The three recent killings have put many women on edge and some no longer feel comfortable running alone. We asked the Tribe on Facebook if they’re changing their routes, time of day, or what they carry in terms of protection. There are handful of tracking and emergency devices mentioned below, as well as a new function from Strava. Based on user feedback, the company has released Beacon, which allows users share their real-time location during an activity with up to three safety contacts. See what your fellow mother runners are saying about running safety and add your own thoughts down below in our comments section.
After a series of attacks on female runners around Austin I started carrying pepper spray. I also run without headphones and try to stay aware of surroundings.
—Molly
I run with a husky and a taser.
—Diane
Honestly, I have started just going to the gym and using the treadmill. Which sucks. But it gets the job done. It is frustrating it is that, as a female, I have to constantly be looking over my shoulder and suspicious of just about any male I encounter, and my husband, as a male, can basically run anywhere he pleases (within reason), and enjoy that incredible freedom.
—Karin
I always run in non secluded, populated areas. I also carry the Tiger Lady self defense claw.
—Brooke
I run during the day along common roadways, Road ID and use the RoadID app (such a great idea).
—Angela
I’m running tonight, but with my husband and headlamps.
—Sophia
April’s running partner
I hate that this is something we have to worry about! I run with a dog (Great Dane mix and she’s huge and protective!) for the extra security. I don’t have anyone to run with here, so a dog is my best option. But I also often stick to major roads (especially in the dark), and am always aware of my surroundings.
—April
I always run with pepper spray. It rests in the palm of my hand so I don’t feel like I am carrying anything. And my husband tracks me on his phone. I also usually just run roads if it is early in the morning when others won’t be on the trails.
—Lisa
I carry mace, my music is on but very low so I can hear cars and other runners etc. I have altered my route after being followed twice. The first scared me a lot and prompted hubby to get me the mace. I almost stopped running in my neighborhood. The second time I changed route while running and stared him down from a parking lot as he sat waiting for me to move. Maybe not the smartest move but someone told me not to show fear. And I kept running instead of going home to not show my house and he got bored and took off. Totally unnerving.
—Heather
The Lady Tiger
After seeing the RW post last night and reading the comments I found the Tiger Lady from another poster.
—Angie
I’ve stopped using my headphones on my run. I run early in the morning and it has made me aware that I may not be able to hear someone coming from behind. And this morning I brought the dog.
—Jana
It’s not affecting my running, because it is THE REASON I won’t run alone. Ever. And my spouse and I have very different schedules, so I never run. I play soccer once a week, and I would love to consistently run, but this is why I don’t
—Gen
Vanessa was killed in the town next to me–both are small farm town in the Wachusett District. It will absolutely change my routine—there’s monster on the loose in my neighborhood.
—Kate
Most runs are with a friend already, but I will likely be carrying pepper spray in the future (and a knife in my SparkleSkirt pocket if my husband has his way).
—Kate
Just talked about this last night at Track Club. We run the park trails in a very large group (a herd, really) in the summer. I tried by myself once. Had such a good run that I got turned around in a canyon and didn’t know where I was for a few minutes. Happened upon a guy on the same trail. No threat whatsoever, but it jarred me back to reality. I was in the middle of nowhere, didn’t know where I was and no one else around to hear anything. Am considering getting some pepper spray to carry, but will stick to group runs on trails.
—Alicia
Julia’s safety set-up
Reflective vest, Knuckle Lights, mace strapped to my hand, Road ID. NO headphones! Not only do I want to stay completely aware of what is going on around me, but wearing even just 1 earbud can make you look distracted (easy target). I try to meet someone to run with. If I have to run alone, stick to well-lit, well-populated roads (not trails). I have my cell phone with me, too.
—Julia
I’ve had two close calls, in broad daylight. Some guy rode up next to me on his bike at a red light at the entrance to the park. He began saying very vile things to me. As I ran away from him, he followed me on his bike, cursing at me. I called the cops, and when he saw them, he rode away. The cops said they couldn’t do anything because he didn’t threaten me. Today, a white van pulled up next to me at the entrance of the park where I run. I got a bad feeling, so I ran like hell until I got in the park where more people were. I sat down on a park bench, because I was scared. As I was sitting, I saw the same exact van drive by again, but luckily the bench I was sitting on was hidden by a tree, so he couldn’t see me. Both incidences took place in broad daylight, in the park I run in all the time. I carry pepper spray. But I am seriously thinking about getting a gun. It’s a shame that we as women cannot even go out and run without being in fear.
—Sandy
These stories are so sad. We just had an attempted rape on a trail that I LOVE near my house (2nd this summer). I would be lying if I said it didn’t change the way I run. I do a lot more runs on the treadmill or run with friends. But I long for the peace that comes from my solo runs. I hate the assh*le(s) who have taken that away from me.
