Ways to make your next run a little safer

If you’re a runner on twitter, you’ve probably seen this blog post that went viral after Thanksgiving. A woman visiting her hometown was assaulted on her run. It was during the day and in a nice neighborhood, proving we can never be too safe. While her blog has a lot of good tips on how to stay safe, they’re tips we should all know. The problem is, we have a million excuses not to follow them. So in order to make us all safer, here’s some gear and tips that can help us out:
Always Carry Your Phone – During this time of year while we’re wearing jackets, it’s easy to stash your phone in a pocket. But during the summer when we’re wearing as little as possible, it can be harder to find a place to fit it. One easy solution is to wear a spibelt. These belts expand to fit a surprising amount of items. From keys to gels, you’ll love this item. And the best part is it won’t bounce as you run.
Take a Self Defense Class – Sang Kim ($40), Premier Martial Arts, and the UMC Activities Center ($35 for members, $45 for non-members) all offer local classes.
Carry Mace – Runner friendly mace makes it easy to slip a cartridge on your hand and have it right at your disposal if you should need it.
Run With a Group – Check out these local running groups.
No Music or One Earbud – The RoadNoise running vest allows you to run earbud free. You just plug your music player into the vest. With speakers right below your ears, you can hear your music and your surroundings at the same time.
There are always ways we can be safer. What are your safety tips?