Running safety

A new guide to running safety has been produced by UK Athletics, working in partnership with the Home Countries athletics federations, including scottishathletics.

The five-page guide includes ways that runners can improve their safety, what to do if harassed during a run, and how to report incidents. Importantly, it also outlines how to be a running ally, making it clear that behaviours some passers-by might think are funny – like shouting, tooting horns, and running alongside uninvited, can be intimidating and unwelcome. The advice was refreshed following some recent high-profile cases of harassment of athletes training in public areas.

Mark Munro

UKA’s Development Director Mark Munro said: “Much has been discussed over the last few weeks relating to harassment of runners, particularly female runners, and more recent events have sadly put a spotlight on the issues of safety in public. We must stand together and ensure zero tolerance towards any such behaviour and make sure that everyone should feel comfortable and has the right to be safe exercising in public. “The updated guidance is a way of highlighting some behaviours runners most commonly encounter whilst out running. It also helps runners ensure they are fully prepared for their exercise and have thought through all safety considerations. You can find the full advice as a pdf on our website at https://jogscotland.org.uk/ active-living/running-safety/