M-A Girls Runners Reflect on Safety Concerns After Assault

Female athletes develop strategies to avoid harassment while training on public routes.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 11:21pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a woman's hand gripping a small canister of pepper spray, conceptually illustrating the safety precautions female runners must take to protect themselves.The need for female runners to carry personal safety devices highlights the everyday frustrations women face in public spaces.Menlo Park Today

A recent sexual assault on a female jogger near the Stanford campus has raised safety concerns for the girls distance runners at Menlo-Atherton High School. The runners, who frequently train on the same routes, face regular harassment and have developed strategies like avoiding running at night, carrying pepper spray, and taking self-defense classes to protect themselves. While the perpetrator remains unknown, the incident serves as a reminder of the everyday challenges female athletes face in public spaces.

Why it matters

The assault highlights the broader issue of safety concerns for female runners, with research showing the majority of women have experienced some form of harassment or abuse while exercising outdoors. This forces female athletes to make compromises to their training and freedom in order to prioritize their personal safety.

The details

In late March, a woman was sexually assaulted while jogging on the Stanford campus, according to a warning bulletin. The incident occurred near a route frequently used by the M-A girls distance runners. The runners face regular harassment like catcalling and unwanted recording, with 68% of female runners nationwide reporting some form of abuse. To stay safe, the M-A runners avoid running at night, carry pepper spray, and take self-defense classes provided by the school. However, these precautions limit their freedom and comfort as athletes.

  • In late March, a woman was sexually assaulted while jogging on the Stanford campus.
  • M-A hosts self-defense training sessions with Urban Combat studio each season.

The players

Mia Sanchez

A senior on the M-A track team who has experienced harassment while running in her neighborhood, including a man recording her and her teammates.

Paige McGaraghan

A senior on the M-A track team who now carries handheld pepper spray when running by herself.

Caroline Baker

A junior on the M-A track team who avoids running at night or in certain areas, unlike the boys team.

Andy Pflaum

The head distance coach at M-A who organizes self-defense training sessions for the athletes.

Urban Combat

A self-defense studio in Menlo Park that provides training to the M-A girls distance runners on awareness, avoidance, and escape techniques.

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What they’re saying

“This man was recording us, and I was running right behind our team, so I could see him zooming in on my teammates.”

— Mia Sanchez, Senior, M-A Track Team

“I'm always looking around me. I just recently bought a handheld pepper spray that I now carry when running by myself.”

— Paige McGaraghan, Senior, M-A Track Team

“A lot of people are like 'oh, well, you know you should be careful what you're wearing' and stuff like that but that's how I want to run, and I'm not gonna let some man who thinks he can hurt us, affect that.”

— Mia Sanchez, Senior, M-A Track Team

“The instructor, along with his adult daughter, showed our athletes how to be aware of their surroundings, how to identify and seek to avoid potentially unsafe situations, how to raise awareness around them if they were starting to feel unsafe or threatened, and lastly, what are self-defense and escape techniques to use if they ever found themselves physically harassed.”

— Andy Pflaum, Head Distance Coach, M-A

“Unfortunately, a number of runners have experienced some form of harassment, such as in the form of 'catcalls' or honks by passing drivers. Typically they report feeling maybe not so much 'unsafe' as uncomfortable and annoyed. But clearly students shouldn't have to put up with feeling that way at all.”

— Andy Pflaum, Head Distance Coach, M-A

What’s next

M-A plans to continue offering self-defense training sessions with Urban Combat to help equip its female athletes with the skills and awareness to stay safe while training.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the broader societal issue of the lack of safety and freedom female athletes face in public spaces, forcing them to make compromises to their training and comfort in order to prioritize personal security. While self-defense training provides some tools, the root problem lies in addressing the culture of harassment and violence against women.