If you hang around any runners long enough, you will hear us constantly talking about injuries, the best races to do, which shoes will help achieve that elusive PB, and, of course, what food we are all eating. Where the conversation differs between the genders is around safety.
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Men usually don't consider it the way women do. Men will generally run anywhere at any time. Sure, they might think about running in the dark and not being able to spot trip hazards. But personal safety? Nope - it just isn't a consideration for most men.
Women have a whole other view. In 2016, the editor of US Runners World was talking with his female staff when the topic of safety came up. He was shocked when they all said they had been harassed when out running, felt less safe and had changed their routine because of it. He commissioned a survey of readers and found a shocking 43 per cent of women had been harassed on a run compared to 4 per cent of men. For women under 30, the numbers were more stark - 58 per cent experienced harassment always, sometimes or often when out on a run. Sixty per cent of women limited their runs to daylight hours compared to 14 per cent of men because of concerns about safety.
As a runner, none of this is a surprise for me. As recently as two weeks ago, I was followed on my morning run. I got that prickly feeling that you get when you know you are being followed. To make sure it wasn't just someone going the same way I was I changed direction, darted down other streets but he remained behind me, getting closer. As a result, I don't start my runs heading that way anymore - I'm too scared he may be there again. I also don't leave my house before 5.45am and always run in the middle of the road, where the light is better. As for headphones? Nope - I need to be able to hear if someone is coming up behind me.
What we wear also does not protect us from being harassed. On that morning two weeks ago, I was in long leggings and a long sleeve shirt. I stopped running in crop tops without a T-shirt many years ago - as I was so fed up about being catcalled.
Safety fears are a common reason women stop exercising. The thing keeping women runners scared is this question: If men feel that they have a right to honk, catcall or follow us when we run, how do we know what else they may feel entitled to do?
Women runners just doing their thing need the support of men. Our male allies should be angry that women are experiencing this when they run.
Whether we are running on our own or with others, it happens far more than you may think.
Jane Hollman is a contributor
