Have you ever been attacked on a run? And what might you carry besides pepper spray?

I once had a gay guy try to grab my nuts while I was running in Khon Kaen (Thailand). He was on a motorcycle. I just stopped, grabbed a rock and a piece of wood on the side of the road and just screamed at him to f$$$ off and go away. He saw that I meant business so he scooted on down the road.

Perhaps you should start "packing heat" (a gun). I know one lady in Reno who carries a gun while running, just a small, ultralight .22 caliber thing.

I like exploring alone too but I'm a college guy. I feel pretty safe the trails around here in st. of WA. But you can still hear about terrible things like that unsolved mystery of the mother and daughter who were shot to death while hiking in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie Nat'l Forest. Try to phone a relative or a friend to let them know where you're going and when you'll get back. There's reception in some forests so carrying a phone is something you can do.

In my opinion, if you're a fast runner your best bet is to sprint away. If I were you and saw someone coming toward me aggressively, I'd run off the trail and into the woods trying to lose him while readying the pepper spray. Anyone disagree? Does anyone know runners who carry knives or guns with them? Would they do any good if a person was really determined to kill you and ambushed you without warning?

Learn to Vomit on Cue, throw-up allover your attacker and he'll stop fo'shizzle.

I think outrunning is your best bet but with a lot of these attacks there isn't any warning and they use the element of surprise. I think you have to strike a balance - staying as safe as possible without losing a lot of your freedom and what you enjoy about running. I wouldn't carry a gun, could be turned on you along with a number of other reasons why not, but that's just me.

Always a dilemma for women runners: we want to get out and enjoy the solitude of running, yet also have the safety issues to worry about. Like you, I don't want to carry something that could as easily be used on me as by me--pepper spray or weapons.

And I can't say I've resolved this issue to my satisfaction. I live in an urban area. There's a trail I used to enjoy running in my area and have stopped running it alone since a woman was attacked in broad daylight on that trail, despite its frequent use.

But a few things: I carry a cell phone with gps activated when running alone, keep alert to my surroundings and trust my gut feelings. I don't under any circumstances run w/ headphones.

Also it's good to look confident, not in doubt about where you're going. If you're running, this shouldn't be a problem but consider that if you're in an unfamiliar area, you might at least want to look over a trail map before you start and have a planned direction you're going to take. If you know others who run in the area you're considering, get their views about which trails are relatively safe and which to avoid.

Although it's no guarantee, I prefer to run earlier rather than later in the day. There are usually other runners, hikers, and such earlier, while later in the afternoon and evening, things get pretty isolated.

I remember hearing somewhere--forget where--about a woman who pretended to be talking on her cell phone when she saw someone she didn't trust. The idea was to give the impression that she was on the phone w/ someone who could help her, should the need arise. Haven't used that strategy myself, so I don't know how effective it would be, but apparently the woman using this method felt it helped.

While it's not for everyone, if you're able to get a dog to run with you, that might be another option. Having a large dog would likely be a deterrent in itself.

Just a few thoughts--and again don't feel I have this resolved... sometimes I find myself feeling outraged that I even need to worry about my safety: those intent on harassing runners should be the ones worried about their safety. But reality is what it is, and we need to strike a balance: not live in fear, but recognize the need to keep alert for potential problems.

Also it helps if you try not to look too obviously female, so that you will less likely be spotted as a potential target from a distance. I never wear just shorts and a running bra when running in a remote place, always wear some type of tank top or lightweight t-shirt. Tucking hair in under baseball cap can help too.

I to feel women are at a greater risk of being attacked when running....anywhere. I'm a male but when i run in rural areas i carry pepper spray(mainly for dogs or wild animals)but my main defense is i wear non reflective black clothing even when running at night and if someone gets after me they are going to have to run me down in the woods for i'm going to get off the road and run through the woods and eventually cut my head light off and keep moving.I have a pistol permit and have packed it at times but in my three years of running i've never had any kind of encounter except i almost got dog bit once. I mostly run on rural dirt roads and now it is at night except on the weekends and when i meet a car i look to the side so as not to blind them and some have slowed down to see if i was broke down in my car and i keep my distance and yell no, i'm just crazy and like to run at night and never stop running cause i don't want my run messed up anyway.If i were a female though and ran where i run now I would carry a pistol but if so i would learn to shoot it very well. Good luck.....BamaCoyote

My favorite running store here in Atlanta has a self defense class about once a month. If you're a trail runner, I personally think it's a must do.

