Re Katy Guest’s article (A man threatened to hit me with his lorry while I was jogging – and got away with it. Yet still women are told to exercise?, 4 March), female runners know the rules. Avoid running in the dark, or in remote areas. Cross the road when a man crosses your path.
I often find myself making a mental note of the time and place, and a brief description of other female runners when they pass. Just in case I hear they went missing. Going for a run is exhausting – not for the exercise, but because of the planning required not to put yourself in a dangerous situation. It takes a lot of joy out of it.
Lisa Hellier
Cambridge
• I was running with my daughter in lockdown and a white van drove up the pavement towards us and parked, blocking our way. I asked why he had endangered us by mounting the pavement. I was met with a barrage of abuse. We have not been running since – that’s two generations too worried to go out. Bringing in rules to prevent driving and parking on the pavement would go some way to making exercising outside safer.
Rebecca Webb
York
• I’m in my late 40s and have been running regularly for more than a decade. Some of the cases of harassment that Katy Guest refers to sound familiar. A recent one for me was when a group of teenage boys decided to run with me. It made me uncomfortable, but I praised them for their efforts and outran them when they got tired after a minute or so.
I wouldn’t agree that harassment has got any worse in recent years – it has always been there: catcalls from cars; creepy passersby; vehicles and people purposefully blocking the pavement. Thankfully, I don’t encounter it too often. I’m frustrated that there are some routes on which I don’t feel brave enough to run because they’re lonely or unlit. I feel envious of male runners, who don’t have to worry about their safety as I do.
Society needs more women running on the streets. I’ve noticed the number increase in the time I’ve been running and we need to carry on normalising it.
Emily Organ
Cold Ash, Berkshire
• Katy Guest’s article was sad. I’m a woman with only 1.58 metres and 60kg to my name. But I refuse to be intimidated or dissuaded from exercise by men.
I run in the evenings after work, in the dark. People have expressed fear at this, but I refuse to feel it.
Two women a week are killed by their partners in this country. You are far more likely to be murdered at home by your father, lover or brother. Strangers at the side of the road are way more bark than bite (including the bloke in Brixton who yelled “You don’t need to run; you’re fit enough already”). The world needs strong, swift women. Don’t let men put you off.
Ru Raynor
Slough, Berkshire
• I’ve been running for almost 40 years, since I was 18. I love getting out into the countryside, climbing those hills and feeling the sun, wind, rain or snow on my face.
It’s been my lifesaver in moments of stress and it makes me feel alive. I was shocked to read about Katy Guest’s terrifying experience when a lorry driver threatened to run her over. My message to her and anyone else thinking that it’s too dangerous to run is please just keep running. Don’t let them win.
Someone once threw the leftovers and packaging from a well-known burger takeaway through a car window at me. Maybe he meant to hit me or maybe he just didn’t care. Either way, that was by far the worst experience I’ve had on a run and I run three or four times a week.
Helen Stanton
Sheffield
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