I don't live in DC and so can't comment on running through Rock Creek Park during early weekday mornings, but if you are worried about visibility and phone snatching, I have a better idea. Stash your phone in a pocket somewhere in case you need it for an emergency, and try wearing a headlamp. Yes it looks a bit dorky, but believe me you get over that since very few people see you, and after a while you forget you are even wearing it. They are comfortable and really help with visibility. The last time I ran without one in the AM dark, I tripped over a sidewalk lip, skinned both knees, and had little rocks splinters in my palms.

There is NO WAY that I would run in Rock Creek Park early in the morning.

I run early in the mornings (often out the door by 4:30 am) but I stick to the big, well lit streets like Wisconsin and CT. It's boring as hell, morning after morning, but at least I feel safe. I used to run on the downtown mall before I moved to upper NW. I felt safe there as well. As an aside, I never wear headphones early in the morning either. I also try to avoid putting my hair in a ponytail because I've read that this is an easy way for an attacker to grab you. I do buns instead.

I might feel differently if I was a guy.

Anonymous wrote:uhhh, I wouldn't be worried about an errant phone snatcher. Who doesn't have a phone these days? And whoever doesn't-do they hang out in a forest waiting for the opportunity to get one?

In the past several years there have been dozens and dozens of phone snatchings in Georgetown. They happen all the time, and the police send out advisories begging people not to walk around with their phone visible in their hand - or with earphones on their ears.

Anonymous wrote:uhhh, I wouldn't be worried about an errant phone snatcher. Who doesn't have a phone these days? And whoever doesn't-do they hang out in a forest waiting for the opportunity to get one?

Really? iPhone snatching is supposedly epidemic on metro. I know a kid who had his iphone snatched walking home from school. The post writes articles on this seemingly once a month.

Maybe they aren't lurking in rock creek park, but it seems like a lone female runner holding an iphone as light would be a beacon.

uhhh, I wouldn't be worried about an errant phone snatcher. Who doesn't have a phone these days? And whoever doesn't-do they hang out in a forest waiting for the opportunity to get one?

I'm in MC, but I worry about running in the early morning before it gets light out. I have no idea if I need to worry or not, but for now I stick to neighborhood streets with sidewalks and avoid running by wooded areas (my neighboorhood abuts the Maryland portion of Rock Creek). I also take my giant dog with me if its dark out. If I was a guy, I don't think I'd be too concerned.

I'd love to hear how other runners decide what and where is safe around here. The darkness is definitely cramping my style.

I run in the park on weekends but would not feel safe doing so at that early hour on weekdays. I tend to stick to the roads for early morning runs.

Anonymous wrote:There is no way in hell I would run that in the winter that early! Totally unnecessary.

So, what is your advice? Run on surface roads?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I ran there virtually all winter in the 5 am hour between the Beach Drive exit and Blagden Ave. You need some sort of light for the dark parts, which I learned after falling off the side of the path and getting a bad scrape. After that I ran with my phone in my hand so I could see the path. Having your phone is good practice in any event.

OP here - you are in my neighborhood (I enter the park at Morrow, and run up or down Beach). And with a light, you feel safe?

Yes, although I should say that (1) that I'm a guy, and (2) there is a path all the way -- not sure if that's true north of Blagden. As for the comment about whether someone would snatch my phone, there really aren't enough people out to be worried about it. Most of the people I see -- maybe 2 or 3 tops at that time -- are obviously runners too or there is the occasional bicyclist (with a light, thankfully). Occasionally I'll be on the same schedule as someone and see them fairly regularly.

Anonymous wrote:I ran there virtually all winter in the 5 am hour between the Beach Drive exit and Blagden Ave. You need some sort of light for the dark parts, which I learned after falling off the side of the path and getting a bad scrape. After that I ran with my phone in my hand so I could see the path. Having your phone is good practice in any event.

OP here - you are in my neighborhood (I enter the park at Morrow, and run up or down Beach). And with a light, you feel safe?

Anonymous wrote:I ran there virtually all winter in the 5 am hour between the Beach Drive exit and Blagden Ave. You need some sort of light for the dark parts, which I learned after falling off the side of the path and getting a bad scrape. After that I ran with my phone in my hand so I could see the path. Having your phone is good practice in any event.

Doesn't that make you a target for someone to snatch your phone? That would make me nervous and I am not the nervous type.

PP above again. For a while last fall I was staying in Georgetown and ran from the Pennsylvania Ave. exit to the Memorial Bridge & back -- a wonderful run, especially when the sun is rising.

I ran there virtually all winter in the 5 am hour between the Beach Drive exit and Blagden Ave. You need some sort of light for the dark parts, which I learned after falling off the side of the path and getting a bad scrape. After that I ran with my phone in my hand so I could see the path. Having your phone is good practice in any event.

There is no way in hell I would run that in the winter that early! Totally unnecessary.

I have been running in Rock Creek Park all summer, and I still run there on weekends, but I'm wondering about weekday morning runs. Does anyone else run there around 6-7am? It's still dark, and I'm nervous about safety (both being seen by drivers and otherwise). Or should I just stick to surface roads instead...