Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 114, January 2019 | Page 33

SAFETY SPECIAL
Every outdoor activity carries inherent risk, and as runners, we are certainly aware of the dangers presented by technical
terrain, rapid weather changes, unclear paths or exposed climbs. Sadly, however, a rolled ankle, heatstroke or a hidden
puffadder are not our primary dangers any more. The threat of personal attack is on the rise, and the buzz on every
running forum is centred on safety precautions and solutions. – BY KIM STEPHENS
T
his situation flies in the face of some of our
fundamental reasons for running: Freedom,
solitude, and the flexibility to enjoy our sport
at any time of the day or night. The reality is that
we all need to apply some practical thinking to
our training patterns, and work as a community to
protect each other and our sport.
The first step in empowering our running community
is to better understand the risks. The news reports on
the most recent attacks on Table Mountain have been
sorely lacking in both fact and detail, leaving many
of us guessing when it comes to where we should
run, and what we should look out for. Fortunately,
some brave victims from across South Africa have
Beach Attack
shared their stories here in an effort to put the missing
pieces together. (We must just advise anyone currently
working through the trauma of violence or personal
attack that there are many triggers within the following
stories.)
Right in the
Suburbs
R
T
he small surfing town of Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape offers an
idyllic holiday destination, but it became a runner’s nightmare for visitor
Charlotte Noble of Cape Town, a former Comrades gold medallist and
now elite age-group trail runner. “I’ve run for 30 years all over this country, and
in very remote places abroad, and never felt threatened or had an incident.
Then in June last year we went to J-Bay for a family surfing holiday, staying on
the beach near Supertubes, and found it a busy town with a lot happening at
that time of year,” recounts Charlotte.
“I trotted off on my long run, planning to run to St Francis and call my husband
when I got there. I stopped a couple times to take some sunrise pics and have a
snack, then at 11km decided that I’d run back and save Andy the drive, and run
to St Francis another time. Two kays from the town, on a long stretch of beach
with fishermen 800m ahead, I looked up to see a man 50m ahead, walking
towards me. Then suddenly to my left running at me was another guy!”
“I’ve always thought if attacked on a beach I’d run into the sea and out-swim
any guy, but the sea was rough and so I stopped waist-deep and they fell
onto me, dunking my pack with my phone in it. ‘Phone, phone,’ the one kept
saying. ‘I’m giving you my phone,’ I replied, trying to get it out the drenched
pocket. He then produced a huge knife and proceeded to cut my Salomon
racing pack off me, then the two ran off, seemingly arguing about who should
get what.”
“I was physically fine, just a scratch
wound on my chest from the blade,
but psychologically I was stuffed.
Initially I was ecstatic to be alive,
to get back to my kids and family,
but for weeks I was jumpy, and I did
not run for days after. My lessons…
Don’t run without knowing where
poorer areas are in relation to your
route, out-and-back routes are
problematic because you risk being
ambushed, and pepper spray or
a taser is useless if attacked by
more than one assailant. Also, why
carry an expensive phone? Now I’m
training up my Ridgeback pup, as
I believe trail dogs to be the best
deterrent and alarm system.”
oad runners are not exempt
from the threat of attack,
which has seen a rapid rise in
the number of social running groups
springing up on both tar and trail.
Cape Town runner Susan O’Connor
changed her running approach
after an attack on a popular running
route. “I was attacked on a beautiful
summer’s morning running over
the bridge from Bishopscourt to
Wynberg at the top of Edinburgh
Drive. It was the same route I ran
every Sunday at 6:30am if I didn’t
have a race on,” she says.
“I used to run on my
own to have some
peace and quiet in my
life and a time to reflect
in general, but after the
attack I was petrified
to run on my own.
My training dwindled
to nothing, because I
hardly ran for the first six
months after the attack.
I kept on looking over my shoulder when I left the safety of my front door, and
I could only manage about 1km down the road. I eventually joined a group of
girls who ran in the area and they got me back into the swing of things. The
positive side of this was I made new friends.”
“I was furious in the beginning that this person had chosen me that day to
attack, but as most of us who survive these attacks and come out in one
piece always say, ‘It could have been a lot worse.’ I fought back and realised
how strong I actually was in the fight or flight mode. Unfortunately, it is not
safe to run on your own, but if you do decide to do so, take mace with you
and let somebody know the route you are running. I sometimes run with two
little mace containers, one in each hand and I am always ready.”
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