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11 Running Safety Tips Every Runner Should Follow

Woman in a visor, tank top, and shorts running alone on a park path

While we can’t always prevent what we’ll encounter when running, we can take steps to avoid potential dangers and ensure we’re as prepared as possible. Running safety advice includes sharing your location with friends and family, taking self-defense classes, and keeping your run data private.

(Feature photo by iStock.com/Izf)

Especially as a woman runner, it’s more than unnerving when we see news reports of fellow runners who are attacked, missing, or murdered during their run.

These women — including 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley who was murdered while out for a run on a university campus in Georgia, and 34-year-old teacher and mother Eliza Fletcher who was abducted on her morning run and murdered in Tennessee — embody who we see in ourselves. We’re runners, and Laken and Eliza are no different than you and me.

According to a 2023 survey of women runners across nine countries, conducted by athletic brand Adidas, 92% of women have concerns about safety while running, and 38% said they have personally experienced harassment.

The importance of running safety can’t be ignored or overlooked, and it should never require an unfathomably tragic event to take place to emphasize its importance. It should be prioritized every time we tie our shoes and step outside for a run.

Running safety encompasses more than encountering a potential attacker, however. It includes general road safety and situational awareness. While we can’t always prevent what we’ll encounter when running, we can take steps to avoid potential dangers and ensure we’re as prepared as possible.

With that, the following advice is not only for women runners. These running safety tips are relevant for all. Review them as reminders, pick up a new tip, and share this list with anyone you know who’s new to running.

1. Run with a friend or a group.

One of the best running safety steps you can take is to run with someone else. Run with a friend, a neighbor, a gym buddy, or an organized running group.

If you’re traveling and looking to join other runners, check with the local running store to find out if it hosts a weekly group run that you can join for free or if there are groups in the area. In some cities, for example, you’ll find pub runs from local breweries or independent groups that meet at the same spot or rotating locations each week.

Check out our City Guides for local group run listings.

If you run alone, tell a friend or family member what route you’re running and when you expect to return. If this communication is by phone or text, also tell them what colors you’re wearing.

Bottom line: Someone should know where you are, whether they’re physically with you or not.

2. Know your route.

Especially if you’re running alone, stick to areas you know. This means having a good understanding of areas that are well-lit and well-trafficked, as well as knowing which streets connect and alternative routes to take if needed.

Try to avoid running a new route alone. If there’s no alternative, drive it first to make sure it appears safe and run at a time of day when fellow runners and walkers are likely to be around.

3. Share your location with a friend or family member.

There are several apps and running watch brands that allow you to share your location with a friend or family member. Find My Friends is an app that tracks your GPS location, which you can share with selected friends.

Strava has a feature called Beacon that sends a link to the contacts you select so they can view your location in real-time. Garmin LiveTrack does this too, when paired with the Garmin Connect app. Many Garmin watches are also enabled to detect accidents. When this function is set up and paired with your smartphone, it will alert your emergency contacts.

If you own an Apple Watch, it can be programmed to display important medical information when the screen is locked. The watch also alerts emergency services and preselected emergency contacts if you have a hard fall.

4. Make sure your phone is accessible.

As tempting as it might be to “disconnect” and leave your phone at home during a run, it’s not worth the risk in case you need to call for help. There are plenty of scenarios where you may need your phone — from an injury to finding a lost dog.

Choose a phone-accessible armband so you can use your phone without taking time to remove it from its holder. Then, update your emergency call settings so you can call for help quickly. You can also preselect your emergency contacts to be notified if you’re in an emergency situation.

iPhone: Go to “Settings” > “Emergency SOS”
Android: Go to “Safety and Emergency” > “Emergency SOS”

Are you looking for a phone-accessible armband? Find several options in this running safety gear and accessories article.

5. Switch it up!

Avoid running the same route on the same day of the week at the same time. As runners, we are often sticklers to habits and routines, but here’s one you should break.

As much as possible, diversify when and where you run. If you have three routes and you tend to run the same three days of the week, rotate the routes so they’re not always landing on the same days. And as much as you can, vary the times you go out, even if it’s only by 15 minutes.

The key is to avoid establishing a pattern that someone may notice — for instance, running past the same house at the same time every Tuesday and Thursday morning.

6. Run against traffic.

While riding with the flow of traffic is the correct protocol for cyclists, runners should run in the opposite direction. This is best for two reasons: 1) You’re able to see cars coming toward you and react if they swerve, and 2) A person with malicious intent won’t be able to drive up behind you.

Running against traffic might not always be the safest option, however, especially if that side of the road lacks a wide shoulder or sidewalk or is in a construction zone. Follow your best judgment and run on the side of the road that makes the most sense in a given area. When it’s safe, switch back to running against traffic.

7. Be aware of your surroundings.

Sounds basic, sure. But this means more than simply being aware of the traffic, your route, and the weather.

Pay attention to a car that suddenly changes speed or circles back. If you’ve seen the same car more than once or the driver is acting unusual, make note of the car’s make, model, color, and license plate.

Notice who’s around you and their activities. If you hear barking, look around to make sure there isn’t an open fence or a dog off its leash. In general, stay observant of anything unusual or potentially dangerous and consider how to react, if needed.

8. Turn down the music.

By turning down the volume of your music, you’ll be much more in tune with your surroundings. If you run with earbuds, keep one out so that you can pay attention to the sounds of cars, animals, and people around you.

Even better is not using earbuds at all. Consider bone-conduction open-ear headphones that rest around your neck.

9. Learn how to protect yourself.

When it comes to protecting yourself, there’s no substitute for taking self-defense or Krav Maga classes. Krav Maga is a form of martial arts that focuses on real-world combat and defense situations.

In self-defense and Krav Maga classes, you’ll learn specific moves and strategies to get out of attack scenarios and cause enough harm to your attacker to give you time to escape. Local gyms and martial arts centers often offer these classes. If you can’t find one locally, Udemy has several free online options.

Another way to protect yourself is to carry pepper spray, which can stun and disorient an attacker long enough to run for help. You can also clip an alarm to your running gear that, when sounded, may scare your attacker and alert someone nearby.

Find more safety accessories in this running safety gear article.

10. Keep your run data private.

Digitally connected devices make it easy to analyze our workouts in an app and compete with others or share our progress with friends. That said, avoid sharing your Strava or Garmin routes publicly. Sharing routes publicly means anyone can see where you run, including your start and end location which might be your home.

Strava allows you to hide your maps under the privacy settings. If you have a Garmin and use Garmin Connect, you can hide or share the data of individual activities.

11. Trust your instincts.

If something feels off, it probably is. Don’t hesitate to pull out your phone and call a friend or family member. Ask them to stay on the line with you as you make your way back home or to your car, and communicate any details such as the make and model of the vehicle you’re concerned about.

Depending on the situation, other options include calling the local police, going into a business and communicating the situation with the manager, or running a different route back to avoid passing the same area.

Taking safety precautions when we run may feel like an inconvenience at times. But by regularly putting these 11 running safety tips into action, they’ll eventually become habits. Do what you can to stay safe and enjoy your run.

Kimberly Valentine
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