As safe as we like to think we are when we take to the streets or trails to run, there's no guarantee harm isn't lurking around the corner. The most recent case in point: murders of women running in New York, Massachusetts and Michigan.
"I don't know why these murders have really scared me," says avid runner Blanca Gonzales of Arlington, Texas. "Last Sunday I was so uneasy during my run, worrying about being alone there. I asked my trail running group what they use for protection. Some carry mace or a whistle. Somebody said we are overreacting, and in my head I'm thinking, 'I'll bet these poor girls never thought that it was going to happen to them.'
"One great piece of advice I got was from somebody who suggested I take a self-defense class. I'm also rereading 'The Gift of Fear,' where the author talks about listening and trusting our instinct."
With all that in mind, here are some reminders of how to stay as safe as possible. They're all worth taking to heart yet again, because we all know how easy it is to zone out on a run and lose track of place and of miles.
Let's start with this from Joanna Curry of Rockwall, Texas: "I carry pepper spray and avoid isolated areas. The flashlight I carry also has a strobe feature that can momentarily blind someone. I use a live tracking feature on my Garmin and send the link to my husband so that he can check my position during my run."
Dallas runner Darryl Dickson-Carr suggests carrying keys — not only to make sure you can get back into your house, but as mini-weapons if need be. Even the corner of a GU packet "could do minimal damage," he says.
Listen to yourself. If you feel "skittish," as Teresa McMillan does sometimes, do what she does: "I'll run around my apartment complex like a bazillion times."
If a dark street, a suspicious looking person or a car driving a little too slowly makes Dallas runner Rebecca Baker feel uncomfortable, "I turn around and head a different way."
