Twin Cities Running Club

Running Safety Tips & Guidelines

There are four aspects of running safety: safety for your stuff, environmental safety, traffic safety, and personal safety. All TCRC members should use care and common sense with regard to all of them. Here are some guidelines that apply to all your running.

Safety for Your Stuff

Break-ins happen, and they've happened to some of our members. It's no fun to return to your vehicle to find that you window is broken and your possessions are missing. A few measures, however, can reduce your risk of a break-in, or soften the results if it does happen:

Never leave your purse, wallet, or bag in sight. Thieves often cruise public parking lots, looking for cars with valuables. If you leave yours in plain sight, there's a good chance they will choose to break into your car, since they are assured of a payday.

Never arrive at the parking lot, and then put your valuables in your trunk or under the seat. That also is an advertisement that your car contains valuables, making it more likely to be broken into. Thieves often watch at parking lots, and break into those cars they know to contain valuables.

Put your stuff in your trunk or other hiding spot before you leave home. That way, there's no visible evidence that there are valuables in your car, and you haven't given any indication they are there. As a result, a thief will be less likely to choose your car for a break-in. You probably won't need them during your drive anyway, and you can always retrieve them if you do.

Don't bring all of your identification, credit cards, etc. Just bring your driver's license plus a credit card or a $20 bill. That should be plenty to get you to the run and back, plus any meals, gas, etc.

Bring your valuables with you during the run or hide them. That way, if your car does get broken into, the thief might not find your valuables, or at least your losses will not be too large. We've been known to put things in the folds of a map, which is not a place we would expect a thief to look, or to bring our license and credit card in a pack or jacket pocket.

Leave your valuables with a water stop helper. We are more than happy to carry your keys, purse, wallet, etc. while you're out running, and we promise not to look at your driver's license photo.

Stash your clothing and your wallet etc. separately. If you tend to bring a bag with dry clothing in it, don't make it a treasure trove. Thieves are usually quick-hit artists, meaning they tend to grab something quickly and get out before anyone sees them. A gym bag is easy to grab and run, so they may do no more than that. You may lose some clothing, but you might not lose your purse or wallet.

Avoid hidden or remote parking spots. Much as runners tend to be cheap, a parking lot with a fair amount of regular traffic is probably safer than a parking bay near trees. A thief wants to remain hidden, and wants their target vehicle to be relatively out of sight and hearing. Another option is to park on a nearby residential street, and to walk or run to the start. Thieves tend to go where they know people are likely to leave valuables in their cars, and most residents take their valuables with them when they head inside.

Environmental Safety

Sometimes, things just happen. There are, however, certain things you can do to keep them from happening, or to lessen their impact if they do happen:

Pay attention to your surroundings. Watch out for and avoid (if possible) or be careful around ice, snow, water, poor trail conditions, curbs, obstructions, and the like.

Beware what lies beneath. New snow may mask underlying ice, freshly-fallen leaves may cover a hole or a rock, etc., so be careful out there.

Be aware of the weather. It's not always clear and cool, so make adjustments when encountering heat, cold, rain, snow, wind, and the like (see the TCRC Summer and Winter Training Guides for more details). And sometimes (you know when) it's just not safe to go out, so on those occasions, stay where it's safe.

Animal encounters are rarely dangerous in these parts, but the odd dog or even bear encounter is possible on the roads or trails. There are too many permutations to list all of them here, but learn about what you may encounter, and take those precautions the experts advise.

Insect encounters are more common. Mosquitoes are most prevalent at dusk and dawn, and near woods, while bees and wasps tend to be present near flowers. All of them and more, however, can be found pretty much anywhere. Avoid them if you can, get away from them if you do encounter them, apply repellent if you know they'll be waiting, and while you can swat a mosquito, don't try that with a hornet. Ticks are usually found in low vegetation in the woods, so if you're heading out on the trails, apply repellent, wear gaiters, and look for and remove any after your run.

Plant encounters are easier to control. Avoid anything with thorns or the like, along with poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, etc. If you do come in contact with them, wash and treat the affected area as soon as you can.

If you twist an ankle or feel an injury coming on, stop. Walk it in from there, ask for a ride at the next water stop, or call a friend or, on a weekend run, your trusty coach (651-698-5467) for a pick-up.

Use common sense. If it doesn't seem safe, there's a good chance it isn't, so maybe you shouldn't try running through those brambles near the hornet's nest next to the cliff.

At weekend runs, we will have a first aid kit, which contains first aid items (from band-aids to bee sting ointments), plus other handy items (from extra shoelaces to sunblock). Don't be afraid to ask if you could use some help.

Traffic Safety

Obey all traffic rules. Cross only at designated crossings, and only when it is safe to do so (when the light is with you, etc.). Avoid crossing in the middle of a block.

Run on sidewalks or pedestrian paths. When possible, avoid running on the roads. Sidewalks and paths have the advantage of being free of vehicular traffic. Where there are separate pedestrian and bike paths (which are common in the Twin Cities), run on the pedestrian path.

Run on roads with wide shoulders or bike lanes if possible, if you have to run on the roads.

Run against traffic if you have to run on a roadway or in a bike lane. That way, you can see oncoming traffic. One exception is noted below.

Pay attention to your surroundings. Watch out for and avoid (if possible) or be careful around dangerous intersections, blind driveways, distracted drivers, and the like. Don't forget to look behind you.

Watch for cyclists, inline skaters, pedestrians, etc. Cars are not the only things that can pose a safety hazard.

Never assume that a driver can see you. The driver may be looking into the sun, tired, hassled, talking on the phone, texting, etc., and may not see you. Assume that they can't, and act to avoid a potential accident. Knowing you were in the right isn't all that reassuring when you're lying in a hospital bed.

