14/09/2026
*RUNNING & WALKING SAFETY: A SOBERING REMINDER*
Many of you will have seen the devastating news today that 38-year-old runner Elizabeth โTsontsoโ Moselakgomo, who went missing after going for a run in Kempton Park, has been positively identified as one of the bodies found in the area. Police are investigating the circumstances, along with several other deaths in the area.
This is a painful reminder that while running and walking are fantastic ways to stay healthy, personal safety has to be part of the training plan too.
For those of us who run or walk alone, particularly on quieter or remote routes, please consider:
1. Safety in numbers. Where possible, run or walk with a partner or group. There really is strength in numbers.
2. Tell someone your route. Let someone know where you are going, roughly how long you expect to be out, and let them know when you are safely home.
3. Carry your phone and make sure someone knows how to contact you if there is a problem.(Keep it concealed).
4. Consider carrying a whistle. A small, inexpensive whistle can attract attention quickly if you feel threatened or need assistance. Keep it somewhere accessible, not buried at the bottom of a running belt.
5. Stay aware. Headphones can reduce your awareness of what is happening around you. If you use them, consider keeping the volume low or using only one earbud.
6. Think carefully about remote routes. Beautiful and quiet does not always mean safe. Reconsider isolated routes, particularly when visibility is poor or you are completely alone.
And importantly, this applies to men as well as women. None of us should assume that danger only happens to someone else.
We donโt need to stop running or walking. We simply need to become smarter about how we do it.
Look after yourself. Look out for each other. And whenever possible, donโt run alone.
Stay safe, everyone. ๐โโ๏ธ๐ถโโ๏ธ