Runners urge safety in wake of Iowa disappearance

Posted By: Bayley Bischof Channel 8 Eyewitness News 

20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts has been missing for a week. Authorities initially reported she went missing after going for a jog in her hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa. 

It’s a story that puts local runners on edge.
 
"That could be me," runner Ann Ringlein said. "I used to live in a small town and ran country roads."
 
Ringlein runs every day, and owns the Lincoln Running Company which hosts safety classes once a year. She said she’s never had a scary experience while running, but knows it’s a possibility, and it’s necessary to take precautions.

"Run with friends, or a dog, but just running alone whether you have pepper spray or a whistle is never safe enough," Ringlein said.

She says while running with a buddy, or a dog is the biggest way to stay safe, she said there are lots of other things you can do as well.

Start with your surroundings, Ringlein said.

"Listen to your body. Be aware," she said. "It can be hard because if you carry music and you’re alone, you can get caught up in the music and it can be easy to be really enjoying the run and not pay attention to your surroundings."

You can also download a tracking app, Ringlein recommends one called Road ID. It’s free and allows five emergency contacts to track where you are and alert them if you stop running.

Also stick to well-lit and well-traveled trails. Good examples are Rock Island Trail and around Antelope Valley. 

Lincoln Police Officer Angela Sands said crimes on running trails aren’t extremely common in Lincoln, but there’s slight up-tick over the summer.
but there is a slight up-tick during the summer.

"If you see something suspicious let us know," Sands said. "The trails are very safe in Lincoln, I use them weekly. But things still happen so if you do see something suspicious, trust your gut, let us know, trust your gut. If you feel something’s off it probably is."