The key is to not run or go alone. If you are going to run or walk day or night, wear light-colored/reflective clothing and run with at least one other person or a dog. Not a little dog -- get a German Shepard, a doberman, a boxer, etc., who is at least medium-sized or larger and has the disposition of being sweet most of the time, but is capable of becoming an vicious attack machine when you are attacked. Recently, a woman north of Houston was running on a greenbelt trail in the middle of the day with her big, sweet dog when she was attacked. The dog immediately lit into the big male attacker and chewed him up pretty bad, although the guy did get away. Police took a sample of the guy's blood from the dog's muzzle. They ran the blood sample for DNA, then ran it against the DNA databases. They got a hit, went to visit the guy, and he was arrested.