The thing I love most about running is the freedom it affords – the chance to drop all of my cares and enjoy being outside with nature. Last week that freedom was interrupted when there were two attempted attacks on women on the W&OD Trail.
On Wednesday, a women walking on the W&OD Trail was attacked by two men who came out of a wooded area, but she managed to escape when a biker rode by and startled the attackers. Then on Thursday morning about twelve miles west of where the previous day’s incident occurred, a female off-duty sheriff’s deputy was running on the trail and managed to escape without being touched when she saw her would-be attacker approach her with a box cutter. In both cases the women were alone on the trail, but escaped physically unharmed.
For the last few weeks I’ve been running mid-day to try to acclimate to the heat as I prepare for Ragnar DC coming up in three weeks. As a result, I have been running alone instead of running with my MRTT friends in the early mornings. Fortunately, my runs have been uneventful and I aways see a few runners and a ton of bikers while out on the same trail where these attacks occurred.
Saturday morning I chose to sleep in a little instead of getting up at 5 AM when my annoying alarm started blaring. By the time I got up, my running friends were coming in from their 6 AM runs as I prepared to head out. Bill suggested we drive out to the western part of the trail where it’s much more shaded and said he would bike while I ran. I envisioned him biking a few miles out, swinging around to check on me, and then heading out again. I really wasn’t concerned about my safety because Saturday mornings find the trail heavily traveled by runners, bikers, walkers, and even the occasional horseback rider.
Instead of riding ahead and getting a really good workout himself, my saint of a husband rode right behind or in front of me because he didn’t want to leave me alone on the trail, even for a few minutes. We had a great time and even discussed the possibility of me getting a bike so we can ride together. While I had a great ten-mile run and I finished drenched, Bill didn’t even break a sweat.
Looking forward to this week, I’ll change up my run to avoid the trail, and I know I won’t be running alone on it anytime soon.
Here’s how the rest of my week went down…
Fitness tools beyond the equipment in my gym that I used during the week included:
- Rodney Yee’s Complete Yoga For Beginners (affiliate link)
- Rodney Yee’s Intermediate Yoga (affiliate link)
- Rodney Yee’s Yoga Conditioning For Athletes (affiliate link)
- Teeter Hang Ups Inversion (affiliate link)
Cameras used for blog photography include:
- GoPro Hero 4 (affiliate link)
- Canon Power Shot Elph (affiliate link)
- iPhone 6S (affiliate link)
- Questions:
- Do you think my husband was being overprotective or a sweetie?
- Where and when do you run? Have you ever had any scary encounters with other people while running or exercising?
- Did you race this weekend?
Have a great week!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on the blue product link and then make a purchase, I will receive a commission for referring you. You will pay no more or less for the product; however, Amazon will show their gratitude for my referral by paying me.
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I’m linking up with Holly at HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap. Be sure to check out not only the hosts, but the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!
These recent attacks on the trail are really scary indeed! I really think we need to run with our mrtt buddies to be safe. have a great week
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner recently posted…Friday Fitness Finds on Groupon- Retail Therapy Anyone?
Definitely, whenever possible!
Knock on wood, I have never had any scary incidents. I have several 2,3,4,5-6 mile routes ,and I usually mix them up (in terms of direction, turns, distance on varied days, etc.). My town is pretty small (pop. 10,000), and I run near the college campus which is very well-lit in the early morning or evening. So far, so good 😉
Kimberly Hatting recently posted…Doing things I haven’t done in awhile….or at all
I used to have running routes of multiple lengths before I got my Garmin. It was the only way I knew how far I’d run. I’d think a college campus would be a pretty safe place to run with so many students coming and going all of the time. Stay safe!
That was a very sweet thing for your husband to do. I’m glad both women were able to get away from their attackers! I continually run in my neighborhood where I know it’s safe. Yes, I get bored with the same route. But better safe than sorry. I think you’d really enjoy a bike 😉 Thanks for linking, Deb.
I think it’s harder for my husband that we don’t spend the time together anymore on the running trails more than the fact that he can no longer run. And yep, he’s a keeper! 🙂
I think your hubby was being sweet. It’s scary hearing about runners being attacked. I don’t even run on the roads, I had my hubby make me a trail around our property so I wouldn’t have to.
Thank was very sweet of your husband to cut a trail around your property. Stay safe out there!
Even if he was being overprotective that’s okay! My husband biked while I ran when I trained for my marathon last year. He would only come on Saturdays for my long run though.
I have to admit that I am sort of frightened on my trail alone but generally there are plenty of runners, walkers, and bikers and that makes me feel safer. I really wish that I had a run buddy that had my same schedule and ran my same pace!
Those women that had escaped attackers were very lucky. What makes someone go after a random women jogging with a box cutter? Just crazy and disturbing! Did that happen on the same trail you run on?
Stay safe out there!
It sounds like your husband is a sweetie, too! Stay safe out there!
We have twenty-eight miles of wooded trails behind our house as part of our community, but I don’t run on them as much anymore because parts of somewhat secluded. I used to run on them all of the time. I like the W&OD Trial because it’s straight and pretty open on an old train track bed; however, it’s away from houses and buildings so if I’m not running with friends, I’m really not that safe.
