Runner Is Attacked But Her Attacker Ends Up Regretting It

There is a problem that happens to many women and it seems to be on the increase in many areas. It occurs when they are out exercising or just walking from one area to another and they are attacked by somebody trying to take advantage of the situation. When it occurs, a woman wants to make sure that they are prepared for it.

Kelly Herron is a runner and she has a message for any woman who finds themselves in such a position. She was out for a run and found that she was being attacked by someone who was hiding along the road. Fortunately, the 36-year-old marathoner in training had an idea of what to do and she did it. It happened when she was out for a run and she stopped to use a public restroom. Gary Steiner, a 40-year-old registered sex offender, was hiding in the bathroom and he attacked her.

Fortunately, Kelly had learned some self defense at a workshop just a few weeks prior to this incident. She learned that the most important thing to do was to fight back so she put what she knew in class to good use.

“I fought for my life screaming (”Not today, M**F**er!”), clawing his face, punching back, and desperately trying to escape his grip – never giving up,”

My biggest running nightmare became reality- 4 miles into my long run Sunday afternoon, I stopped to use the restroom and was assaulted by a man hiding in a stall (that is my GPS in red lines). I fought for my life screaming(“Not today, M**F**er!”), clawing his face, punching back, and desperately trying to escape his grip- never giving up. I was able to lock him in the bathroom until police arrived. Thankfully I just took a self-defense class offered at my work and utilized all of it. My face is stitched, my body is bruised, but my spirit is intact. #fightingchanceseattle #ballard #runnersafety #marathontraining #womensselfdefense #myballard #fightlikeagirl #fightback #dontbeavictim #nottodaymotherfucker #youcantbreakme #instarunners #garmin #garminvivosmarthr

A post shared by Kelly Herron (@run_kiwi_run) on Mar 6, 2017 at 10:48am PST

She was able to escape and even locked the man in the bathroom until the police arrived. She continued to yell and scream while she was defending herself.

“I learned put hard bones in soft, fleshy areas,” she said of the workshop she attended.

Kelly described being attacked as her biggest running nightmare, something that many women can understand. According to a recent poll in runners world, 43% of women sometimes experience harassment while exercising. Only 4% of men experience the same type of harassment.

Three women had died in nine days last summer, and many runners were quite anxious over the situation. All of them were jogging at the time they went missing.

Steiner was charged with second-degree rape and second-degree assault was sexual motivation.

Kelly has something to say to anyone who finds themselves in this situation. She wants them to know that they should not give up fighting and they should not stop running.

“I couldn’t remain the silent, anonymous victim – there is a message of survival that is too important to remain untold.”

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