Safety tips for my ladies who run/walk outside

I don’t believe in living in paranoid fear, but there are certainly ways to avoid becoming a victim. If you’re an outdoors runner, here are some basic safety tips you may find helpful:

·Plan your outing. Always tell someone where you are going and when you will return.  Tell friends and family of your favorite exercise routines.

·Know where telephones are located along the course.

·Wear an identification tag or carry a driver’s license. If you don’t have a place to carry your ID, write your name, phone number, and blood type on the inside of your athletic shoes. Include any medical information.

·Don’t wear jewelry.

·Wear reflective material.

·Tell a family member or friend where you are going and the time you expect to be back.

·Stay alert at all times. The more aware you are, the less vulnerable you are.

·Run or walk with a partner, a dog, or both if possible.

·Don’t wear headsets.  If you wear them you won’t hear an approaching car or attacker.  Listen to your surroundings.

·Consider carrying a cellular telephone.

·Exercise in familiar areas.  Know which businesses or stores are open.

·Vary your route.

·Avoid unpopulated areas, deserted streets, and overgrown trails. Especially avoid poorly lighted areas at night.

·Run clear of parked cars or bushes.

·Ignore verbal harassment.  Use discretion in acknowledging strangers. Look directly at others and be observant, but keep your distance and keep moving.

·Run against traffic so you can observe approaching vehicles.

·Trust your intuitions about a person or an area. React based on that intuition and avoid areas you feel unsure about.

·Be careful if anyone in a car asks you for directions—if you answer, keep at least a full arm’s length from the car.

·If you think you are being followed, change direction and head for open stores, theaters, or a lighted house.

·Have your door key ready before you reach your home.

·Call police immediately if something happens to you or someone else, or you notice anyone out of the ordinary. It is also a good idea to check with police about any criminal activity in the area you plan to run.

·Make sure people can see you: Think about where you are going and how well lighted it may or may not be. Going out at dusk or at night is dangerous without some reflective device on your clothing. Many athletic shoes have reflective qualities built in, but also consider a vest complete with reflective tape.

·Watch the road: Wet or even patchy spots of ice may not be seen until it’s too late.  The slick spots can lay in waiting and are considerably harder to see in the dark.

·Keep alert. The freaks come out at night.

·Check with the hotel staff or concierge to find a safe route for exercise. If there is not an acceptable place to exercise outdoors, see if the hotel can arrange for you to go to a health club or gym.

·Become familiar with your exercise course before you start. Get a map and study it.

·Remember the street address of the hotel. Carry a card with your hotel address along with your personal ID.

·Leave your room key with the front desk.