Fear has become a harsh reality for female runners as another jogger is tragically killed on a trail.
Perhaps you run without music, avoid headphones entirely, or use just one earbud to enjoy your music while staying alert to nearby sounds.
Maybe you choose routes through busy areas, schedule your runs to finish before sunset, or avoid secluded trails altogether. You might even share your GPS location with a trusted friend or family member to ensure someone knows your whereabouts.
How do you prepare for a run? Running has arguably never been more popular, with record-breaking race registrations, 4.7 million #running posts on TikTok, and elite brand Hoka reporting a 34% increase in sales this year.
For many women who take part in running, there’s an ever-present fear that they could meet the same fate as Laken Hope Riley, Eliza Fletcher, or Mollie Tibbetts, all of whom were killed while running in the United States. Tragically, a new name has now been added to the list of women murdered while exercising alone: Alyssa Lokits.
“Alyssa was the best of us,” her obituary reads. The 34-year-old was killed on October 14 in Nashville, Tennessee. “Always poised, graceful, and beautiful, she was everyone’s champion.”
