Memorial Park Attacks: Practical Safety Tips for Runners & Walkers
Memorial Park is huge, about 1,500 acres, and the famous ~3-mile loop can see up to 7,000 people in a single day. Busy? Yes. Automatically safe? Not necessarily. HPD bikes and Mounted Patrol help, but no team can cover every inch of the park at once.
Recently, a team of Krav Maga Houston instructors hit the trails to ask runners some simple questions like:
“What would you do if someone attacked you?”
“Do you carry anything for emergencies?”
Most people admitted they didn’t feel safe alone and many had no plan beyond “I’d scream.”
Sometimes shouting brings help. But in a park the size of Memorial…it may not be the best option. Here’s why:
1) Bystander effect. The more people around, the more each person assumes someone else will act. The best way to overcome the bystander effect is to give a specific person a specific job while you move:
“You in the blue shirt—call 911! You in the grey hat—stay with me!”
2) Sound & space. Trees, wind, and traffic swallow sound quickly especially if you and potential help are moving in opposite directions. Screaming is not sufficient to keep you safe and get help when it is needed the most.
Here are a few tips and some ways to deal with the most common attacks seen on the trails.
Before you go
- Favor busier routes if you’re running/walking alone.
- Tell someone your plan and return time.
- Carry your phone (Emergency SOS set up), personal safety devices that you are comfortable using
- Use one ear bud at low volume so you can hear potential threats.
- If something feels off, leave. If you are not near your vehicle, use your voice and simple commands like “Leave” and “Go Away” with confidence and
If Contact Happens: Have the Skills to Fight
Attackers often use hair pulls, arm pulls, and bearhugs to yank you off the trail and into an isolated area. Your number one rule: DON’T GO.
Here are a couple break downs of the most common attacks that occur at the park and how to defend against them.
Hair & Arm Pulls
The defense for these attacks are nearly identical, if you know one you can do the other!
- If the hair is pulled, cap their hand on the head to control where your body goes
- Go with the pull bursting in fast and strong
- Deliver counter attacks to release their grip and get to safety. Focus on palm heel strikes or knees.
Bear Hugs from Behind
- Base your feet wide and heavy into the ground
- If the arms are free, rotate to send elbows to the attacker’s face, if they are trapped, shift the hips and strike the groin.
- Turn in as soon as you have space, strike the groin with knees or kicks if the attacker is still a threat or run to safety.
Memorial Park gives Houston an incredible outdoor community that you should enjoy. Don’t let fear keep you from living your life and enjoying the amenities of our city! Stay safe while running: maintain awareness, speak firmly if approached, seek populated well-lit areas, and stand your ground. Develop reflexes that protect you by joining our daily training sessions at Krav Maga Houston. Give us a call at 713-526-2500 or fill out a form on our site to learn more.