A Scary Moment
by Anonymous
I've been a runner for several years and every day I usually go for a run around my neighborhood. I live in a lively, touristy area so I had never felt unsafe running by myself because there were always people around and my biggest concern had typically been avoiding being hit by a car. One summer afternoon a few years back I went out for a run by myself down into town and along the water. On my way home, I noticed a group of teenage boys who had been sitting on a bench had turned and were following me down my street. There were about 5 or six of them and I remember noticing that they had watched me run by. At first I thought nothing of it, but had a gut feeling that something was not right and had to come up with a solution quickly. I was listening to my iPod, which I always keep on low volume to listen for cars, etc. but I decided to lower the volume more so I could listen to what they were saying. I heard them yelling, but was unable to understand what they were saying. I was trying to convince myself that everything was fine, but I was starting to panic. I knew they were talking loudly and still behind me. I slowed to a walk, and tried to stay in the road so that I couldn’t be pushed out of sight easily. A few seconds later a car pulled over with an older woman inside. She asked me if I was OK and if I knew I was being followed. She had said that she heard them yelling things at me. She also offered to give me a ride home. I remember thinking, ‘which is more dangerous, these guys or getting into a car with a stranger?’ After a quick debate, I decided to accept her ride and ended up making it home safely. I remember thinking it was so unlikely for anyone to pull over like that, so this woman must have really felt I was in danger. To this day I don’t know if those guys intended to hurt me or not. I do know that it made me more cautious of running on my own. Since then I have made a few changes to my running routine. For starters, I always carry my cell phone with me. You never know when you will need to call for help; whether it be due to an injury or getting into an unsafe situation like I had been in. I also continue to wear my iPod, but I keep it on a low volume at all times. This helps me to be more aware of my surroundings and not zone out. Lastly, if I learned anything from this incident, it was to always run in busy, well lit areas so that I don’t become a target. |
