November is National Running Safety Month! That makes it a great time to talk about what we can do to make sure that we are staying safe on the run.
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I have a special awareness of staying safe on the run. It’s been over 25 years, but I was once assaulted as I ran, alone and early in the morning. I was extremely fortunate that I was able to get away and that my attacker was not carrying a weapon, but it took me many years to get over the fear and panic that I felt after that attack.
That experience gave me an extra awareness of running safety. Yes, I have gotten to the point where I will run alone, sometimes even in the dark of the morning, but I always use strategies to ensure that my run is as safe as possible.
11 Tips for Staying Safe on the Run
It's #NationalRunningSafetymonth which makes it a great time to review #running safety tips. If you run alone or in the dark make sure that you check out these tools and tips for staying safe on the run. #runningtips #runningsafetyClick To Tweet
Run Facing the Traffic
Always run on the opposite side of the road so that you’re facing traffic. Drivers can be distracted or just not see you, so this gives you a better chance to get out of the way if necessary. Also, follow traffic laws and don’t cross the street mid-block. Cars may be traveling a lot faster than you think they are.
Light up the darkness
If you run in the early morning or evening hours, wear bright, reflective clothing and use headlamps and rear lights so that you can both see and be seen. Here are a few of my favorites.
Neutron Fire RX Runner’s Headlamp – I love this lightweight, adjustable headlamp! It is comfortable to wear, has three brightness options up to 160 lumens plus colored side strobes. And it’s rechargeable and Ragnar approved!
I use a couple of different running flashlights, but Knuckle Lights were my first and are my favorite. With 280 lumens of rechargeable light, they are bright and easy to carry.
My favorite lighting option is the Noxgear Tracer 360 Reflective Vest. It lights up with bright flashing lights that would be really hard to miss. I love it so much I got one for Australia and Sam too! It’s called the Lighthound!
The Nathan Sports Streak Reflective Vest is a great reflective tool as well. It’s Ragnar approved and perfect for any type of nighttime work (like when I worked the parking lot at the Malibu Half Marathon!).
Stay alert
Whether you’re running in the dark or not, staying alert on the run is an important running safety tip. Be aware of your location (I know you runners who can get into a dream state while you run!), what is around you, and keep an eye and an ear open to unusual or unsafe circumstances. For that reason, it is wise to avoid wearing headphones, particularly when you’re running alone in the dark.
Don’t use headphones
Staying alert means being able to focus on what is going on around you. In general, listening to music on the run is fine in a well-populated, safe area, especially if you use bone conduction headphones like those from Aftershokz that don’t cover your eardrums. However, if you must run in the dark or in an isolated area, skip the headphones so that you can hear clearly.
Carry mace or pepper spray
Be a good girl or boy scout and be prepared. If the worst happens, carrying a self-defense tool can help keep you safe. I carry my little pink Sabre Safety Pepper Gel Spray canister on all my solo runs. It has a handle to make it easy to carry in your hand. You can also order it with an optional Clip-On Alarm with LED Light.
Run with a friend (or three)
There is definitely safety in numbers, so finding a crew to run with will help to keep you safer. Look for a running club in your town, recruit a friend or loved one. There are a lot of reasons besides just safety to run with friends.
Stay in well-lighted areas
If you run in the dark, stay on lighted paths or sidewalks as much as possible. Try to avoid dark or isolated areas.
Carry your phone
While you’ll hopefully only need it for taking selfies, having a phone is important if you get injured, lost, or have other events happen that won’t allow you to finish your run.
Let someone know
Let someone know where you’re going and when they should expect you back.
Stay Connected
Wearsafe is wearable technology that can help you in case of an emergency. Simply connect the Wearsafe Tag to your phone, select your “network” of friends, and clip on the lightweight tag when you go for a run. Now you are just the push of a button away from assistance.
Some Garmin watches also allow you to send an alert simply by holding down a button for a few seconds. I actually did this accidentally with my Garmin Venu the other day! I had to send my husband a second text to tell him to stand down!
