Recently, headlines have featured gruesome deaths of three different women joggers across the country. Karina Vetrano, 30, of Queens, New York, Vanessa Marcotte, 27, New York, New York and Alexandra Brueger, 31, Rose Township, Michigan have all been victims of violent murders in the past month as they were on their own respective runs.

Being a runner, and a young, female runner, these deaths have hit close to home. I often run alone, early in the mornings, away from people, in semi-secluded areas. Even last Fall semester, there were times I headed out before 6 a.m. to get in a few miles before my 8 a.m. class. I, like these women, run alone, with nothing but my phone, headphones and keys.

While I do a bulk of my running in State College and have never felt unsafe, despite lack of sunlight or fellow jogger in my quintessential college town, the deaths of these women send chills up my spine. I could easily be one of these women.

The thought of this sparked my mission to find ways to protect myself and how to keep myself safe on my run. I won't stop running. But I will stop putting myself at more risk than I have to.

While the most obvious solution for safety is to not run at all or run with a partner, for someone like me, that's impossible. For me, running is just as much of a mental exercise as it is physical. I run for some quality "me time" without any distractions of friends or family. While nothing can replace a real life running partner, some of these items listed may give better peace of mind and actually help in a dangerous situation.

1. Carry a knife or other concealable weapon

No, this is not too extreme and you shouldn't feel crazy for slipping something small up your sleeve before you head out. If running along truly makes you feel uneasy, carry something you know you can use to defend yourself. I won't pretend to be an expert, so the advice I give is anecdotal at best, but even yielding a knife to an attacker may be enough to scare him or her away. And, in a worst case scenario, you'll have something other than your hands to fight back.

2. Always leave a note or text a friend before you head out

Let someone—or even just write it on a post-it—that you're heading out for a run. Let them know where you're running and what time you can expect to be back.

3. Never run the same exact route

Don't let your running routes become predictable, no matter how much of a creature of habit you are. Attackers could potentially pin-point where you'll be on your every day three miler. Switch it up. Run in opposite directions, have different start and end points or better yet, run in different parts of town completely.

4. Don't turn your music up too loudly

While it's easy to blast Drake at top volume for the duration of your run—don't. Not being able to hear your outside surroundings is a major mistake for runners. Aside from cars, if someone is nearby you should be able to hear them. Keep volume at a comfortable level and use a pair of headphones that will allow you to hear outside noise.

5. Keep your phone's GPS and location services on

Even though they are a battery and data sucker, keep them on. If you ever need help or get lost, friends and family can use them to find you. It's easier than ever to share locations with friends.

6. If in doubt, don't run

Trust your gut. If you feel uneasy, skip your outdoor workout and hit the gym. While it's definitely not ideal, it's always better to be safe than sorry.