Try to tell someone you trust where you are going.

Pack heat,and shoot the balls off someone who attacks.

Or if you are a lib. try to understand why they are attacking you. It's probably your fault anyways.

muhamed

Every female past puberty ought to take self-defense training, IMO. And pepper spray sounds like the right idea. A gun is overkill, would mess with your brain, could get used against you, could go off accidentally, could be used against an innocent person in a moment of paranoia, etc.

muhamed wrote:

Try to tell someone you trust where you are going.

Pack heat,and shoot the balls off someone who attacks.

Or if you are a lib. try to understand why they are attacking you. It's probably your fault anyways.

muhamed

Agreed , this is a good tactic for the Nazi Zionist.

I am going to Israel very soon. I plan on running the hills of Judea, gun in my hand, and quick on the trigger if any scum tries to attack me.

Even though you called me a nazi, I am sure you are a good man. Talk a little to your parents and ask them where they went wrong. Were they very poor and therefore blamed everything on rich Jews? Are they so guilty for not doing anything about the massacre of 6oooooo Jews that they now need to apply there guilt to Jews?

Seek some therapy, read a history book, and don't blaspheme my family who died at the hands of Nazis.

muhamed

muhamed wrote:

Or if you are a lib. try to understand why they are attacking you. It's probably your fault anyways.

muhamed

our new friend muhamed,

you have had some interesting posts, some funny ones, and some stupid, but THAT was probably the funniest thing I've read on here in weeks at least....

giffypop17 wrote:

muhamed wrote:

Or if you are a lib. try to understand why they are attacking you. It's probably your fault anyways.

muhamed

our new friend muhamed,

you have had some interesting posts, some funny ones, and some stupid, but THAT was probably the funniest thing I've read on here in weeks at least....

Thank You My Brotha,

you are right about my posts. Some are funny, some stupid, and some interesting.

This all correlates with my name.

I am tryin' to bring love to all brotha regardless of skin cola(rhymes!), religion or creed. Some like the stupid posts and some like the serious ones, as long as there is someting fo everyone.

Den we all be happy,

jekshemash,

muhamed

I feel safer in remote areas (trails) because unless someone has been stalking you, I doubt some bad guy stranger is out there waiting for you to come along. But you never know. Rural roads are the scariest to me. If you are on a trail where cars can't drive, you are harder to get to, especially if you are running. As far as what to carry, I'd take a cell phone. Do not wear headphones. I used to think carrying a weapon would be good until others mentioned that it could be used against you. A self-defense class is a good idea. I took one when I was a kid. Some of the stuff is obvious, like kick him in the balls, gouge his eyes, shove his nose into his brain, etc. Whatever you do, don't get in a vehicle. If he takes you somewhere else, he will likely kill you.

Always tell someone where you are going and what time you plan to return. A cell phone and pepper spray are probably good ideas as well; never wear headphones.

MAYEROFF wrote:

I once had a gay guy try to grab my nuts while I was running in Khon Kaen (Thailand). He was on a motorcycle. I just stopped, grabbed a rock and a piece of wood on the side of the road and just screamed at him to f$$$ off and go away. He saw that I meant business so he scooted on down the road.

Perhaps you should start "packing heat" (a gun). I know one lady in Reno who carries a gun while running, just a small, ultralight .22 caliber thing.

Most of Jason's "girlfriends" are "packing heat" if you know what I mean.

If we're talking about protection here, you might start by carrying a condom...

first of all, always be on your guard

and be ready for the old kick-in-the-balls

that being said, most people are decent human beings who mind their own buisness/go out of their way to help you

I'll never forgot that time I was running through a run-down neighborhood in a nearby city. I group of 4-5 HUGE black guys were waking down the sidewalk (this was at ~3am), approached me. I said hi and one said

"yo, man, do you know where your going?"

If you treat other people well and assume they will be a decent human being then I find they usually are. If you are one of those bitches that wears a hawk-like expression and holds pepper spray at arm length, how do you expect most pedestrians to act?