Be safe when jogging, urges runner

A LOCAL runner is urging joggers to take heed of warnings that running alone, or in the dark, is dangerous.

Louise Hucklesby from Stella Sports Club, said following the incident in July where a local runner was kidnapped, she was shocked to see that there were still people running when it is dark, in either the morning or evening, running alone, or running wearing earphones.

“Last week one our members saw a woman running alone one morning when it was still dark, and it seemed like someone was following her. I felt almost responsible for her. People just can't do this anymore. We held an awareness run/walk a few months ago and I think people need to know it is not safe. I don't know what they are thinking,” she said.

She said there was no excuse for people to run alone and that many local clubs ran in groups during the week.

“You don't have to join the club, I just urge people to go along with these groups, I don't want anything like this to happen again. It's so important to be safe when running If you join runners from a club, you might meet others and start your own small running groups of five or six,” she said.

Louise said Stella had groups that run during the week at 5am, and there was a run organised by The Durban Runner which leaves from Spiga in Florida Road at 5am on a Wednesday. The runners enjoy coffee afterwards.

From Tuesday to Thursday at 5pm and 5.15pm there are groups of walkers and runners leaving from Stella Sports Club, and on Saturdays at 5.30am a group runs from the Club.