I am a small woman in her mid-twenties. I run regularly, usually on a treadmill, but today I wanted to run outside, so I went to a waterfront area that has a path.

In the middle of my run, I needed to take a break to catch my breath and retie my laces, so I sat down on a bench. The two women who had been ahead of me got out of my sight, a few more went past me, and then I was pretty much alone. Then, a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties approached the area. I watched him look directly at me and then make a path towards me on the bench. Immediately, my "oh fuck" senses go off, and I feel a rush of adrenaline. My ears ring. I look around hoping to see someone else, but I don't. Shit.

Our "conversation," in summary:

"Hey! You really got ahead of me in that last quarter mile!"

I don't say anything. Ears still ringing.

"My name's \_\_\_\_."

I'm putting my headphones back in and preparing to take off in the opposite direction.

"Do you run here a lot?"

On inspection now, the guy looks nice enough. Like, he isn't giving off murder vibes, which is why I wasn't totally scared at this point.

I am, however, angry. My break's been disrupted, and I was initially really frightened. I'm totally off my energy now. How can this guy not know that he shouldn't tell a woman running that a) he's been keeping tabs on her distance and b) he wants to know if she comes to this spot regularly? Is he serious? Does he have any idea how often female runners are raped and killed? Does he know that we run with pepper spray, or our car keys for a quick weapon? Does he even care, or is he just more concerned with the possibility of getting a phone number?

You can meet girls anywhere. A coffee shop, a club, a bookstore--somewhere where news stories don't tell women that they die multiple times a week. This secluded bench isn't one of those locations. Leave me alone. Use your brain. Don't fuck up my run. I don't owe you conversation. I didn't come here to be social.

But he looks harmless. And I felt... emboldened by that fact. So, I respond.

"For future reference: you shouldn't approach female runners, especially when they're alone. Don't do that anymore."

He looks shocked, and sort of hurt. Says something along the lines of, "I was just trying to be nice."

I didn't care. And I literally ran away.