Running Safety, Girlfriend?

I'm comin' clean!  Like the rest of the blog-o-sphere, I put my hat in the ring for the Nuun Hood to Coast Relay Team.  I'll spare you all the details, but  I'll introduce you to my main character "Nuucy Drew" in my children's "book":

Nuuncy Drew and the Case of the Relay Member!  

Engaging, no?  hah it's ok I can take it if you think it's lame :).  

Bottom line, I figure if Nuun is looking for a blogger who loves wine tasting, bunny ears at major races, and workouts like "Run faster until you're about to fall off the treadmill", I'm their girl!  

If not, that's cool too, although I think Hood To Coast with the team would be amazing. I would like to put my vote in for Jess at Blonde Ponytail because it was pretty cool of her to blog about the contest a couple weeks back and try to get others to enter.  Team spirit.  

On to the main topic, Running Safetyyyyy:

I was at Road Runner sports a few weeks back and I saw they had little cans of pepper spray to carry with you when you run.  

It kind of reminded me of my general fears of going out on a run and never returning....morbid...I know I know...but haven't you watched the Dateline NBC specials where this actually happens?  

There's all the regular safety recommendations that you've probably seen:

1) Don't run in deserted areas

2) Don't run with headphones on, esp at night (ok be honest...who NEVER runs with music?  What is this, 1990?)

3) Run with someone else.

4) Make sure someone knows exactly where you're going and when you're coming back.  

I sort of follow these rules.  I generally don't run alone in the dark or in dangerous places.  But I run alone a lot outside and often find myself on a trail or track where the Seinfeld quote from one episode "I coulda killed you here and no one would know"  (remember...when Elaine has some repair man over???), goes through my head.

And as a relatively small woman who probably couldn't defeat a small dog in a fight, being alone on these trails isn't wise.    

Actually the one ridiculous "safety" thing that I do, that I am convinced is protecting me, is that I greet any suspicious looking dude with a 'hello good morning' or the like.  I'm hoping that if they were planning to kill me, my politeness might just stop them.  Likely...I know...=).   

Do you carry pepper spray or have amazing karate skills?  

How do you say safe when you run? 

Do you think I should write a sequel to "Nuun-cy Drew"?    Perhaps "The Adventures of Go-Tein"   ?