Running In The Dark
This post is part of the 31 Excuses To Not Run series, where I asked 31 friends to give me their excuses. 31 excuses for 31 days – you have an excuse for every day of the month. And now you have a little motivation and some ideas on how to get past those excuses.
It’s too dark outside to go running – Erin F.
Going running during the fall and winter time can be especially tough, as the sun sets earlier and it tends to get darker outside much more quickly. Let alone the cold weather, rainy conditions, and sometimes foggy mornings. If you do go running while it’s dark outside, there are a couple different ways that you can make yourself more safe and more visible two other people that may be driving on the roads that you run on.
Run With a Friend for Safety
It’s always more safe to run with a companion, whether it is a friend or your favorite four-legged friend. Running in numbers tends to be much more safe, and if something happens to you or you get hurt, your friend will be able to help out. Studies have shown for runners that take their dogs with them, they are much less likely to be hassled while out on a run.
Run In An Area That You Are Familiar With The Surroundings
Running an area that you are familiar with. Night time running is not the time to go try a new route, or run in areas that you are unfamiliar with. Explore that new route that you’ve been thinking about during the day time and take note of whether there will be good lighting and people around during the evening time.
Stay Aware Of Your Surroundings
Stay aware of your surroundings when running at night. It is so easy to just put headphones on and start running while it is dusk, and before you know it you are running in the dark with all of your senses heavily discounted, including a very important one, sound.
Use Out of Ear Headphones
And speaking of headphones, I love my Trex headphones, that are out of the ear earbuds. They are specifically built to be bone-conducting, which means that you can hear conversations happening around you while still hearing the music and being motivated while you run. These are probably some of the best headphones that I’ve had for running, especially if you are running at night and want to listen to music.
Important Things To Take With You When Running At Night
Make sure to bring your ID with you, or some type of identification. This is another big safety item for running outside. Making sure that you are identifiable if something were to happen to you, like a heart attack or getting hurt, is very important. Some states allow Runners to take self-defense items as well, being attacked as a runner it’s probably one of our biggest fears when we are running outside, taking some mace or other self defense items with you can at least give you time to get to safety.
Reflective Running Gear To Be Seen Better
Okay, let’s talk about running safety clothing for a long run out at night. The first time that I went running at night, I was wearing all black pants with a darker color shirt. It was pretty obvious that I blended in with my surroundings and wasn’t able to be seen. Add these items on your checklist for running at night, a headlamp, a flashing light on your chest, a running vest, and clothing that has reflective material built into it. A lot of new running clothing, as reflective material built into it that will allow you to stand out when you run at night. While this does help you be seen when a light is flashed on you, having a headlamp or strobe light on your chest and back, can make sure that you are seen even when lights are not being shined on you.
Running outside in the winter time is tough, and as the temperatures dropped and Darkness Falls, the visibility for you as a runner also drops. If you follow many of these suggestions, you will ensure that you get a fun and safe to run outside in the dark.
