10 Best Running Safety Tips From a NYC Run Coach
Photos by Marques Jackson Photography.
By Marnie Kunz,
Certified run coach and trainer
These running safety tips will help you stay running strong wherever you live. Whether you’re an urban runner, a trail runner, or a suburban trekker, it’s important to know how to stay safe on your runs. If you run alone, there are precautions you can take to let people know where you are throughout your run. Try these 10 tips to improve your running safety and hopefully prevent a crisis situation. And if an emergency situation does arise, you’ll be better equipped to handle it.
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As a woman running coach in NYC, I’ve encountered some crazy and sometimes scary situations on my runs, and I’ve learned the hard way how to take safety precautions. Of course, it is never your fault if you do get attacked or targeted on a run. However, these safety measures can help prepare you to prevent and ward off threats, escape, or sound an alarm if needed. These strategies can also give you backup support so others know where you’re at while you’re running.
Technology Tips
Technology can be a runner’s best friend for running safety if you use it the right way. Some running apps let you share your run with a trusted person. This allows your contact to see your location in real-time, so if anything happens and you do not return from your run, your contact should be able to see your GPS location. Another option to share your whereabuts is to enable location sharing on your iPhone or Android device.
In addition to location sharing, some running safety apps have features to alert your contacts in an emergency and even record audio and video of the emergency event.
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Here are some running safety apps to check out:
Best Running Apps for Safety
Strava is a popular running app for tracking and sharing runs. You can use Strava Beacon to share your location with up to three trusted contacts. To do this, open your Strava app and go to Settings then Beacon. Slide the button to turn on Beacon for mobile and then you can choose your contacts to share your running location with. This will send a text to your contact every time you begin a run so they can track your run in real time.
Strava does note that you must have location sharing turned on and if you hit places with poor GPS, you may not always have a signal or accurate location. You can share each run or select when to share. I have used this feature for certain runs I am concerned about, like if I am going on a remote trail run or a night run.
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ROAD iD is a running safety app that allows you to share your running location with trusted contacts. It also has a “stationary alert” option that notifies contacts if you are stationary for more than 5 minutes. The app can display your name, emergency contact, and medical information on the lock screen. If something happens to you, then people know how to proceed.
bSafe is another running safety app that allows you to share your location with trusted contacts in real time as you run. The app also has an SOS feature that allows you to press a button on your phone or voice signal in an emergency situation. The SOS alert will go out to your emergency contacts and provide live video and audio from the scene.
Running and Social Media Safety
Social media can be great for getting cheered on when you post your runs but unfortunately, runners, especially women, have to think about running safety too. Whatever your chosen running app, you can control who sees your running routes.
I always set my run routes to private so no one can see where I run. You can also set your privacy so that only your app friends can see your runs. I choose the general private option as I do not personally know all of my friends on my running apps. In most apps, you can change your privacy settings by going to Settings and Privacy and then choosing your option.
Other considerations when posting your runs include location - do not post photos on social media with identifying information about your address such as house numbers, street names, or other landmarks that you live by. It is also a safety risk to post when you are traveling. Consider posting your runs at completely different times than when you travel or run. Make sure identifying numbers are blotched out, and be vigilant about your personal information.
10 Best Running Safety Tips
In addition to tech safety, you can practice some general running safety precautions when you run. These general running safety tips will help you prepare for emergency situations that may arise on your run:
Always carry an ID when you run. If an emergency arises and you are unable to communicate, people will know who you are from your ID. You can put your ID in a pocket in your running pants or shorts, jacket, or running belt.
Bring a small amount of cash or a credit card on your runs. You do not need to carry huge amounts of money, but having money will come in handy if you need to stop to buy water or food, take public transit, or need money for first aid materials or some other unforeseen circumstance.
Share your location using a running app. Let a trusted contact track your run in real time so they can find you if an emergency arises.
Carry your cell phone on the run. I know many of us like phone breaks, and they are good for mental health, but when you run, it’s important to have a way to contact people in case of an emergency. If you do not carry your phone, you can opt into smartphone features such as texting from your Garmin running watch.
Obey traffic signals. In New York, I sometimes see runners jogging in the bike lanes, crossing in the middle of streets instead of at crosswalks, and many other things. If you choose not to follow traffic laws, be aware that you are at greater risk of being hit. Drivers are often not looking for runners and may be distracted by cell phones so use extra caution when you’re in high-traffic areas.
Run with someone. Whether it’s your dog, a friend, or a running group, there is safety in numbers. If you are hitting isolated trails or areas that do not feel especially safe, make sure you have a running buddy.
Listen to your intuition. If someone makes you feel uncomfortable or is harassing or threatening, it is best to flee the situation. Running is really our best defense and avoiding confrontation is usually the safest option. You can also use your phone to record videos of street harassers or someone you may need to report to the police. Just keep in mind that escaping should be your first priority, and if you can record as a bonus, that will be helpful later.
Carry a personal safety device. For women runners especially, a personal safety device can help you protect yourself or sound an alarm. After a man tried to grab me in the park on one of my runs recently, I now carry pepper spray. I hope I never have to use it but I will use it if necessary. Other personal safety devices may include sounds such as an alarm or whistle that you can use to call for help and draw attention to an emergency situation. If you do carry a safety device. make sure you know how to use it so you’re prepared for emergencies.
Run during daylight hours when people are around as much as possible. Although this does not guarantee your safety, it increases your chances of being able to get help, record the situation and know what is going on.
Stay alert to your surroundings. Consider running without headphones or turn the volume down enough to hear outside noise when you run. Be mindful of your surroundings, including traffic, people, animals, and bikes.
Sometimes people suggest women take self-defense classes and this is not a bad idea. I personally feel like women and non-binary people already have to go to extra lengths to prepare or ward off potential threats from male attackers, and self-defense classes can get costly. But if you have the means and desire, you can take a self-defense class or workshop.
At the end of the day, we each do what feels best for our situation. I hope these tips give you some new safety tools to add to your tool box so you can enjoy your running with peace of mind. We all deserve the right to run safely and free from harm.
Do you take safety measures when you run? Get more training and fitness tips with the Runstreet Wellness Wednesday newsletter. Follow and tag @Runstreet on Instagram to share your workouts and get cheered on.
Happy running, Wolf Pack, and stay safe! 😊
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Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, dog lover, Akita mom, and writer based in Brooklyn, NY. She is the founder of Runstreet.
