Creating safer streets for every runner

Running should feel freeing (not fearful), says TCS Sydney Marathon Head Coach Ben Lucas.

Here’s how small, deliberate actions can make it safer for everyone!

This is important. Over the years coaching in Sydney, I’ve learnt something that changed how I run sessions:

• Men head out thinking about pace

• Women tend to head out thinking about safety – the route, the lighting, the time of day, and who’s around. 

That reality deserves respect. If someone doesn’t feel safe, they don’t relax. If they don’t relax, they don’t enjoy it. If they don’t enjoy it, they won’t stick at it.

As a coach, that hits hard. 

How to train for everyone’s safety

To help change this situation, we’re deliberate in our planning for our Sydney Marathon Run Club. We address small details, which hopefully make a big difference. These include:

• Group runs that start and finish together

• Making sure no one feels isolated at the back

• We choose well-lit routes after dark

• Clear (and safe) meeting points are used

• We use the buddy systems

• We encourage live location sharing

How men can promote safety in running

Men play a role in this, and I encourage them to make some simple adjustments to help others feel safe. Leadership isn’t loud. It’s aware.

Some things I do as a man include:

• Giving space when overtaking

• Saying “coming past on your right”

• Not sitting silently on someone’s shoulder at night

• Crossing the road if it eases tension

• Calling out behaviour that isn’t right

I’ve seen the shift when women move from cautious to confident. Shoulders relax. Stride opens up. Running becomes freeing again. Sydney has a strong running culture – it’s inclusive and welcoming. But it only stays that way if we’re intentional. Safety isn’t dramatic, it’s deliberate.

And it’s on all of us.

Want more of Ben’s expert training advice? Find the best running content to inspire you here.