Let’s go over some running safety tips for women.
I was recently asked on tiktok how I overcame the fear of running alone as a woman.
The truth is, I never had to “overcome” anything, because I’ve never been afraid to run alone. I think this is because I always take certain precautions. It is definitely better to be safe than sorry. So, I want to address some of the precautions I take.
I started running in high school as part of the track and cross-country team. Most of the time, we ran as a group. This really eased me into running trails and allowed me to get more comfortable running outside. I think running in a group or with a partner is a great first step to overcoming this fear.
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Running safety tips for women
The best way to stay safe on a run, is to minimize the chances of something happening. Basically, you just want to make sure the area and time of day you are running in are on the safer side. This is what I look for in a safer running location.
Safe locations
- popular walking/running/biking trails with a lot of people around
- open trails, no wooded areas or places with spots that people could easily hide from plain sight
- daylight hours and well-lit
- an area I’m familiar with in case I need to change routes
Aside from that, you really just want to be alert. Avoid any distractions and look assertive. Studies show that attackers prey on people who look vulnerable. So, stand tall and make eye contact with everyone you see so they know they are seen.
Additional running safety tips:
- never share your running route on social media
- do let loved ones know where you will be and about how long your run will take
- if you are filming your run, try to avoid obvious identifiers, like park & street names or landmarks
- change it up
- mix up your routes, the time of day & the day of the week you run on so no one gets too familiar with your routine
- trust your gut, if you get a weird feeling from someone or the area you are running in, don’t be afraid to pivot & change your route immediately.
- be aware of wildlife in the area and know the proper protocol
- keep pepper spray or mace readily available. If you can’t reach it quickly, it’s of no use to you.
- run against traffic & on sidewalks, if running near a street
- keep your phone with you
- don’t stop for strangers, continue running and keep your distance when passing
- take self-defense classes, we’re huge jiu jitsu fans!
Personal safety items to carry on your run
As I said before, you really want to trust your gut. If something feels unsafe, don’t dismiss that feeling. I loved researching these running safety tips for women. While I take many of these precautions, I learned something too. I only have pepper spray, but now I am going to buy more of these personal safety items.