Registration for the 2025 PYP race opens soon and if you're thinking of grabbing a spot for our race, you'll be looking for ways to train this winter. Mornings and evenings are a little darker in the winter months so we want to give you some safety tips while getting your winter runs in!
Be visible
Start with light-coloured gear that helps you stand out from the darkness including whites, reds and yellow. Avoid navy and black which are not as visible. Many run clothes have reflective strips or piping such as shoes, leggings and jackets that have safety reflective strips on them. While these look like white or silver, they glow when light is shone on them from sources like car headlights and street lights. If your favourite running gear doesn’t have reflective strips, you can head to a farm or construction supply store and grab a reflective vest. One of the highest visibility options out there for runners and walkers is the Nox vest that is both reflective and has active front and back lighting.
Always take a fully charged headlamp to help see what’s ahead of you. In addition to lighting those curbs and pot holes, this shows other road users that you are there and are a moving object. A blinking red light on the back of your hat or the tail of your coat will help traffic see you from behind. Try to choose a route that keeps you in well lit areas. Park trails are fun, but sometimes they aren’t the most well lit areas. Stick to routes with regular active and well maintained street lighting.
Be aware
While music may help distract you on those long runs, you still need to pay attention to your environment. If you want to use headphones, ensure you go with a model like OpenRun Shokz that do not block your ear canal. These amazing headphones were designed with runners in mind and allow you to hear your surroundings. Another option if you are using airPods or other in-ear headphones is to leave one earbud out. Finally, avoid shadows and dark alleys. Our eyes take time to adjust to changing light conditions and viewing into darkness when you’re standing in light could result in tripping on something you can’t see.
Join up with running groups on social media
If there’s a run club in your town, chances are that it has a Facebook page to coordinate members for group runs. If you don’t have a run group in your town, look for race pages, (like your favourite Ontario race, Pick Your Poison) or local trail association pages to join up with others training near to you. Take the opportunity to see somebody else’s run routes by hooking up with other runners that are near you.
Here’s a couple run groups on Facebook from the Barrie area
Get a run buddy
For optimal safety, find a friend that likes to run at the same times of day as you. You’ll find the chat helps make the kms pass quicker! If you can even find a buddy who is up at the same time as you but not a runner, you could give them a call while they’re having their coffee and have a chat with somebody as you run.
Carry a whistle
The high pitched shrill sound of a small whistle can deter animals and unwanted attention. Many hydration vests already have a whistle built into the shoulder. Yes! Crazy right? Go check yours now! If your vest does not have one, you can easily find a reasonably priced clip-on whistle at your outdoors store.
Ways to share your location during your run
Informing someone of your route, distance of run and time out are all very important and many apps and watches now allow this to be done relatively easily in real-time. Most options to share your real-time location with friends and family will require you to have your phone on your person however with your data turned on.
Strava Beacon
Strava Beacon started as a free feature for female athletes. It has now been expanded to the whole community and supports free and paid subscriptions. This aspect of the Strava app allows you to share your real-time location with up to 3 contacts on your phone via a text message. They also get a notification once you finish your run. Not only will your friends see where you are, but they’ll also see the route you took. Strava has a page explaining how to set it up here.
Coros Group Tracking
A newly launched feature from Coros allows you to create a team of athletes where all members can see the location and live activity of each other. All real time data is shared through teams that you define. You can even show your planned route to your team.
Coros also supports Safety Alerts which allows you to associate phone contacts with the feature. When you begin tracking an outdoor activity, an email will be sent to your emergency contacts with a live tracking link so they can follow along with your movement. If you get into an emergency situation, you can send an SOS message by pressing and holding the backlight button for 7 seconds. Your GPS coordinates are then sent via text message to your emergency contact and continue to be transmitted, even as you move.
Google Maps, Share My Location
With either Android or iPhone, you can share your location through the Google Maps app. It is as simple as opening the app, clicking on your profile icon and selecting Location Sharing. You can share for a specific amount of time or until you choose to turn it off. You can select the contact of your choice and share through any messaging app on your phone. The recipient will receive a notice that you have shared your location and they can track you in real time through Google Maps app or Google Maps on the web.
Nike Run Club
The Nike Run Club app lets you share your run live and keep your friends and family updated about your run. This new community feature allows you to share your run location with any of your contacts so they see your real-time location. Once you’ve finished your run, you can send your loved ones another message to let them know you made it back safely.
Inform someone of your route and ETA back home
All these apps increase the number of GPS pings that your phone needs to keep your location updated and unfortunately this can lead to quicker phone battery consumption. If you’re looking for a simple way to let friends and loved ones know where you’re heading, a text message saying when you’re leaving and where you are going can go a long way. Don’t forget to text again when you’re back. Don’t let your friends and family members worry about you while you’re finished and relaxing in the bathtub!
Going for a run, be back in 5 days: Satellite Trackers
We would be remiss if we didn’t talk about satellite tracking devices. Meant for the ultimate in safety, devices like Garmin InReach and SPOT Satellite Messenger and Tracker allow you to be tracked using a separate, ruggedized device. Though they’re anywhere from $200-$300, when you’re leaving cell service range, these are a great way to let others know where you are. You can even send an SOS if you get into trouble.
Tips for men to help women feel safe on trails
From verbal abuse to being surprised by someone jumping out of a blind corner or shrub, women are (too) often victims of harassment. We, the running community, can do our share to increase their feeling of safety. Announce early if you’re passing when approaching from behind. Be sure to be very verbal about being a fellow runner. Say hello, good morning or good evening. Do not try to join the runner unless she asks. Be visible (see top of article), so they can see you well before you are near.
Trust your instincts
Finally, if something feels off, trust your gut and leave the area immediately. Better to be safe than sorry. Be aware of your surroundings and walk or run with purpose. Mix up your routine by avoiding running the same route at the same time every day. Be safe out there this winter and happy running!
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