Make eye contact with drivers, cyclists, etc., especially when crossing an intersection. Also raise your hand—the eye-level motion makes you more visible.

Wear bright or reflective clothing when running at dawn, dusk, or night. Make yourself as visible as possible, so that motorists and pedestrians can see you. A black jacket, hat, gloves, and tights, for example, may be stylish, but is the polar opposite of visible when you're running in low light. Orange is highly visible in low light, so wear orange if you can. Blinking lights are also a good idea, especially if you must run on a road.

Avoid or be careful with headphones. They can prevent you from hearing what's going on around you, and many runners “zone out” when wearing them. If you wear headphones, keep the volume low, and use only one ear-bud.

Avoid running with a low sun behind you. An oncoming motorist or cyclist will be less likely to see you with a low sun in their eyes.

Be courteous to drivers and others, especially if they are courteous to you by waving you through. A smile or thank you can make motorists and others more likely to be careful around you and other runners.

Wait for all traffic to stop at intersections. It's better to wait for a second or two than to end up lying on the pavement. Pay attention when:

Crossing an intersection on the left side of the road. Some drivers try to get through an intersection at the last second before the light turns red, or even after it has. Also, if there's a truck in the lane nearest you, there may be a car in the next lane, hidden from view. If the truck has stopped for a light, the car may still rush through.

Crossing an intersection on the right side of the road. A driver coming from behind you may be turning right on red, looking to their left for oncoming vehicles and ignoring any pedestrians (you) on their right.

Some places are more dangerous than others. Spots to be extra careful include:

The crest of a hill. A driver has limited sight of anything near or over the hill.

A blind curve. Stay on the wide side of the road, even if that means running with traffic for a while, to increase the time a driver has to react to your presence.

A driveway or parking lot exit. Drivers tend to pull out quickly, without looking for pedestrians.

Get off your feet if you're about to get hit. Your injuries are likely to be less painful or damaging if your feet are not anchored to the ground at the time of impact.

Carry a cell phone if possible. This enables you to contact help in the event of trouble. Enter your coach's cell phone number (651-698-5467) into your address book, along with the numbers of other potential rescuers. Another option, especially if you're running in less-populated areas, is to carry a whistle or other means of attracting attention.

Know how to summon help if you need it. Know where phone booths, convenience stores, gas stations, and other potential sources of help are located on your customary routes. Carry some change, so you can make a telephone call if you need to.

Carry some identification (with your name, address, the phone number of someone who can be contacted, even your blood type), just in case.

Personal Safety

We don't want to be too alarmist here, but regrettably, if you run outdoors, personal safety can be an issue. Both men and women can be the victim of a crime while on a run, but the risk is greater for women. The following steps, while they won't make you immune from attack, may reduce your risk:

Run with others. An attacker is less likely to attempt an assault if you are running with others—the more the merrier. Again, this will not make you immune from attack, but every precaution helps.

Run with a dog, if you have one that is able to do so. Dogs tend to be protective, and an attacker will be less likely to try something if there is a risk of a return canine attack.

Avoid isolated areas. A run through the woods may be one of life's simple pleasures, but it also increases your vulnerability, due to the abundance of hiding places for an attacker and the remoteness of the location. In the city, bushes and isolated stretches can be hazardous. So, particularly if you are running alone, stick to known and open areas.

Avoid running at night. Darkness may enable an attacker to avoid being seen while you approach, and may hide the attack itself from people who might be able to help. Also, fewer people are outside at night, reducing the available help. If you must go out at night, avoid unlit areas.

Don't run with headphones. They reduce your ability to hear an oncoming attacker, and tend to reduce your general awareness, as you focus on the music rather than your surroundings.

Leave your jewelry at home. Visible jewelry makes you more attractive to thieves, and can be used against you.

Pay attention. Be aware of your surroundings, including the people around you. Run against traffic, so that you can observe oncoming vehicles.

Trust your instincts. If something or someone (even another runner) doesn't look right, don't assume it's nothing. Turn around, prepare yourself, etc. It's better to avoid a harmless situation than to go blithely into a potentially dangerous one.

Ignore verbal harassment. The likelihood that it will escalate to physical harassment or attack increases if you respond.

Carry a whistle or other means of attracting attention. Attention is what an attacker does not want. A whistle is light, portable, and loud. Weapons, mace, and pepper spray are also a possibility, but they won't stop everyone, and they can be used against you.

Know how to summon help if you need it. Know where phone booths, convenience stores, gas stations, and other potential sources of help are located. Carry a cell phone if possible.

Carry some change, so you can make a telephone call if you need to.

Carry some identification (with your name, address, the phone number of someone who can be contacted, even your blood type), just in case.

Don't get too predictable. Most attacks are not random—the attacker has seen the victim before, and has planned the attack to some degree. If an attacker knows that you run the same route every Monday at the same time, their planning will be that much easier. So vary your routes and times.

Tell someone your favorite routes, and leave word as to which route you will be running.

Take a course in self-defense. There are times when you do not want to try fighting back (e.g., when an attacker has a weapon), but a working knowledge of self-defense tactics might give you the few moments you need to escape. Just don't think that knowing self-defense makes you invulnerable—many attackers are large men, and their strength advantage should not be discounted.

If you are attacked, keep calm. That might not be easy, but it may save you from serious harm, and could save your life.

If you are attacked and decide to fight back, fight dirty. Biting, kicking, scratching, gouging, and a swift hit to the crotch are all allowed, even encouraged.

If you are attacked, report it immediately. Speed makes it much more likely that an attacker will be caught. If the attacker is caught, your long-term safety and well-being, as well as that of others, may be enhanced.

If you are attacked, don't blame yourself. Even after taking every precaution, an attack is still possible. So try to hold onto your psychological well-being, and be willing to seek the support and counsel of family, friends, and professionals.