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lone women running off road
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It is illogical that we as a society quite happily do very risky things (like cross a road or drive a car) but warn people off enjoying the countryside alone. They make it sound that it is foolhardy and 'asking for trouble' if women walk or run in areas that are isolated.
I am surethat the chances of being attacked are very low (hopefully!).
I with all those who run off road, I really enjoy it, and it would ruin my running if I had to stick to the small town I live in - I feel that running the same route around town is possibly more dangeous as you're predictable. I am this year trying off road running in the dark, having invested in a headtorch, I am nervous about doing it, partly from fears of falling and injuring myself and partly from fears of 'lurking strangers'. BUT - I do not want to let these fears stop me from doing something I love.
I always look back to when I have run in new towns/cities when working away from home and regreted not being more brave with my routes. Once I have got to know places better I have realised that I have missed all the best bits and I didn't want to stray too far from 'home'!!
I do think our fears of out of town running are compounded by media and friends with horror stories. I have been mugged twice, both times while living in an iffy part of London, I feel nervous walking around the streets in London and wouldn't live there again. But I try to keep in mind that these were random incidents and I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that both times I was wearing high heel shoes so couldn't get away like I could while running.
As a student in London's East end I used to go walking out alone and at night. One fine day I got around to reading the advice given out to students about the local - "Don't go out alone, Don't go out at night" I told this to a friend of mine, saying how I'd never once felt ineasy or at risk, he replied "Yes, but it's you they're warning everyone of."
I have never worried about being out on my own at any time of the day or night. Only time I've ever been at risk was when I was with company.
I echo Wilkie - At work I do get the alarmists saying " Oh you're not running home IN THE DARK are you? ".....whereas if I was walking the lonely stretch to the bus-stop IN THE DARK....nobody would bat an eyelid!!
Its like cycling home in the dark - always an element of risk but I don't thinkany more risky than cycling in the day time provided I'm well lit-up.
However - Now that my daughter has just started Uni I live alone and it has occured to me that if something untoward did happen to me whilst cycling home or out on a run......no-one would know until I failed to turn up for work next day !
. Don't know what to do about that really..... I can't really phone people everytime I'm going out of the house and then phone them back again on my safe return!
She's a good dog for running with - very obedient and tend to be more focused on you than other dogs or people. I can run along paths and parks no problem - if there is a dog on a lead up ahead or a child I just tell her to heel and then when we get past them let her run ahead again.
The long coat isn't great for warm weather running though and like things like collies they need mental stimulation and exercise. Ours is quite a small one too so she isn't the kind of deterrent a german shepherd or doberman might be if that was a consideration for you - though some of the dogs are quite a bit taller and more imposing.
She looks pretty much identical to this one.
Popsider - What a beautiful dog.
I run with a cocker spaniel. No one is scared of him! He is fab off road, but I would not run further than about 6 miles with him on the lead.
I know some people are taking their dogs on the Beachy Head marathon, but there is no way my dog could make that sort of distance, and it would be unfair to ask him. What sort of distance does your one cover?
Back to the purpose of the thread - I run all over the local common and have never had any problems, but I too am overweight and red faced, so not an attractive target.
She's done up to 9 miles - she seemed OK with that but normally do about 5-6 with her all off lead and off road.
When running surrounded by beautiful scenery it reminds me of why I do this , Added to which the excitement of finding a new trail or footpath makes me feel like an inquisitive kid again - not a middle aged mum .
Those that warn against women running alone are just trying to keep us in the restrictive , dull, boring mould that they have allowed themselves to drift into. Bet they've never tried bungy jumping/ riding pillion on a motorcycle/ rides at Thorpe park or whatever else gets your adrenaline flowing either.
Having said this , managed to trip on a tree root in the woods and fell onto a pile of conker cases - spent the afternoon picking needles out of my hands !!
I am a novice runner but got a dog last year and I do take her out on short runs. She can run for ages but I can't.
She is a Jack Russell/Patterdale cross & pulls like a train. Today, I was out with two dogs but if I run with her alone, I use a Canix set up because then I can get a tow and she is under control. She has even come to my Jog Scotland class & they like her because I go faster!
The Canix set up means she isn't choking and I'm not going to be lop-sided or pulled off-stride. I got it from a specialist online shop aimed at sled dogs. Lots of choice of kit and she has a really nice fleece harness and I have a belt, meaning I am running hands-free. I'm aiming to be able to run the Canix 5k at Glentress next April as a goal. Also, people talk to you more if you have a dog so it's far more social.
I run with a Lab/Retreiver. she has done all my long runs for marathon training 20+ miles so stamina not an issue.
No good as a defence though, might lick someone to death.
However the type of dog is pretty irrelevant in an attack situation. The mere fact that the dog is there adds an unpredictability that will put most attackers off their stroke
I think being comfortable or uncomfortable has a lot to do with familiarity and confidence in your surroundings. I have a friend who lives in Peckham, she woke up one morning to find a police cordon around her flat because someone had been stabbed outside her front door in the night. That afternoon she travelled down to see me in the south west. We went for a run on my local trail, an old railway line that has been resurfaced. It was beautiful and quiet, not a soul around, she turned to me and said, " don't you get scared running round here on your own?". I'd be uncomfortable running city streets and she doesn't like being away from people in the countryside.
i hardly ever see people on my runs in daylight. pretty sure nobody will be around at night.
i couldn't believe the girls at work wouldn't cycle on a canal path to get to work. it was like they thought every ten meters there would be a rapist waiting for a hapless cyclist. my girlfriend said statistically you're more likely to get attacked by someone you know. so, if you're out running and bump into a friend make sure you maim them immediately before they get you
There's been lots of good advice on here!
I run through the local country park on my own, but I'm always very careful and vigilant. I wear bright clothes, no headphones and I keep an eye out for potential danger spots and odd characters. I also know the park well so am familiar with where all the paths go and where possible escape routes are.
It always amazes me though how many other people in the park don't pay any attention to what's going on around them. On numerous occasions I've run up behind somebody on a footpath without them realising - despite the fact that I always deliberately shuffle my feet or cough when I'm approaching so they have time to get out of my way!
"running with a dog" - see my post on page 2.
I agree with eveyone nothing beats running/walking in the woods. I have both a border collie and a labrador which I run with however a note to all women (AND MEN) and I mean also the tough, invincible type. I am one such women, complacent and invincible....Or so I thought. However,I had an incident a few weeks ago where a man followed me and luckily enough my dogs scared him off. I am always well dressed and the dogs (torch/flurescence vests etc) but I can't stress enough about being aware of your surroundings. Don't have your ipod on too loud, know your route, rotate your times and routes.
Police believe I had a lucky escape as this guy followed me for around 1.5miles and he placed hide and seek with me for most of it.
Just keep your wits about you and man enjoy those wonderful crisp, cool mornings with the birds singing to you....nothing beats it!!!!
Louise - that sounds awful - what a creep. Hope the police get him.
Louise - not a good experience, sounds frightening. Hopefully the dogs have given him a fright instead.
Keep up the running!
I live in a rural area and have a similar problem - lone running in the dark with the added hurdle of no bloddy street lights. I always wear an arm light (adidas do a good one) although some family memebrs argue I'm attracting the weirdos with this 'here I am, come get me' flashing light!! I have stopped listening to music aswell, so that I am more aware of my surroundingd
Good Luck Claire
Claire,
My family say the same thing!! Between my dogs and me we look like the blackpool illuminations!!!