With the warm weather finally here, I’ve read multiple excellent posts about protecting oneself from sun and heat exposure as well as the importance of maintaining hydration while running in the hot summer months. While taking steps to prevent the harmful effects of running in the hot summer months is vitally important, I’d like to depart a bit and talk about safety. As the cold and rainy spring weather finally has broken in most parts of the country, people naturally are getting outdoors, and unfortunately, that also includes those with ill intent. Last May, while out running, I experienced what I will from hereon in call The Incident. Though I was not physically harmed, I had what I will call a near-miss, and for the first time ever, I was truly in fear for my life.
Briefly, I went out for a solo run on a beautiful Monday afternoon, the first nice day of what would become a hot and humid summer in the Chicago area. I headed to a usually well-traveled path around a local man-made lake, mere steps from my home. While I always pay close attention to my surroundings, I noticed immediately when I got onto the path that it was unusually quiet, which seemed odd for such a beautiful day. As I rounded the path, my Spidey-senses were particularly high, and I felt more uneasy the further along the path I went. Normally there would be plenty of people using the path, which encircles the lake where there usually are a number of boaters, kayakers, and fishermen. That day, the path, as well as the lake, were quiet. And by quiet, I mean no one was there. It was seriously creepy.
As I slowed my sprint to a brisk walk to catch my breath and sip some water, I noticed some movement in the brush immediately to my right. A young man was sitting in a chair about 15 or 20 feet from the path, and as soon as he saw me, he started taking care of business, so to speak. Still out of breath, I took off running as fast as I could. I turned back and saw him up on the path coming towards me. By this time, I was on the complete opposite side of the lake from where I entered, where there was a high fence blocking any exit routes. I kept moving forward as fast as I could, and praying out loud to make it to safety.
Eventually, I lost sight of the perp and saw a woman approaching me on a bike. I first decided to just keep moving since the immediate threat was gone, but I changed my mind and flagged her down. I asked if she saw anyone along the path, and she said there was no one there. I told her what happened, and she stayed with me on the path until I could safely exit. From there, I called 911 and reported the incident. Just then, the woman on the bike saw a police officer driving on the path, and rode back down to report what happened. He then drove to where I was standing and took my report.
I called my husband as I walked home to tell him what happened. Shortly after I got home, I went to my neighborhood website to share my experience and warn others about what had (or could have) happened to me. Within hours several people responded, saying they, too, had seen someone in the area in recent weeks, doing the exact same thing. None of them reported it—either to the police or to their neighbors.
I’m sorry, what??? I can’t tell you how shocked, dismayed, and frankly, angry I was to hear this. Several people (all women, no less) laughed it off as some sort of a joke. This is no joke, folks. In fact, it is a crime. People use this path for a variety of activities, several of whom are young children, often without adult supervision. I can only imagine what would have happened if this guy caught up with me. Could I have gotten away? Could I have fought him off? I didn’t stick around to find out. And I can’t imagine the guilt I would feel if I didn’t report him and then heard at some later date that he grabbed someone and did them some physical harm.
Several police officers happen to live in my subdivision. They took my report seriously, maybe especially because it was so close to home and they, too, have wives and children who use this path regularly. I had some additional communication with one of the officers that evening, who said they would put extra patrols on the path that night. He asked if I knew exactly where the person was hiding, but I could only give a vague description of where I was at the time. I’ve joked forever that I couldn’t run to save my life. Apparently, I can. I realized I could use my Garmin data to pinpoint the exact location where I went from walking a 12:52 mile to running a 6:53 mile. I screen-shot my Strava report and sent it to the officer. And lo and behold, the very next day, the offender was in the exact same spot, doing the exact same thing. This time, the police were waiting. He was immediately arrested, and because he admitted everything, I didn’t have to testify in court.
What happened after that, I don’t know. The laws vary by state in terms of what the punishments are for these sorts of crimes. You can find a list of statutes by state here. What I do know is that I’ve changed my behavior because of this incident. Fool me once.
For a while after this incident, I stopped running the path alone. And that pissed me off. This is a beautiful path, convenient to my home. It angers me that I cannot freely enjoy it. It took a while, but now I am back; armed with information, and a few other things. For one, since this incident occurred, there is a newly paved path leading down to the lake. From there, I can clearly see if there are people around the lake. If it seems particularly desolate, I choose another route for my run.
I also wear a SPIbelt, clipped to it what is purported to be the world’s loudest whistle and maximum strength pepper spray. In addition, for Christmas this past year, my youngest son bought me a set of kubatons, which I now carry on each of my runs. Conceal and carry? I like to think of it as reveal and scary. I don’t think I’m any more careful about my surroundings than I’ve ever been, but at least now I’m armed with a few items to help me defend myself should the need arise.
I’ve read many stories about women being attacked, and sometimes killed, while out running alone. Sadly, last summer within just over a one-week period, three women were murdered while out running in Michigan, New York, and Massachusetts. Such cases are rare, and it was quite unusual to have so many incidents occur in such a short period of time. And though it is extremely rare to be murdered while out on a run, it is not at all unusual to be harassed or otherwise intimidated.
In a recent online survey of more than 2500 women and more than 2100 men, Runners World Magazine found that at least 43% of women experience some kind of harassment while running alone, compared to only 4% of men. I encourage you to read the article here, and remain vigilant regarding your personal safety.
