Be Safe Out There

So, if you’re smart, you’ll try to get those training runs in early in the morning or later in the evening. However, running early or late in the day can have its own kind of dangers. The basic considerations for running safer are true for everyone: If you are running on the streets–

·         Run against the flow of traffic—it is easier for drivers to see you, but more importantly, it’s easier for you to see the car and driver so that you can jump out of the way if you have to.

·         Run against the flow of traffic, BUT be smart about it—on a blind curve both you and the driver may have little time or space to get out of the way. Check your surroundings, know what is coming ahead, and well before the blind curve, when it’s safe, switch to the other side of the road. Once past the blind curve, move back to running against traffic when you can do so safely.

·         If you are running in low light—dawn or dusk—wear a headlamp and reflective clothing.

·         Carry some kind of identification—at RoadID.com you can purchase a personal ID wristband or a tag to attach to your shoelaces. But at least carry a business card or other form of ID that is durable in case you are injured and can’t communicate.

In addition, women need to take additional safety precautions. I don’t mean to raise unnecessary fears. In the fourteen years that I have been running in San Martin, Gilroy, and Morgan Hill, no man or woman that I know of from my circle of running friends has been harassed or assaulted while out for a run. And I hope with all my heart that nobody ever is. But let’s face it; women are more vulnerable and more likely to be attacked than men. And you need to be aware of that and be smart about it.

In this month’s Competitor magazine, May 2014 (available Free at The Running Shop, 16999 Monterey Rd., Morgan Hill; or Free on the App Store) Todd Williams, a two-time Olympian in the 10,000 meters for the U.S. and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu discusses safety for runners. Williams founded RunSafer (on Facebook under RunSafer, on the net at runsafer.com) in order to teach runners some basic safety. Some of the tips that Williams advocates in his YouTube videos are just common sense:

·         Don’t be predictable—running the same route on the same days at the same time.

·         Avoid isolated areas

·         Safety in numbers—run in pairs or in a group; don’t separate

·         Music—if you run with music, keep the volume low, or use only one earbud. Be aware of your surroundings.

But Williams also shows specific techniques in his workshops and videos designed to frustrate an attacker and buy time. According to Williams, you don’t want to make yourself an easy target or allow yourself to be easily moved. Everybody needs to decide for him or herself what to do in case somebody tries to attack you. But in Williams’s opinion, your best chance is to resist with everything that you have. His philosophy is “You have to win.” And you have to keep this philosophy in your head “I have to win.” Throwing elbows, fists, feet, and/or knees at the most vulnerable locations—ears, eyes, nose, throat, groin—and putting up resistance is the last thing an attacker expects or wants.

I urge everyone to read the article in Competitor, May 2014 and to visit runsafer.com and runsafer on Facebook. On these sites, you will find much more information and several short videos that demonstrate some of the techniques that Williams teaches at running workshops in various parts of the country.

I hope that I never have to hear about another runner becoming the victim of assault, but I know that hoping alone won’t make it so. It happens even in the smallest quietest seeming communities. But let’s make sure that it never happens here. Be aware. Be prepared.