I have been in Po’Dunk for 2 years now and I have been running for 5. These past 2 years, I have never felt more unsafe while running. I’m used to running in a city where pedestrians and cyclists were the norm and very welcomed. Now, I am the moving target worth points to loose dogs and motorists who are not used to people locomotion on foot.
These are a few tips on staying safe in a potentially unsafe place.
1. Pepper Spray has been my friend. Since I have been carrying it, I have used it twice at dogs. I never sprayed to hit them in the face but a few feet away to where their sensitive noses get a whiff and back off. One dog almost bit me a few houses down a while back. He got loose from his yard, ran at me from across the street. He had his teeth out and everything. I only had a scratch awl to ward him off. I screamed but he was close enough to there I could use it. Next time he got loose and came after me I had my pepper spray and I was much more comfortable to spray him then stab him.
2. I have had a few times where I think not running alone was a good idea. I have made the other half go with me. There are more roads without sidewalks then with in Po’Dunk. 3 blocks away, the roads north of my house have the speed limit starting from 25 MPH to 55MPH. So having the other half on the bike made me feel safer and more visible on the shoulder of the roads. Plus, he is my personal paparazzi.
 |
| Us this past May for the United Relay |
3. I like to zone out or be motivated by my music choices. But I also like to hear when a car, dog, or even another person is approaching from behind. If I NEED music, I prefer to have just one ear bud in, or wait till I get to the high school track where I can listen to music and not have to worry as much about cars, dogs, or other people sneaking up behind me.
4. I don’t have a problem carrying my cell phone in my hand while I run. I have been carrying my cell phone in my hand for a long time and its no big deal. Even though its because I have been playing PokemonGo and try to hatch eggs and catch the creatures on the run, but its also just in case I need to shoot a video of a dog being aggressive to me or to make an emergency phone call. Since my phone is in one hand and pepper spray is in another, its just a personal preference for easy access for my personal defense.
 |
| I Periscoped the WHOLE 5K. |
5. I think that sometimes I feel safer when I am on a route that has lots of people on it. In Boise, that meant the Greenbelt near downtown was the place to be. In Po’Dunk, I have 2 main roads so I can go south for 3 miles on the sidewalks and 3 miles back for a good 6 miler. There are lots of cars that travel on there so I feel pretty safe from hazards other then cars who want to hit me crossing the road. But if you have an active residential area nearby to run through, I highly recommend it.
Those are my top 5 safe running tips. Do you have anymore to add?