I’ve been mostly running in my neighborhood for the reasons your husband rode with you. I love my trail but I won’t lie–I’m a little spooked these days!
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…Trials and Errors
It’s such a bummer that we can enjoy those trails we love so much, but we’ve got to be smart. Stay safe!
All of the recent attacks and would be attacks on female runners makes me so sad. I feel sad that it’s hard to feel safe with everything that is going on in the world. Kudos to your husband for biking the trail with you ran!
There have been some scary well publicized attacks of women runners recently across the USA, and having these two recent local attacks makes it all too real. Stay safe out there on your runs!
I think your hubby was being PROTECTIVE and sweet …as he should! It’s so unfortunate that women cannot run alone these days without fear of being attacked, but it is what it is. We have trails where I live and I love running them …but never alone. Just not worth the risk. I’m glad those women were not harmed and glad your husband is intent on you not being the next statistic!
Teresa recently posted…This Week’s Gallivantin’~Dog Days & 5k’s
Thanks and yep, my husband’s a good guy! It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Stay safe out there, Teresa!
How sweet.
I’ve never had any encounters.
I do run on bike paths but there’s usually other runners and bikers around.
Darlene recently posted…Runfessions August
Stay safe, Darlene!
I don’t think your husband was over protective at all. That is just scary. Then again, running in isolated areas or where I am alone freaks me out and I have a hard time enjoying my run, so I usually run where there are people. Or if I am in the countryside, I ask my kids or hubby to bike along with me. And if all else fails, I have been know to run back and forth in front of our country house !
Karen – Fit in France recently posted…Summer is still here
I’ve definitely done the “run back and forth” thing so I don’t have to run somewhere I don’t feel safe. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Stays safe, Karen!
Ugh. I’m not sure how to react to those attacks. I did my neighborhood route on my own this weekend. Your husb is a sweetie. Mine hates that I run alone anywhere.
Since the attacks when I have to run alone, I’ve been running around my neighborhood streets, but now I have to worry about being really careful when I cross the side streets so I don’t get hit by a car…
I haven’t had any scary encounters with people, but I do worry when I am running alone on the deserted county roads and someone I don’t know drives by. Especially when someone said to my husband once that they couldn’t believe he let me run alone on those roads when anyone like them could drive by and take her. It made him pretty mad. I try to stay alert, and if someone I don’t know drives by I pretend I am on my phone. I do also carry bear spray.
Stay safe out there!
Christy recently posted…Weekly Wrap: It was a lot to wrap!
Oh man, you have the added concern of a car that you could be forced into. I have that same concern when I run out in the country when visiting my mom. Stay safe out there, Christy!
That’s very sweet that your husband biked along with you during your run. I don’t think it was overprotective at all, and it’s nice that you two had a great time together!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…Philly Marathon Training Week 4 Recap
Thank’s Janelle – we did have a fun time spending extra time together!
I think both! And it’s precious 🙂
Courtney @ eat pray run dc recently posted…Three Months of Chicago Marathon Training Down!
Awww, thanks Courtney! 🙂
I think he was being a combination of sweet and overprotective. He clearly loves you and doesn’t want anything to happen to you, which is incredibly sweet. You’re lucky to have each other.That being said, it’s a shame that we have to resort to this.
I run alone a lot. I usually stick in my neighborhood until the sun comes up, and to be honest, I ran the first 5 of 12 miles on the same three streets (totaling about 1/3 mile each rotation) until it was closer to 6AM. My community is safe, but you never know. And yes, it’s as boring as it sounds.
Jenn recently posted…weekly wrap: 8.21 – 8.27
I think you’re very smart to stick close to home until it gets light out. Stay safe out there!
Here have bern a couple of murders in the northeast recently.
I run alone all the time — usually there are some people where I run, but there are certainly stretches there aren’t. Your lucky your husband did that for you!
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…Navigant Blackstone Valley Half Marathon Race Recap 5/5/13
That’s so scary about the murders. Were the victims runners? And yes, I know I’m lucky and I’m very grateful that my husband wanted to ride with me while I ran. “-)
That is so scary…how sweet of your hubby to ride along for your Sat morning run– that is so awesome!
Lauren recently posted…Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
Yep, he’s a keeper! 😀
I think that was very sweet of your husband! I wish we did not have to think about being safe while doing the things we love but in today’s world we do! I really have not had any scary incidents. I do remember running once with my gun when someone made me feel uncomfortable, It was only a few miles but I had to keep my hand on my waistband most of the time to make sure it didn’t jiggle too much. I do carry pepper spray when I’m not around my house or the campground. Thanks for linking up lady!
Tricia Vaughn recently posted…My 3D Body Scan
I haven’t had a scary incident in years, but one of my running friends told me about something that happened to her just a couple of weeks ago. She said it was pitch black as she headed out to meet a friend and she kept hearing footsteps on the gravel horse path next to the running path. When she sped up, it sped up, and when she stopped, it stopped. She flashed her lights in that direction, but didn’t see anything. So scary!
That was nice of him to ride his bike next to you. It is crazy how we cannot go out and feel safe during a run.
Zenaida Arroyo recently posted…My Marathon Training Must-Haves and a Giveaway