“It’s
a treat, being a long-distance runner, out in the world by yourself with not a
soul to make you bad-tempered or tell you what to do.”
~Alan Sillitoe, The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner
Every
ounce of joy from running was sucked out of me last September when I was
followed by a man in a black pickup truck.
Everything I loved about running suddenly terrified me: being alone,
exploring trails, feeling free without a cell phone, getting lost in my
thoughts.
Tuesday,
September 25, 2012 was the day that changed me. I was supposed to be running one of my usual 7-mile
loops. From the minute I turned left onto the beach road, something didn’t feel right. It was the first week in fall that
the Cape seemed empty. I did not pass any
other runners or walkers. There were very few
cars around. It appeared as if summer
homes were abandoned. That black pickup
truck kept passing me heading the same direction as I was. I remember his stare. I can honestly say I think my boss from the road race saved my life that day. Why
did he turn around and go out of his way
to say hi to me? Why did he take the scenic route home from work? I will never know but I am very thankful.
After
the incident, running became a chore.
For weeks I did not want to run.
I was
less than 3 weeks away from the Chicago Marathon and I considered quitting. I begged my parents to bike
along side me on every single run leading up to Chicago (which they did because they are awesome).
Over
a year later, I am still slightly paranoid.
You will never see me running in the woods alone and you will never see
me running in the dark. I also never
leave home without a few key items:
1.
Road ID
bracelet. They make a great stocking
stuffer!
2.
Cell phone. I keep mine hidden in a sweet purple
fanny pack.
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3.
Cell phone
using the Road ID app. It’s free on the
Apple App Store and it’s great. Every
time I head out for a run, the app sends my mom a text message or email with a
link to track my run. She can check in
to see exactly where I’m at and she gets a notification if I don’t move for 5
minutes.
EVERYONE
NEEDS TO DOWNLOAD THIS APP ASAP! http://www.roadid.com/ecrumbs
4.
Mace. It’s pink!
Two days after the incident I went to the police station to file for a
FID card to carry Chemical Propellant. UPDATE: You no longer need an FID card to purchase mace in the state of Massachusetts. So this mean #noexcuses ladies!
5.
I don’t
bring it anymore, but my mom ordered me a pink runner’s alarm to carry with me
while I was waiting the 6 weeks for my Mace permit. Also a good tool to have.
Here are some other safety tips for runners ans walkers...
1.
Change up
your routine daily.
2.
Drive to a
location to run.
3.
Run against
traffic. I just read somewhere that’s
its easier to get abducted if you are running on the side of the road in the
same direction as a car. Scary.
4.
Be aware of
your surroundings.
5.
Save headphones
for the treadmill.
6.
Tell someone
your route. Again, download the Road ID
app NOW! http://www.roadid.com/ecrumbs
7.
Listen to
your instincts. If something doesn’t
feel right, it probably isn’t.
If you have any other tips or your own stories, I'd love to hear them. Be
smart and be safe out there!
Love this. And hate the fact that this happened to you and so many others out there... there are a lot of GPS watches now with newer technology that allows you to be tracked LIVE online. Like Lojack! The push of a button and an emergency contact can track you via a computer screen. Now that's cool!
ReplyDeleteWhaaaat!? I haven't heard of watches doing that - That's so cool, I'll have to look into it.
DeleteThank you!!