Warm weather is an invitation for joggers to hit the pavement, be it at a favorite park, neighborhood or outdoor track.

However, exercisers should be careful, as the number of sexual assaults tends to increase during the warmer months, one reason being that summer lifestyles increase a woman’s likelihood of being outside of “safe” places.

Here are some tips joggers/runners should keep in mind this summer:

¢ If possible, avoid running and jogging when it is dark outside.

¢ Be aware of your surroundings, including hiding places and blind corners in your running path.

¢ When jogging in parks, stay in the open areas.

¢ If you see a person, a group or a situation ahead that makes you uncomfortable, change your route.

¢ Find a jogging buddy or join a running group. For example, Nike has Running Clubs across the nation (www.nikerunning.com). You also can look up running groups at your local park or start your own group with friends or colleagues.

¢ Carry pepper spray.

¢ When running with an iPod or other music player, make sure to keep the volume at a level where outside sounds are still audible. Turn it off completely when running in an unfamiliar area.

¢ If someone tries to get you to stop, such as by asking for a light, just make brief eye contact and continue jogging.