When getting ready to go for a run, many women do something similar to the following:
- Put on their favorite pair of jogging shorts.
- Tie up their shoes.
- Choose some music for their workout.
- Grab a weapon before they head out the door.
You did understand what we just said. Women often think about running safety first, and for many of them, this means running with things that could help them stay safe if they are attacked while they are out running. There are always stories in the news about women being attacked by men or even animals while they are out running. Therefore, we have some of the best safety tips for female runners. Read further to learn more about running safety for women.
Best Running Safety For Women Tips
1. Carry Your Phone
Running is a great way to be by yourself and enjoy some peace. But if you can't talk to anyone, you might have trouble and not be able to get help. It is important to ensure running safety for women. Instead of going completely off the grid, ensure you have your cell phone with you and have all the important numbers set up for speed dial.
To ensure running safety for women, if someone is bothering you, just taking out your phone and starting to call for help is usually enough to stop the situation from worsening. Also, if you get hurt and can't walk home, having your cell phone with you can mean the difference between limping back to base or calling a friend to pick you up. It is one of the important safety tips for female runners.
2. Avoid Running Alone At Night
The old saying goes, "misery loves company." Run with a friend instead of running alone, especially at night. You can train together, but you can also watch out for each other and be a bodyguard. This tip helps in running safety for women. As everyone knows, there is power in numbers. If you can't find a willing person to run with you, you might want to get a dog instead. Dogs are great to run with and can keep people from following you.
3. Know Your Surroundings
As runners, people want to get in the zone. It means they are running well, not fighting against their bodies, and we are in the flow. But this can also mean that we stop noticing our surroundings as much as we used to and do not look at them as much as we used to. To attain running safety for women, you must pay attention to what's behind you, in front of you, and all around you, whether it is people, other cars, or bikers.
Know Your Surroundings
4. Run Against Traffic
When running outside, cars passing by are the biggest and most common danger. As a runner, you must take responsibility for your safety and prioritize it. Running safety for women starts with awareness. Running on a sidewalk is the best way to avoid harm's way if you have one nearby. But sidewalks can also be broken or have a surface that isn't even. People have been dangerously close to falling more than once while walking on the sidewalk. Because of this, you should be very careful.
If you are tired, you should run slower, no matter where you are. You won't be able to tell if you are in danger or not if you run next to traffic. Instead, you should go the opposite way of the traffic, which you can do. According to a detailed article in The Washington Post, not only is it the law in many states, but a study done in Finland showed that people walking against traffic were much less likely to be hit by a car and hurt.
5. Shout
Shouting is another way to help in ensuring running safety for women. If you are the target of an attack, you should call attention to yourself and yell for help. Don't be a coward; be brave, use your strong lungs, and scream as if your life depends on it. This self-defense for female runners is necessary to execute.
Don't be afraid to shout as loud as you can to avoid unwanted attention. The sad truth is that most people don't want to get involved in a situation, especially when it involves something unpleasant or illegal or when things are getting worse. If you find yourself needing help, you must tell the people around you that you are in a serious situation. This is vital for running safety for women.
6. Run With A Friend
Running with a friend or joining a running group has many benefits, but running safety for women is the most important. There is power in numbers; if you stick together, you can push and encourage each other to go even further. The other person can ask for help or keep a positive attitude if something bad happens. This is one of the best ways to help yourself with running safety for women.
7. Reconsider Your Headphones
Even if you like it, listening to music while you run is not always the best idea. This is especially in the case of running safety for women. If you are out after dark or in a place you don't know, don't wear headphones when you run. It is the one that has the least risk. If you take off your headphones, you can make decisions faster and pay more attention to what is happening around you. This ensures running safety for women by making them aware of their surroundings.
Final Words
Even though running is a very safe sport, you should still take precautions. Have fun while jogging, and don't let this advice stop you from working out. However, if you follow these safety tips for female runners, your already low chance of getting into an accident will increase even more. We hope this article helped you understand running safety for women and taught you about self-defense for female runners.