Joining running club 'helped' me to feel safe running in the dark, says Herefordshire female runner
Research from 'This Girl Can' has previously shown almost three-quarters (72%) of women in the UK change how and when they get active outside once the clocks go back
A Herefordshire female runner has said she ended up joining a running club just to feel safer when running at night.
Research from 'This Girl Can' has previously shown almost three-quarters (72%) of women in the UK change how and when they get active outside once the clocks go back.
Rachel Smith's been running for around 10 years and joined Hereford Couriers Running Club in January 2024.
She says with her full-time work and being a parent she can't usually run through the day so tends to only have time in the evening.
"Personally, I I don't like running in the dark at all," she said.
"I started to run a bit more after having my daughter, I was going out on my own and I just didn't feel comfortable.
"Even in Hereford on well-lit streets, I just was always looking over my shoulder, always looking back, and it wasn't making the run enjoyable."
Further figures from 'This Girl Can' show nearly a quarter of women (23%) avoid certain areas after dark, with one in five (20%) constantly checking over their shoulders.
After joining the group, Rachel, who's now the club secretary, says it has helped make her feel more comfortable when heading out for runs.
She said: "The reason why I joined the running club was because of safety of running at night.
"I know that I can just join one of the runs that week, there's a route planned, I'm with other people and it's always just been a safe environment."
On Tuesday this week (28 October), the running club also took part in an event as part of the 'Let’s Lift the Curfew' campaign, which calls on wider society to acknowledge its role in making getting active outdoors safer for women.
Running since October 2023, it aims to showcase women’s stories and concerns around getting active outdoors in the darker months.
Alongside this, as part of a female runners safety initiative by West Mercia Police, the force is set to meet with key members from Hereford based run clubs at this Saturday's (1 November) Hereford park run in order to promote women’s safety while running.
Senior PCSO Charlotte House will be also handing out wrist-based panic alarms and available after the event to talk to female runners about any specific concerns.
"That's another step to just make women feel safe, that they can run in winter without any barriers," Rachel said.
"We want to include women in this sport, we want to grow how many women can run and that's what would make everyone just so happy, just to see more women enjoying the sport without any barriers.
"Just having that in that moment where if you didn't know what else to do, you could grab it, it's just really a powerful tool."
Earlier this year a University of Worcester study revealed incidents of runners being shouted at from cars, chased by dogs, and having items thrown at them while out exercising.
The Running Free, Running Safe survey conducted by the University of Worcester heard from 101 runners, 61 women and 40 men, with more than half of those reporting experiencing harassment and abuse while out running, the vast majority being female.
It found the abuse most common in being directed at women took the form of men shouting obscene and sexualised remarks or comments from vehicles and the shouted abuse was often about the victims’ appearance.