This article is not about not wearing shorts or running alone on a fall night As a female runner, I don't need to remind you that running alone in the dark can feel scary and that the risk of gender-based violence is disproportionately high for women We can't change the statistics with headlamps and reflective leggings, but with a few tweaks to our winter routines, we can feel safer running in the dark now that the clocks are turning

It should also be noted that safety in the dark is not just an issue for female runners When running on low-light sidewalks, it is essential that cars and traffic can see you, so investing in reflective running gear and headlamps is a good idea Below are a few of our handpicked favorites to help you stay safe and visible this winter

Technology has improved in recent years to help runners feel safer on the move Much more professional than just telling you when you're expected to get home, running watches worn on the wrist help you stay safe

If you have the best Garmin watch and are running with a smartphone, you can turn on Live Track from the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone This allows you to share live locations with friends and family via email, Facebook, or Twitter The downside to this is that you need to run with your smartphone (though this is not a bad thing since you can call for help when running in the dark) The Garmin Forerunner 245 LTE has a Live Tracking mode that relays your location without a phone and emergency services to send a text message to emergency services

If you are running with an Apple Watch 7, Apple Watch SE, or Apple Watch Series 3 or later, you can share your live position with someone before you head out the door To do this, add a friend or family member to the Find People app on your Apple Watch and tap Share Your Location; you can share your location for an hour, until the end of the day, or indefinitely This option still requires you to carry your smartphone with you, unless you have the cellular version of the Apple Watch

Another app that works with most modern Garmin running watches and Apple Watches newer than the Apple Watch Series 3 is Strava BeaconWith Strava Beacon, runners can send three different contacts live tracking links to three different contacts It is completely free if you use the Strava app on your phone, but you must subscribe to Strava to use it on your watch As a female runner, here is my full Strava review of why it is a feature of Strava that I have gladly paid for in the past

Since moving from London to the country, I've been running with my 35-pound cocker spaniel, Toby He is not a threat to anyone, but on nights when I go out alone, I can run in peace on routes that are far quieter than city running

One way to ensure that cars and traffic can see you when running in the dark is to change your pitch-black running wardrobe for something more reflective It is also worth purchasing a headlamp or chest lamp unless you are running in well-lit areas Here is a hand-picked selection of our favorite reflective running gear:

You may have heard this before, but it is important to be able to hear what is going on around you, especially when you are running in the dark If you need a podcast or a cheerful running playlist to get you through a cold winter run, try running with one earpiece on Some earbuds even allow you to hear your surroundings in pass-through mode Want to upgrade your high-tech equipment We've handpicked the best running headphones

Trust your instincts If something doesn't feel right while running in the park, it might not be Ideally, we will live in a world where everyone feels safe to run alone in the dark, but until that day comes, be aware of your surroundings, no matter how confident you are