Black Girls RUN! ….SAFE

By: Leeann Sands From the east to the west coast, we are seeing more stories about the running community being attacked or assaulted while out trying to preserve their sexy. I’m sure we have all been told many times some of the tips that you will see posted below… but there is no such things as being reminded too much about running smart and staying safe! #1. NEVER RUN ALONE: Lucky you! As part of BGR! Nation you will ALWAYS have a run buddy! Whether you are meeting 4 or 40 of your closest friends, you should always have a partner! When going on your short or long group runs, make sure you find a pace partner, and don’t get to far ahead or behind of each other. #2. ONE EAR IN & ONE EAR OUT: We’d actually prefer that you ditch the ear phones, but for those of you who are addicted to hearing Beyonce croon “Who Runs the World” while racking up your miles, please be sure to keep the volume reasonable and keep one ear unplugged. Remember you need to be able to hear cars honking, bikers/runners approaching and someone else signaling an alert for you or to you. #3. BE PREPARED: Make sure your spibelt/fuel belt is always stocked with your phone, a few dollars, credit card & your ID! We know you are a safe runner but we can’t control the drivers who are not looking for runners. If anything ever happens to you while on your run, you want to be able to be identified. Check out this site for an alternative to carrying your license. #4. BE UNPREDICTABLE: If you have been running the same route for the past few months, think about changing it up a bit. You never know who is watching. Change the direction you run in or simply pick an alternative route. Rotating your routes on a random basis is a good idea too. #5. ARM YOURSELF: Reflective gear, headlights and ankle reflectors are a great way to stay on the offense while running. Don’t forget your defensive gear; pepper spray for pesky dogs, coaches whistle to signal for help, or this nifty little gadget! REMEMBER…all your defensive products can be used against you in a struggle so be smart with them! We could go on and on, but the bottom line is please RUN! safe and smart. Remember to use your intuition when you feel something isn’t right. It is better to turn around and shorten your run than run towards a sketchy situation. Please feel free to share any safety tips below in the comments section!

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