself. If it grosses him out, it did the trick. This might just be the most important--- Never, never, never go with the bad guy. Do not let him take you to a secondary location. Your odds of surviving being taken away, especially in a car are minimal compared to standing your ground at the point he grabs you. Better to take a beating fighting on the spot than let him take you to what will be known as the “secondary crime location”. In general, trust your instincts, and don’t worry about offending people. If someone gives you the ‘heeby-jeebies’, stay alert and keep a distance. If they act insulted that you won’t get closer, don’t sweat it. If someone asks you directions, ect, give it to them from a distance. If they can’t hear you, shout louder. If they come closer. Leave. Hope that helps….
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Pain is temporary. Pride is forever. Visit: RunKevinRun
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Marthe
Member |
posted Sep-11-2007 05:50 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Kegan36604:
I’ve done some personal safety instructing in the past and let me share some tips—
Thanks for those, Kegan36604, they're really good tips. I'll be passing them on to my female runner friends. I especially appreciated the hiding under the car tip as although I'm pretty fit, as a 5ft0 woman, there's no way i'm outrunning a 6ft guy over a short distance. I rarely run alone at night, and even less in the morning but with winter coming up its going to be a necessity. My regular runs near my house are down a street with very wide footpaths and verges, with a lot of running traffic (although little vehicle traffic) and good visibility (few places for potential attackers to hide). But even so, I'm very wary of running alone in the dark and aviod doing so where possible. I also never do so with music as it could atract the attention of the thief and distract me from my surroundings. [This message has been edited by Marthe (edited Sep-11-2007).]
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elfitzpa
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-11-2007 09:40 AM
Thanks for the great tips, Kegan36604! I've spent the last few winters running before sunrise and I actually love the feeling of slipping off into the darkness. However I moved across town a few months ago and although my biggest issue so far has been being chased by dogs, it's going to take some time to readjust since I've only run in my new neighborhood in daylight. I'll definitely keep those tips in mind!------------------
Erin
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jillian357
Member |
posted Sep-11-2007 10:00 AM
I agree, thank you all SO much for the information. There's a wealth of useful information in this post. I did purchase a headlamp this past weekend, and plan on giving it a go tomorrow a.m. I also plan on taking my dog with me (I should be able to see her in the dark if I have the headlamp on!).
Cellphone, whistle, no music, and the reflective vest will complete my attire.
I will remember all the good advice you have all given me.
Thanks again!
~Jill
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Daisy99
Member |
posted Sep-11-2007 05:05 PM
So glad I found this topic, because I got creeped out so badly on my run this morning and had never thought of this before...There's a section of my trail that is isolated from houses by woods. I had seen a man on a bike a couple dozen yards ahead of me and then he went around a bend. When I came around the bend, he was no where in site, but a bike was laying by the side of the path. Needless to say dog and I turned around.
Thanks for the tips Kegan. May have to purchase some pepper spray too as winter makes my morning runs darker.
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tss1201
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-11-2007 08:31 PM
Hi jillian357,I am finding the same thing -- I run at 5:30am too. I try to stay on busier streets until the sun comes up. Fortunately, where I live, there are several streets that are already fairly busy with commuter traffic at that hour.
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chele519
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-12-2007 07:46 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Daisy99:
So glad I found this topic, because I got creeped out so badly on my run this morning and had never thought of this before...There's a section of my trail that is isolated from houses by woods. I had seen a man on a bike a couple dozen yards ahead of me and then he went around a bend. When I came around the bend, he was no where in site, but a bike was laying by the side of the path. Needless to say dog and I turned around.
Thanks for the tips Kegan. May have to purchase some pepper spray too as winter makes my morning runs darker.
Smart of you to turn around. Maybe he was just on a potty break. I would definitely not run on trails/in the woods in the dark, even with your dog. If you can, stay on roads where there are houses or someplace where there are other people/cars.
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Divaleh
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-12-2007 09:30 AM
Great thread. As a small female who runs before 5 am in the NE, I was able to get some great ideas - thanks! I generally don't feel too creeped out - I run around my condo complex (boring, but I'm never more than about a mile from my house), so I'm almost always running past people's front doors. The first time I came across the newspaper delivery car, though, I did get a bit freaked. Scarier tho, was the memo we got about the coyote sightings... Run safe, run strong...
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PB2
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-13-2007 01:47 PM
I'm more concerned about dogs that bite, a few large wild animals, and people looking for trouble. I sometimes run before dawn, or early evening after sunset. Men in pickup trucks are mostly the problem. I carry a 22 cal derringer.
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racer122
Member |
posted Sep-13-2007 07:30 PM
As a police officer, attacks in the early morning are extremely uncommon, because at that hour the type of personality we are speaking of is usually passed out.Not to discount the risk, it is real, but keep it in its proper place. I have never seen a stranger on stranger attack after about 2:30 a.m. (about bar closing). Pepper spray is good, and following your instincts (DON'T SECOND GUESS THEM) is terrific. But all in all, don't let the risks get in the way of living real life.
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gale813
Cool Runner |
posted Sep-14-2007 09:45 AM
I run with my LED headlamp, reflective vest, cell phone and pepper spray. The pepper spray is sweet. I got it at a specialty running store. It's small and has a velcro hand strap. It is so lightweight that it doesn't bother you at all. It is strategically placed so all you have to do is move your finger to spray it (or keep your finger on it). I know some people put some sort of lights on their backs. I haven't done that yet. BTW... I use a visor or hat to keep the headlamp in place. Otherwise it kinda moves around. ------------------
Running sober, one step at a time!!!My Profile
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