—Nicole
I usually have pepper spray and my lab/pit bull mix with me. He is a big sweetheart but has to wear a Gentle Leader to control the pulling. People often think it’s a muzzle and assume he’s mean.
—Becky
Situational awareness is key…when I run, I run with both of my big dogs and my firearm (I have my Concealed Pistol License, and mean business when I run, and even more so if someone is going to hurt me or steal my dignity). And I don’t run with my earbuds anymore…I am “on” the entire time.
—Colleen
Don’t mess with Ali’s friend
This [above] is my precaution. I run with my German Shepherd Dog. About ten years ago, a man ran up behind me when I was running at night. My dog made him regret it.
—Ali
In all probability, none of the things everyone is mentioning would have made a difference. Road IDs are important (I wear mine 24/7), but they’re just for identifying the body. Mace, piercing alarms, no music… none of it will help if we’re grabbed suddenly from behind. Our best bet is not to be chosen as a victim in the first place and that means my beloved solo, rural long runs are now accompanied by my husband.
—Jennifer
While I’m all about taking sensible precautions, I can’t control my surroundings, and I won’t let THEM control ME.
I won’t allow fear of something that COULD happen, stop me from living and loving a healthy lifestyle.
I’m a busy mom.
I run when it’s dark, and early, before anyone needs me.
Most often, alone.
It doesn’t make me foolish. It doesn’t mean I’m asking for an assault or abduction, or worse.
I stay visible, I stay alert, keep my ears and eyes keen to my surroundings, I don’t share my running routes, I switch up my routine, and keep my phone handy to call for help should I need it.
Sensible precautions, just like wearing a seatbelt in a car, but not eliminating riding in one because of the potential for danger.
I mean, how many great things would we miss out on, living our lives in fear?
—Emily
Tell us: Has your routine changed?
Thanks for a great article, but seriously “…some no longer feel comfortable JOGGING alone …” Jogging???
I have been attacked- in daylight hours, from behind, groped and fondled and told him my running partner was right behind me (a made up story) and then I bit him so hard he quit and took off. I ran after him, tried to stop traffic for help as he ran across a busy street into the desert. I have since moved from this area after several more encounters and am headed out in my patrolled, and gated community for my 4 miler at 4:15 before work. I am lucky to be able to do that-but I won’t give up my running because of idiots out there.
I had my husband sort of trail me in his car on my run yesterday. It definitely made me feel safe, but also sad because I love how running is usually a way for me to sneak away for a bit and leave my husband home with the baby. Also, my husband is a martial arts instructor, and I think it’s time I learned some just-in-case moves.
Great topic! Those attacks shake the foundation of our freedom. The lady who was shot three times in the back probably didn’t know she was being hunted. I’m thankful every time I return safe from a run so many things could go wrong.
I recommend ALL women learn basic self-defense. Don’t just “Google” it. Practice it.
Carry something that will tip an attack in your favor: switchblade, pepper spray, handgun, air horn. Just be sure you KNOW how to use it.
Stay alert and follow your instincts. If something gives you an uneasy feeling – then get the hell out of there!
I never run the same route at the same time of day two days in a row. Husband says I should carry a gun (and I have a permit to do so) but I wonder where to carry it. Thinking I need more partner runs.
I totally agree with Emily’s advice above. I am not going to let the fear of what COULD happen overcome the joy of what DOES happen.
The woman I have been running with and I chatted this morning about this. I always figure my 12 pound sweetheart of a dog is at least enough of a variable that someone looking for an easy target will pass me by. But, I still have changed routes once in awhile when I think a passing car is showing too much interest. And with Dolly down for the count right now, I have had to move things around so that I am not on my own. Thankfully I am in the middle of several large MRTT groups. Also, in a serious pinch, I feel comfortable with a 1 mile loop tucked away in my neighborhood. I would get bored but feel safer than heading out to the main streets. But no amount of buddy system or pepper spray is going to protect any of us from someone with a gun so I will go on my runs and stay attentive.
