Athletics: How To Run and Enjoy the Marathon - Chapter 10. Women Marathoners: Running Safe Means Running Smart

(A Practical Guide To The 26.2-Mile Journey) By James Raia
Web site: www.byjamesraia.com  
E-mail: James@ByJamesRaia.com

Runner's Web Editor's Note:
We will be running one chapter of this book on the Runner's Web each week for the next 15 weeks.

Introduction
How to Run & Enjoy The Marathon, a series of 15 self-help and service-oriented articles about running marathons - the proper shoes to running etiquette - is written by James Raia, a journalist and veteran marathon and ultramarathon runner in Sacramento, Calif. A contributor to many newspapers, news services, magazines and internet sites, Raia began to run long distances in 1983, the same year in which he completed his first marathon, the California International Marathon, in 4 hours, 12 minutes and 30 seconds.
How To Run & Enjoy The Marathon is based on the author's more than 20 years of writing about the sport -- its nuances, its elite athletes and the running masses.
Since he began training for his first marathon, running has become an integral component of the author's lifestyle. Raia has completed nearly than 70 marathons and ultramarathons, including several 50 milers and double marathons. His fastest marathon, 3:07:42, was run in 1990. A two-time finisher of the Boston Marathon, Raia for the past several years has completed many of his marathons in the 3:45 range.
Raia, 48, has traveled to more than a dozen countries on assignment for myriad publications, Runner's World to Modern Maturity, The New York Times to USA Today. He also writes syndicated cycling and running columns, publishes two electronic newsletters, Endurance Sports News and Tour de France Times, and is the author of The Tour Within The Tour de France, a travel/sports e-book about the prestigious cycling event. He lives in Sacramento, Calif., with Gretchen Gaither, a teacher and sculptor.

For additional information on his two free newsletters or his other e-book, visit the author's web site, www.byjamesraia.com or contact him via e-mail at RaiaRuns@aol.com.

Table Of Contents
1.Marathon No. 1: It's not all about pain
2. What Marathon? Plentiful choices abound
3. The Basics: Common sense for the masses
4. Marathoning For Dollars: Running is fitness on the cheap
5. Want To Finish: Join the club
6. Fleet Feet: If the shoe fits, wear it
7. Need Motivation? Take a break
8. Now Hear This: Just Say No To Headphones
9. Night Moves: Exercisers Need A Visible Presence
10. Women Marathoners: Running Safe Means Running Smart
11. Running vs. Walking: Marathoners Can Do Both
12. Runner's Creed: Share Thy Space
13. Marathon Time Limits: The race directors' dilemma
14. Marathon No. 1 (Revisited): Don't Forget The Little Things
15. Reference Guide: Where to Find Out More About The Marathon

This Issue - 10. Women Marathoners: Running Safe And Smart

Many veteran runners have had their share of potentially dangerous confrontations while running alone. Verbal assaults and physical harassment by motorists and cyclists are common problems.

As a result, smart runners stay out of certain areas and rarely train outside their neighborhoods at night. In most instances, day or night, it's also more safe to train with at least one other runner.

Nonetheless, it's alarming to notice how many women train by themselves. More surprising is the the number of women who training in isolated areas and while wearing headphones. Yet while men have to be concerned about running safety, it's more often women runners who have bad experiences.

And since I know more than a dozen women runners who have unpleasant running experiences, I've occasionally tried to the inform women running alone about the dangers of running solo or while wearing headphones.

One occasion I'll never forget. It was noontime, warm and sunny - a day for running nirvana. Unfortunately, the day could have just as easily been tragic.

As I approached a woman, she was dressed in normal running attire - shorts and singlet - but she was also wearing headphones. Usually while passing another solitary runner, I wave or in some way acknowledge the other person and our unstated camaraderie as runners.

But this time, as I had done numerous times before, I politely motioned for the woman to stop.

"Excuse me, I don't mean to bother you," I said. "But I just wondered if you know that several women have been attacked on this trail, and it really isn't a good idea for anyone to be running alone on this trail."

The woman was momentarily startled, perhaps thinking I presented some danger. But then, after removing her headphones, she responded.

"I've been running on this trail for years," she said. "Nothing has ever happened to me."

The woman's response was astonishing. While it should be everyone's right to run when and where they want and with headphones on if they so choose, the reality is quite different.

"Excuse me," I said. "There are several women in my running club who have been flashed, verbally assaulted, chased after and attacked on this trail. I can't tell you want to do, but please be careful. Run with a friend, or bring your dog alone on a leash.''

The woman then put her headphones back on, smiled and headed down the trail. I smiled back, wished her a nice day, and then continued my run feeling very frustrated.

As have other running friends, I had tried to offer advice to someone who wasn't willing to listen. I didn't feel it was my place to scold the woman, but I admit I felt like saying to her:

"You don't have to get hit on the head more than once to know it hurts. You don't have to put your hand in a fire to know it's going to burn. Do you have to be assaulted to know that it's not going to be a pleasant experience?"

However unfortunate it is that women aren't able to always run safely, it is their responsibility to run "smart." To help educate women, many running organizations have compiled safety running tips.

The following guidelines were established by the RRCA:

* Avoid unpopulated areas such as parks, bike trails and deserted tracks or non-residential streets.

* Consider carrying a whistle.

* Be aware of your surroundings. Know who is ahead of you and behind you and be aware of the nearest people or populated areas. Think about possible escape routes in case of an attack.

* Follow your intuition; if an area feels suspicious, turn back.

* Tell someone where you will be running. Note your regular routes to a friend, or write down where you plan to run.

* Run in familiar areas.

* Run with a partner whenever possible.

* Run widely around places where attackers might hide, such as parked vans, trucks on the street and bushes, bridge underpasses and portable restrooms on the trail.

* Ignore verbal harassment.

* Use discretion in acknowledging strangers (but be aware of them).

* Carry money for a phone call. (Remember, though, that you don't need money for a 911 emergency call.).

* Carry identification.

* Do not run wearing headphones because you cannot hear approaching people, vehicles or dogs.

* Consider self-defense classes or a mace training certification program.

While the guidelines seem like common sense, it's a fair assumption most runners would like to worry about as little as possible when they put on their shorts and shoes and head out for a run.

The problem is that runners - particularly women running alone - increase their risk of potentially serious and perhaps tragic consequences if they don't take appropriate precautions.

© Copyright 2003, James Raia

Posted with the permission of James Raia.

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