What do you carry for self protection when you run? (Read 628 times)

I live in a fairly rural part of NH, so I'm far more concerned about getting hit by a car on the shoulder-less sections of the rural roads I run on than of being attacked.  I don't carry anything for protection per se, but I do own and wear a lot of reflective gear and strobe lights.  I also wear a dog tag style ID necklace with my name and the name and phone number of my wife, and carry my phone with the RoadID app that automatically sends my wife a link to a GPS trail of where I've been.

Thank you!  Yes they are great dogs and I have become extremely attached to him, and my female who is a GSD/border collie mix.  I will have a very hard time letting him go when the time comes.

I live in a fairly rural part of NH, so I'm far more concerned about getting hit by a car on the shoulder-less sections of the rural roads I run on than of being attacked.  I don't carry anything for protection per se, but I do own and wear a lot of reflective gear and strobe lights.  I also wear a dog tag style ID necklace with my name and the name and phone number of my wife, and carry my phone with the RoadID app that automatically sends my wife a link to a GPS trail of where I've been.

That's funny, I live in a pretty rural area too, but I specifically like running on our shoulderless back country roads, because I feel safer (from traffic, anyway).  People generally drive slower, and since there aren't really "lanes," they usually just veer all the way over to the other side of the road for me (unless there's another car coming from the other direction, in which case I just stop and stand in the grass until they go by).

The state highway has a super wide shoulder (almost another lane's width), but sometimes people drive there to let faster traffic by, or because they're about to turn off.  Plus, it's just not enjoyable to run on that highway, with trucks blasting by at 70 mph.  And the other type of roads, usually designated as "farm roads," have two lanes, but no shoulder and a 60 mph speed limit.  Those I do not go on unless I can't avoid it (and that might be the kind of road you're talking about).

In all cases, I always wear something reflective, flashing, or at least highly visible.

Anyway, as to what I carry for the many, many unsecured dogs I meet is a small canister of pepper spray.  If it's a route I know well (and thus, whether there are dogs), I usually leave it behind.

 

That's funny, I live in a pretty rural area too, but I specifically like running on our shoulderless back country roads, because I feel safer (from traffic, anyway).  People generally drive slower, and since there aren't really "lanes," they usually just veer all the way over to the other side of the road for me (unless there's another car coming from the other direction, in which case I just stop and stand in the grass until they go by).

 

The state highway has a super wide shoulder (almost another lane's width), but sometimes people drive there to let faster traffic by, or because they're about to turn off.  Plus, it's just not enjoyable to run on that highway, with trucks blasting by at 70 mph.  And the other type of roads, usually designated as "farm roads," have two lanes, but no shoulder and a 60 mph speed limit.  Those I do not go on unless I can't avoid it (and that might be the kind of road you're talking about).

 

Mostly I'm dealing with roads with a 35 mph speed limit, but where many folks routinely drive 45-50.  Also, when I say no shoulder, I mean that there is a narrow road with just enough space for the two travel lanes on the pavement.  If there's a house with a grassy yard next to the road, great.  But frequently there is dense brush growing within 12 inches of the edge of the pavement, or rock face from where they blasted to put the road in, or those lovely New England rock walls, or poison ivy.  IE, nowhere to jump out of the way if someone comes barreling around a blind curve, or over a blind hill.

I think if I lived where highways were my only paved option, I would become a trail runner.

Cars on roads aren't nearly as dangerous as cyclists on trails. I've had to dodge both, but only have a 100% success rate dodging cars.

Trail running would be really fun.  But for me, it would require a 15 minute trip in the car to get to a true trail.  So I also run the  farm roads, with my dogs.  Beauty of running them is that I just go out my door.  It would be a deal breaker to drive to a running location.

I have run with Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs for years.  Stella was 7 months old before I started to run with her.  I started her at very short distances.  At 3 years now, she goes with me all the time, all year long.  We have run up to 10 miles.  I drop her off at the house for anything above 10 miles.  Since she is long haired, I make it a point to run her well before sunrise in the summer.  In Illinois, we suffer through cold and wet winters, but that does not seem to bother her.  I also run on routes where I know there are no unleashed/unfenced farm dogs

Dogs are great running companions.  Just make sure its not too hot and that you build a mile base just as you would with any new runner.  I would defer to someone more knowledgeable about German Shepherds about the appropriate running distance for a puppy as young as yours. Shelties are smaller dogs and develop structurally faster than a German Shepherd.

I'm developing a bioweapon for protection while running and, eventually, my kids will be deploying it as often as I will.  Actually, this forum is probably a good place to discuss it.  The weapon is based on the German Shepherd platform.  She's currently four months old and has been running short distances with me since Sunday this week.  She's run as far as two miles in 19 minutes, but mostly we've stayed shorter/slower than that.  She's a treat to run with and is getting very good at keeping slack in the leash.  I have high hopes as she's got large parents.

 

Do you run with your dog?  How young was it when you started?  How far/fast do you go?  I ran a really tough trail half-marathon with a lady and her dog, so the limit seems to be pretty far.

I've been running with my lab now for about 5 years. I didn't start running really consistently until she was already full grown and her energy was what started the running in the first place so I can't really speak to any puppy running, but I did hike with her pretty regularly at around 6 months. Longest leashed run (hands free leash) I have done with her is 10 miles, last fall, she was 6 years old. Trail runs, off leash, she can go up to 14 but she will be trailing a bit behind now that she is 7 years old. We live in a cold climate, and she actually does better running in the winter. Will run or ski with me to -5 F or less. But she is not good in heat, she will go and drag her feet at about 65+ degrees. When we started running I was slow and she always had more energy then me, but now that I have gotten faster/longer, she is getting older and slower. I decided this summer not to take her on the long training runs when I was training for the half marathon, longest leashed run this year is 8 miles. She weighs close to 70 pounds.