My new Garmin Venu not only has an available assistance alert and live track feature, I also added a rose gold “Sidekick,” RoadID that slips right on the strap! (Use the code SHIPFREE_262 to get free shipping through the end of 2021.
Show your ID
Road ID that is. I never run without mine (and Alan never rides without his). It’s another of those worst-case scenario things, but important. Alan and I were once on a bike ride with friends and acquaintances when one of the riders crashed and was severely injured. Nobody knew this man’s last name or anything about him. After a friend told me about Road ID I went home that night and ordered one for both Alan and myself. That was about 15 years ago.
Road ID is also great for children, people who have medical conditions, and even pets. The bands are so pretty that I wear mine all the time! I’m a proud member of Team RoadID but this is not a sponsored post.
Do you have any tips to add? How do you stay safe when you’re on the road?
And Now It’s Time for the Runners’ Roundup!
Weekly Linkups
My weekly linkups! Please stop by and check out all of the great recipes, workouts, and information that all these awesome bloggers share every week!
Meatless Monday with Sarah and Deborah
Inspire Me Monday with Janet
Tuesday Topics with Kim and Zenaida
The Runners’ Roundup with Deborah, Lisa, Jenn, Laura, and Me!
The Weekly Run Down with Deborah and Kim
Fit Five Friday with Darlene, Michelle, Renee, Jenn, and Zenaida
Ultimate Coffee Date with Deborah and Coco
These are great tips, Debbie!
So sorry you were assaulted – that is so scary!
Here in South Africa, even if you’re in a large group of 20, you might be stopped at gunpoint and be robbed of your belongings.
When we run, we only run in daylight and only carry things with us that are ok to be robbed of: a cheap phone and a bit of cash. So far, we have been lucky and never had an incident.
These are great tips! The one thing I don’t like about my new Coros watch is that it doesn’t have livetrack like my Garmin did. Sometimes I will still wear my Garmin just for that feature, but I need to figure out a better solution.
These are great tips! I don’t run with pepper spray or mace–if it’s windy, it could blow back in my face. Instead, I use the Go Guarded device, which is a ring I wear that has a pointed serrated blade. I feel that if I was assaulted, my first instinct would be to push or fight back. This is the device that I think is best for me. It’s scary and sad that we even have to think about these things. Thanks for sharing.
Great tips, Debbie!! As you know, most of my runs are in the o’dark hours, so I’m always on high alert to my surroundings (and usually with a friend). I love love love my Noxgear vest, and have used it for biking as well. Knuckle Lights…they’re a given (even for biking). And my RoadID is always on me (I also have a good collection of colors and styles, LOL). I gifted my parents RoadID’s last year. Even though they’re not out running or cycling, I feel better with them having a visible ID on them should they have an emergency of any kind.
I always cringe when I see runners going with traffic instead of against it. My best defense is running with a friend 98% of the time. Way less likely to be approached. Great tips
I definitely don’t have anything to add- these are all great tips! I always run against traffic, run in well-lit areas and don’t wear headphones if it’s dark. However, I don’t have a Road ID or any self defense tool- I know I should. Thanks for the reminder!
I think you’ve covered it very well.
My old iphone never kept a connection, so I wasn’t able to do the livetrack thing. I just got my new phone, haven’t run with it yet, but I did test out being able to use the headphones from a distance and yes!
My last phone was refurbished & it had some quirks. I will have to get used to the size & weight of this one, but yes, I try to always have my phone with me. You just never know!
All great tips. I try to run with others when I can and always carry my phone. If I run at night I run in lighted areas.
These are really helpful tips for runners. I am jealous of you because of those fit bands.
Keep inspiring.
These are such important tips! I always carry my phone and let my husband know how long I will be gone and when I will be back. Especially now that we live in a new area!
I think you covered the big ones. I would also recommend a self-defense class.
That being said, I am so sorry you went through that. Sending big hugs.