Local artist creates ‘Guide to Running While Female’ to raise safety awareness for women runners

PHOENIX – The Valley has many great places to head out for a walk, jog, or hike, but not all of them are equally safe for women. 

That’s why a local artist is hoping a special art piece she created will draw more attention to the safety concerns women face when working out in public. 

A survey commissioned by Adidas and published in 2023 revealed that 90% of women are concerned about safety while running. 

Local Jen Urso says she’s been running since she was 13, and it takes a lot for her to be unnerved, but she wants all women to feel secure that they can exercise outdoors without being honked at, cat-called, or worse. 

Urso says her “Guide to Running While Female in Central Phoenix” map was created after a conversation with her male partner.

“He was saying how he loved going running at night where it’s dark and quiet and nobody’s outside and I was like ‘That’s precisely when I don’t run’,” said Urso.

The map is hand-drawn and features notes from Urso about different interactions she’s had while running around Central Phoenix.

She says the three icons found throughout the map symbolize factors associated with her past runs and experiences along those routes.

“One of the things is can I just run in a sports bra and not have to wear a shirt over it, you know, I’m conscious of that. The other is places I’ve been catcalled, followed, harassed, you name it, threatened. And the other was where I would or would not run in the dark, like where you should only run in the daylight,” Urso said.

She says one recent encounter escalated when she refused to acknowledge the man.

“First, he was yelling at me about how great I looked and I ignored him like we tend to do all the time. Then, it turned into like insulting me and yelling at me and threatening me,” she said.

Attacks on women hiking or jogging have happened around the Valley in recent years, some resulting in sexual assault or even murder.

Urso says there is messaging out there after these attacks that she feels is missing an important point.

“The one thing that always frustrates me at the end of these is that there’s all these instructions about what women need to be doing. You know, we need to be carrying mace with you, have your keys out, don’t wear earbuds, make sure you run with a partner, run with a dog, but I’m not hearing what should men be doing or not be doing. And I thought of this the other night, I was like ‘Suggestions for men about what to do when they see an attractive woman running in her sports bra? Nothing! Do nothing!” she said.

Urso said feedback on the map from both men and women has been positive, with a lot of women calling its message validating yet frustrating, and men embracing the call to see the potential differences women face when just trying to get some fresh air and exercise.