There are numerous tips, articles, and websites dedicated to informing people how they can stay safe on their runs, so I won’t go into them here, but here are a few places where you can get some ideas on how to stay safe on your run:
http://www.rrca.org/education/rrca-general-running-safety-tips
http://running.competitor.com/2011/06/training/the-lucky-13-tips-for-safe-running_28874
https://runnersconnect.net/women-runners-safety-while-running/
https://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/11-potentially-life-saving-tips-for-staying-safe-while-running
http://runnerclick.com/staying-safe-running-solo/
While some of the information is repetitive between sites, it’s definitely worth repeating.
The bottom line is this: Try to avoid distractions, and be aware of your surroundings at all times. And if you do find yourself in harm’s way, be sure to prioritize your actions:
1) Get yourself to safety. Yell or whistle for help along the way, but keep moving.
2) Call for help, but not until you are in a safe spot. Don’t stand still fumbling with your phone.
3) Report what happened to the authorities, even if you were not personally harmed. And be sure to let others in the area know what happened.
Do you run alone? How do you keep yourself safe? Have you ever been harmed while out for a run?
Kudos to you for reporting that jerk! I am so glad that the police apprehended him the next day.
Luckily I haven’t encountered anything like this during a run (thankfully) but I know that I would report it. I think sometimes people play it offs no big deal (like you mentioned) but it’s a VERY big deal!
I even think of things like if I was wheeling my 88 year old mother around in her wheelchair to get some fresh air–even if he stayed put–she would be irrevocably traumatized by what she would have seen.
Holy shit, girl. That’s scary as hell. I’ve had a few near misses, but nothing as close a call as yours. I’m so, so, so glad you got away safely AND reported it and they caught the guy. Stay safe!!!
Thanks! I still can’t wrap my head around the many people who saw him (who knows how many more there were), and didn’t say a word! People can be so self-centered!
Wow this is so scary! I am so glad that you are ok and that they found the guy. This is one of the reasons why I am so thankful for our running group I do believe in safety in numbers. It is unfortunate that we have to be so vigilant but we do
Thanks, and I agree. Unfortunately, NONE of my friends run. I’m seriously thinking of joining a local running group, especially for my long runs.
What a scare! I have a lake I LOVE to run laps around (about a 1-mile perimeter), but I have stayed away for a few months because there were reports of a strange guy hanging around there. Creeps! They need to get a life! I’m glad your story had a happy ending and that the authorities took you seriously!
Thanks. It’s so frustrating that we can’t just get out there and enjoy the beautiful weather.
Good for you for filing a report – and for thinking of your run data to pinpoint where he was. I wouldn’t want to give up a favorite running route either, but I would be cautious like you are.
I did give up the route for a while, but I am now back and just more cautious then ever. It’s a shame we can’t just go out and enjoy a beautiful day without having to worry.
Woah this is scary. Glad you were safe and that lady on the bike road with you. I was running on a trail yesterday near my work and was very aware of my surroundings and the other pepole on the trail.
It’s not bad when there are plenty of people around, but can be very scary when it’s so quiet.
The sad thing is that the guy probably gets off on scaring women. He’ll probably just go somewhere else and do his gross thing. It makes me angry that these creeps think that we are out there for their pleasure. Great post and a great reminder of the need to stay safe on the run!
That’s exactly what I thought…he’s probably just moved on to the next forest preserve. Sad.
Wow! That is scary and I am glad you are ok. I do run a lot by myself and if those were my neighbors I would be pissed too! I am glad you got some help from your local police department. I guess we can never let our guard down anymore- it is a shame! Thanks for sharing!
I wish I had a running buddy. I would feel so much better, but it is what it is!
What a scary experience! I wish that more people would report things that they see instead of just brushing them off. We all need to take better care of our communities so that we’re all able to better enjoy them.
I couldn’t agree more. I would feel just horrible if I ignored it and then something worse happened to someone else.
This is such a great post! And unfortunately it’s something we have to be aware of! I can’t believe you ran into a creep like that…I don’t know what I would do in that situation!
I almost always run by myself, but I never run in remote areas and always have on bright clothing. I am currently training our new dog to run with me, but she is young and can’t go that far yet! So soon I will have a running partner all the time!
My husband would love it if I carried a weapon running, but it’s just not something I feel comfortable with.
The scariest thing that has ever happened to me on a run is getting chased by a couple aggressive dogs.
It’s such a shame we can’t just get out and run without having to worry about our personal safety. I’ve seriously thought about getting another dog for many reasons, including having a running companion/body guard. I always run solo, and feel like I have to be on high alert all the time. There are so many beautiful trails around my house that I unfortunately avoid because of safety concerns.
What a terrifying experience! I’m surprised no one else reported this sick dude. Thanks to you for taking the initiative to protect the welfare of others. I need to carry something with me when I run. Anything to fend off an attacker.
I seriously don’t understand why someone wouldn’t report something like that.
My heart breaks for Molly Tibbets’ family and her friends as well. Glad you followed up with your own detective work which saved a lot of grief for other women. Thanks for sharing your own personal story about safety and also for all the tips and devices to keep everyone safe out there. Being prepared to act quickly is of the utmost. When I was younger I was walking down the street and a group of about 6 boys surrounded me. I never felt so helpless but thankfully broke away and ran home. Everyone should take a self defense class! We need to make sure our sisters, daughters and mothers are prepared. There are sick individuals out there who stalk women to make them victims and we need to be vigilant and report what we see. Thanks again.
Wow! I never knew that happened to you! How scary. It’s terrifying to think what could have happened. It’s just proof that this is not a new issue for girls/women.