I used to run solo in my gated neighborhood while everyone slept and long before the sun came up (4:00 AM out the door), but after the girls that had been held captive in the basement in Ohio finally escaped, I came to the stark realization that we live in a dangerous world and that I need to do what I can to keep myself safer. I always had the thought that 1) I was running, so I could get away from a bad guy, right?…but then I realized that what if the bad guy had a car?; 2) I always ran with my phone so I could call for help…but then I realized that I may not even get an option to use a phone regardless of whether I had one on me or not; and 3) I was out early when people are sleeping, so that means the bad guys are sleeping too, right?…but then I realized that most people ARE sleeping, and if I was screaming for help, they would probably never hear me. I could bang on a door seeking assistance and before they wake up and answer it could already be too late. The reality is that running solo in the dark, even if I am taking every precaution possible, just wasn’t smart. I always felt safe but realized I would feel safe until something happened to NOT make me safe anymore, and when that happened, it might be too late to make a difference. So now I run on the treadmill in the mornings. I actually don’t mind it all that much as I watch Netflix on my tablet and I can zone out instead of being on hyper alert the entire time. I run outside on the weekend either with a friend or on streets that are high visibility (no more side streets or meandering through neighborhoods). I feel much better about being alert and thinking ahead of possible scenarios that might happen. Sure it sucks that I HAVE to, but at the same time, I’d rather think about it and save myself or my family a tragedy then just be oblivious to the dangers. I don’t feel like fear keeps me from what I love. And I don’t think that being safe and making changes to how we approach running regardless of the reasons why we do, equates to letting fear rule us. I get what Emily is saying, but at the same time, even when driving in a car we can put ourselves into greater risk by doing or not doing certain things. Being the safest driver we can possibly be may not keep us from getting in an accident, but it minimizes our personal risk. Same with running. Being the safest runner we can possibly be by running indoors or in groups may not keep us from harm, but it minimizes our risk. Be smart out there, ladies, and stay safe as much as possible! <3
This hurts my spirit that as woman, we are views as prey and cannot run with the same privilege of ‘freedom’ that men enjoy.
I usually run with others; my spouse, running group, a training group, but when I run alone, I stick to areas that are populated, only one earbud and someone knows where I am. It won’t stop a determined attacker though. I bought pepper spray for my 2 daughters who also run. They think I’m alarmist and overprotective, but even my pacifist self would, with no qualms, hunt down and harm someone who harmed my children. And now I find myself again sharing this news with my daughters and hoping they take an extra measure of precaution.
I’m disheartened to see so many women overtaken by fear or reduced to carrying weapons. What is often overlooked in cases like this is the infinitesimal likelihood of actually being attacked. Please don’t misunderstand me – what happened to these women is disgusting, horrifying and tragic, and should produce rage. But I will not let it produce fear. Statistically speaking, the chances of this happening to me are so, so small. And while some might say, “why take the chance?” – we take plenty of chances every day when we get in our car and drive to work, and I suspect we are far more likely to be injured while driving a vehicle than while running. It’s about calculated risk. There was an excellent episode of the podcast Trail Runner Nation where Sally McRae addresses this fear posted on June 10, 2016, and it echoed many of these same sentiments from the standpoint of a woman who frequently runs solo in the mountains. I’d like to see the female running community promote a culture of strength and keep this in perspective. Please remember – these incidents, while horrific, are isolated.
Gudrun – running, jogging??? Hardly the point of the story! Stay save ladies!
I change up my route and stay in populated areas but that’s about all. I have been on the mill a lot this summer but that is bc of the humidity. Long runs with a group.
This is part of the reason most of my runs are on the treadmill. I live in a rural area. The only road that is much of an option has deep ditches with high grass. My law enforcement son has always insisted I carry pepper spray. But, he also clearly warned me of its limitations and problems. My hubby now insists I carry a firearm. (I’ve been trained well with it. The laser site should be enough to scare someone. ) I only listen to music in one ear. The biggest difference is that I now make sure someone is watching my progress with their phone.
When I was running down the road a week ago, a white cargo van passed by me and for some reason a red flag went up in my mind. I honestly don’t know what I was picking up on, but I decided that if the van came back by me again, I would cut off the road. I ran over a couple more hills and there was the white cargo van, sitting on the side of the road about 1/4 mile ahead. I somehow predicted that it would turn around in the middle of the road, and that’s exactly what it did. At that point, I immediately cut off the road, ran through a neighbor’s property and back to my house. The most unusual part of the driver’s behavior was that he turned around in the middle of the road. There were plenty of driveways he could have backed into to turn around (which is a more convenient way to turn around) but the fact that he didn’t use a driveway to back into, indicated he was in a hurry to turn around then and there. That was creepy, and I was not going to give him the chance to drive up to me. I usually carry pepper spray when I run, but I decided to carry one of my very small firearms from then on. Firearms are not for everyone, so each person needs to decide for themselves about this, and if using a firearm, you really need good training in order to use it safely. Anyway, I sewed a pocket onto a compression shirt in which to carry the tiny Gun. It sits on the side of my chest (muzzle pointing downward) in the pocket with the grip sticking out. The compression shirt is black, pocket is black and firearm is black, so that the firearm blends with the shirt and doesn’t stand out. In our state, we are allowed both open and concealed carry. I think (personally) that it’s best to conceal a firearm so that nobody knows it’s there, otherwise, they could come up behind you and grab it. Each person has to figure out their own way to stay safe, and use a method that is comfortable to them.