Too scared to train alone? Safety whilst training is a major consideration for women seeking to stay in shape.

Many Women are afraid to train alone, not wanting to risk running along city streets or in parkland without company. Training for women is not easy when dark winter nights close in and there are no readily available training partners. Many women feel that it is not safe to train outside, that conditions in the open will be too coldor dangerous.

Similarly, women can be intimidated by the sometimes macho interiors of some gyms, where training can be overshadowed by male attitude. Training in gyms on a regular basis may bes afer, but with machismo overload and the risk of being bored easily by repetitive exercises indoors, some women can find a decrease in motivation for their training regime.

How do you get over all of this?

1. Avoid badly lit areas at night, only run/walk in highly lit areas and carry a small alarm.
2. Take your own or borrow a dog – you’d be surprised at how canine company can alleviate boredom on a run and make any would-be attacker think twice before acting.
3. Try to face oncoming traffic when out running – particularly where footpaths aren’t available. This allows the traffic to see you, and gives you time to spot the traffic and take action if necessary. 
4. Never stick to the same route at the same time, try to vary training times and routes. This is not only safer but will stop you getting bored. A simple way to avoid boredom if your training routes are limited is to run your course in reverse occasionally.
5. Train with a friend, running/walking/training in the gym can be much more fun with a friend. If you train in a gym make sure you get correct instruction on how to use the equipment, this will give you more confidence. Remember big weights don't necessarily mean big fitness and lots of knowledge.
6. Don't wear all dark clothing, make sure you wear something reflective at night. This really helps traffic to see you coming and avoid accidents.
7. Some private clubs and Stadiums have  floodlit jogging trails. Enquire at your local club to see if this is the case and use these in the winter months.
8. Boredom can be a big factor in not training, set goals for yourself, change routes and distances. A training programme helps you focus on improvement, provides you with targets toaim at, and generally stops you from “aimless” training which sometimes seems to get you no-where and can be quite demoralising.
9. Never wear a personal stereo if you run alone at night. Not being able to hear what is going on around you can be dangerous both from a traffic and a potential attack point of view.
10. Always make sure you wear the correct clothing according to the weather, it will make a lot of difference to your comfort and enjoyment. If you feel good and comfortable when you run, you are likely to have a better experience and feel more able to continue training.
11. If you run alone, always tell someone your route and how long you think it will take.

Don’t forget, we have weekends and early mornings, where you can fit in training in daylight with plenty of people around. Commons and Parks are ideal for running; there are less hard surfaces to impact on the body, more interesting things to see whilst exercising, and better air quality. Your program can be much more varied by incorporating park benches, fences and designated nature trails into your exercise and running regime.

Your training will be far safer if you properly plan your exercise times and venues, and will lead to a better training experience which you will want to repeat.