Running Alone Tips:

• Be Alert: Always be aware of your surroundings and what is going on nearby.
• Run during daylight hours, if possible. For night-time running, avoid dimly lit areas and wear bright and/or reflective clothes.
• Trust your intuition: If something doesn’t feel right, you may be in danger. Avoid a person or area if it feels unsafe. Always be ready to protect yourself.
• Get self-defence training: It is a harsh reality that people have been attacked while running. Learn how to defend yourself and strategies from getting away from an attacker.
• Vary your routine: Select various routes so your routine is not too predictable when running alone. Be thoughtful about what you post online about your routes.
• Plan your routes with safety in mind: Run in familiar areas that allow you to safely alter your route as needed.
• Run with a club/crew: Running with a group increases your safety.
• Be visible in the dark: Wear reflective clothing or a lighted vest when running in the dark. Think twice about running in unlit areas with poor visibility.
• Carry your cell phone: The best safety tool you own. Text a friend or family member so they know you are out on your run. Find apps that can safely track your run. Use your wearable technology to keep you safe.
• Carry ID: Slip it in your cell phone case or consider a Road ID that has pertinent medical information.
• Be street smart: Run against traffic. Look both ways crossing an intersection/crosswalk. Obey traffic signals.
• Never trust a driver: Drivers are distracted, and you are not their priority. Don’t assume they will give you the right of way at a crosswalk.
• Be smart about headphone use: We get it, you love your music. Keep the volume low enough that you can maintain awareness of your surroundings. Don’t zone-out in unpopulated areas – especially on quiet trails.

Bottom line, don’t be an easy target, be aware of your surroundings, listen to your instincts and know what to do in the case of an attack. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Stop, look around and find the quickest exit towards safety.