Do you run in a straight line or do it in a random zig-zaggy way like in the movies?
But I can't really see this working in a crowded mall, especially if everyone does it. It would make getting for the exit rather tricky.
The local malls have storefront columns, and mid-mall kiosks, planters, and displays, which should afford visual, and some ballistic, cover. Hopefully we can hear from some of those with real world experience about a dart-between-cover strategy.