Safety Tips for Runners
Five Important Safety Tips for Runners!
Safety Tips for Runners
Most runners will assume that they are safe if they do their run during the daylight hours. However, the problem is that runners become prone to letting their guard down and leaving themselves vulnerable to attack. It’s only natural to assume that an attack won’t happen when it’s light out, which can lead to a false sense of security.
Most assailants are opportunistic and will take any opportunity presented to them to attack at any time. They’ll catch you by surprise during the wee hours of the morning. They will hide in wait for you to pass by on your lone trail run when they know you’re tired, and more than a few victims have sadly disappeared from suburban streets in broad daylight as we all known in the Iowa Mollie Tibbetts case.
Attacks can and do happen at any time and anywhere, but we know that the fresh air and sunshine are an essential part of your fitness routine. A treadmill from the local health and fitness outlet so you can do your runs in the relative safety of indoors is not the answer for the average running enthusiast.
We want you to get home safe after every run, which is why we are sharing these five tried and true tips that will help increase your level of security as you pound the local pavements and wilderness trails while enjoying the great outdoors.
1. Leave Out the Earphones
Maintaining an awareness of your surroundings is a critical component of staying safe when running outdoors. If you have loud music drowning out the environment then not only will you not hear your attacker coming up behind you, but your reaction time will be markedly slower as your zoned-out brain tries to adjust to the new and dangerous situation.
If you absolutely need the tunes to hype you up then try running with your phone’s loudspeaker or use only one headphone ear bud, alternating each ear as you go.
2. Run with a Friend
Attackers will always prefer a lone runner as it is much easier to control one victim. So, while this tip is a simple and obvious one, that is because it is one of the most effective at preventing an attack. A second runner also doubles your chances of survival if your attacker considers the risks to be worth the trouble.
If you can’t find a friend to run with you regularly, then consider taking a dog. Not only can a dog alert you to danger before you are aware, but they are a potential risk to any would-be attacker.
Loud dog barking and growling also increases the possibility of attracting unwanted attention. Of course, this tip will only work if the dog is of a size that is more substantial than a shoebox.
3. Change Your Route
Stalkers who notice that you run the same route every day may take the opportunity to plan an ambush in a quiet area where they know they will not be disturbed. They are also likely to time their attack when they know you are tired and less able to fight back.
Changing up your route can improve your security in a couple of ways. Firstly, it’s difficult to predict where you will be at any given time, which makes you a harder target for stalkers.
Secondly, running the same route day in day out can create an almost hypnotic effect, and you zone out because you don’t have to think about which turn to take next. Unfamiliar terrain will help bring your mind back to the here and now and make you more aware of your surroundings.
4. Don’t Track Your Run Online
A lot of fitness apps and fitness trackers can post your run online where they can be accessed and viewed by anybody who takes an interest. Broadcasting your run online is a bad idea if you are a solitary runner, so turn this feature off, or change your app if you can’t.
5. Discreet Wearable Safety Equipment
Your loved ones can track smartphones, but they are obvious, hard to operate during a struggle, and quickly discarded. A device such as Wearsafe from Wearsafe Labs is discreet and works with the simple press of a button.
Press the button during an attack and connected devices are instantly alerted with audio, group-chat, and location, so trusted friends are immediately warned of your dangerous predicament and can come to your aid.
Hope these tips help someone!
Craig Brooks Private Detective
Brooks Brothers Investigations
Brookspi.com
Share On: