As part of our work with England Athletics and This Girl Can on the #LetsLiftTheCurfew campaign we've been thinking a lot about our safety as runners in the darker, winter months.
We have been involved with the press twice this year, once in January working with the BBC to cover women's safety for winter exercise, which was a TV interview on Politics South and now in October, looking at the risks of females exercising in winter months which was a interview and then a follow up article. These are the links to interview case study and the article that was run by the Metro.
As an all female club tend to focus on the higher risk for us as women but there are risks for all runners that also need thought before we step out the door for a run over the coming few months. What do you do to keep safe over winter?
Here are some tips, recommendations and food for thought from fellow club members and various running sources to think about before you step out for your next winter run. Add any more ideas into the comments for our Sisters to see.
1) Be Bright Be Seen.
A hi-vis top/vest is mandatory for club runs in the darker months, but it is a good practice that should be followed when running alone, or even walking the dog. Although hi-vis is the mandatory item, we recommend wearing clothing that is reflective, whether it has reflective patches or is completely reflective, when it comes to things such as car headlights these are picked up a lot better than hi-vis.
We also highly recommend a chest torch or head torch, not only do these enable you to be seen by others, they also allow you to see better during the darker nights so you are able to see any hazards, and other path users. There are personal pros and cons to each one, so the preference is yours.
2) Route
With the route there are several different aspects to think about.
During the darker months route selection can make a difference to how safe you feel. As much as we prefer running away from main roads and along quieter paths and parks, when it's dark and wet, sometimes those lesser enjoyed routes might be better. Sticking to well-lit paths can be safer but also easier to run along as hazards can be seen easier. Of course we aren't saying you should only run on main roads, but if you're trying somewhere new maybe wait until there is daylight (speaking from experience, I got lost on the South Downs last winter in the pitch black and fog because even with two torches I couldn't see the paths...I don't recommend it!) Just think about your route and if you're confident with it, if you're going out alone in the dark.
Think about the terrain, is it going to be really wet and slippery, are there going to be branches down and extra trip hazards, is it acorn/conker/chestnut/fir cone season? Has there been heavy rain are leaf fall, there is nothing as slippery as wet leaves! All of these love to try and trip us. You can still run , but do you have the right shoes on or even a first aid kit to mop up if you have a trip?
Looking further into the winter and the cold. Snow and ice. Often club runs will be cancelled if there is black ice as it is unsafe but runners being runners don't like to skip one and will often run alone anyway. Fresh snow (not that we really get it) is easier to run on, than compact snow that is turning to ice, and if there is black ice, we recommend you don't run. Assess the situation before you leave the house!
Think about using a route plotting app to plot your route beforehand and share it with someone so your expected route is known, especially if you are going into trails with extra winter hazards. It might make it easier for someone to find you if you need assistance.
3) Clothing
Dress for the occasion! And I don't just mean spooky at Halloween and Christmassy at Christmas! Everyone's bodies deal with temperature changes differently and everyone wears different things to run in, but dress for the weather and how you know your body, layers are fantastic as they can be taken off. I personally only ever run in shorts but when it's cold the knee high socks come out to play, I know I overheat quickly so I'm uncomfortable if I wear capri's or leggings but I wear layers over the top before and after, whether is a race, parkrun or a club run, have layers to warm up in and put back on after, you may warm up during the run but you'll feel the cold after. Compression sleeves are also great for those of us who don't like to wear long sleeves as they can be rolled down/up or taken off when you warm up during the run.
Gloves are vital to keep your extremities warm while you are doing exercise. When the temperatures really drop, especially below zero, gloves can help you to keep things such as frostbite at bay. The rest of the body warms up as you run, your hands don't so much.
Buffs are a fantastic piece of kit for a runner, whether its been worn on your wrist to help with your runny nose, your neck to help keep warm or over your ears as a headband, they can help to keep you warm during those colder runs, especially over the ears if you get too hot running in a hat. If you aren't an overheater, a hat is great to wear for a winter cold run, especially as you can get some with reflective patches or decorations on so they help you to be safe and be seen. On the topic of clothing, how many sets of running gear do you have? If something was to happen would someone know what you were wearing? My history of anxiety makes this something I worry about a lot in the darker months, and maybe watching too many horror films! But something I personally do is (and have been both praised and criticised for, so of course form your own opinion), if I'm going out in the dark alone, I take a selfie first that shows everything I was wearing when I left the house. If something was to happen they'd know from my iCloud account where they could access the photo exactly what I was wearing.
4) Shoes
Trail running isn't for everyone so trail shoes aren't needed by everyone, but in these wet, winter months, is your route still suitable for your fairly worn road shoes, do you have the grip for slippery leaves, and muddy puddles. Trail shoes can be found reasonably cheaply and can make a huge different to your run if you've got any off road during your route.


Really good idea about the selfie before a run. Good advice for a lot of situations. Thanks