Running in the Dark

Sunidaze

So...I am a new runner this year, running since February.  Planning to run my first half marathon in October.  DH is third shift with a 4 day on/3 day off rotation.  When he does not work the night before, I like to get up anywhere from 5 to 5:30 a.m. to go for a run around the neighborhood (anywhere from a 3 to 5 mile run).  Well...it is now pitch black outside at that time of the day.  I ended up coming into work and running on the treadmill in the gym (boring!) because it was too dark outside.  DH was going to let me borrow his headlamp...but it was too big for me and would have annoyed the crap out of me!  Does anyone run in the dark and how do you manage?

LiveNLove44

I run at 4:30 in the morning when fall rolls around and I'm back at school, and it's always crisp, cool, and DARK! Depending on where you live, your run could be really relaxing or it could be riddled with anxiety. I live in an area where I run through neighborhoods and out between fields (think suburbs meet the country), so my anxiety can be spiked if I come across animals or other people in more remote areas. I don't use a light because I'd rather be the one to see them and not highlight my presence (since we don't have a lot of traffic to worry about). I do, however, carry pepper spray. I've found that my eyes adjust after a minute or two and I think the headlamp would annoy me like you mentioned. 

I usually turn my music down so I can hear surrounding noises better, and if it's a moonless night, I might be more inclined to do a shorter route and do it twice around instead of a long out-and-back run. 

If you have high traffic in your area, you might consider wearing neon and wearing the headlamp. Either way, try it out for a short run one morning to see if you can settle in to your pace without being uncomfortable the whole time! 

Sunidaze

Perhaps I should have clarified...not so much a concern for myself in the sense that I could be physically attacked (because I prefer to live in a bubble and assume that doesn't happen) but to make sure I don't end up stepping in a crack in the road or whatever and spraining/breaking an ankle or something along those lines!  I don't use my earbuds when running in the neighorhood, but never have my music too loud...just loud enough.  I did want to get something reflective to wear, although traffic is very minimal before 6...and I did see that Dick's has knuckle lights that look kinda interesting. 

LiveNLove44

Then it's easier. Run or walk the route you intend to take at a different time of day so you know the pavement/surfaces and their changes. A headlamp sounds effective, and the knuckle lights sound interesting. You might be surprised how quickly your eyes adjust when you're out there. I only have a short stretch of pitch black when it's a moonless night/morning, and I did step in a cardboard box one time and it scared the sh!t out of me. As long as you know the route well and the surfaces, it sounds like you'll be good to go! Just make sure you pick up your feet

KateVA

I have this issue too, especially as the days are getting shorter. I change my route to avoid areas without streetlamps and I don't run in the downtown area of where we live - tourist town and in the summer there can be a lot of drunks wandering around. Thankfully my neighborhood is well lit and the loop around it is 1 mile long. Boring, but if all else fails, I run laps.

care99

I have a little light that blinks to alert passing cars.  I notice my pace is slower though, esp if I'm in an area between streetlights.  I usually don't mind, but being pregnant, I'll likely switch to a treadmill at some point for early morning runs.  I've tripped and fallen in the daylight on the uneven sidewalks and don't want to risk it in the 3rd trimester.

Sunidaze

JoeLies said:

I run year-round in a heavily wooded town with no street lights.  And for a good 4 months or so, I run in the dark, which is a pain but totally do-able.  First off, get yourself a headlamp - one with a light on the back, too - and change the batteries regularly.  It may take some getting used to at first.  Also wear a reflective vest and if the head lamp isn't enough, carry a flashlight too.  And just be aware of where you're running - are their sidewalks, a decent shoulder on the road, etc.  Good luck!

This may sound sad, but the side walks are actually worse!!  We are in an older neighborhood (I think most houses date back to the 40s) with lots of old trees.  Which means raised sidewalks in several areas (let's put it this way...good thing strollers have restraints because there's been at least one occasion DD would have gone flying because I didn't see a raise in the sidewalk.  There are also areas where side walk sections are missing.  Like in front of my neighbors for instance...the city finally took a tree down in front of his house before it took care of business on it's own.  This was beginning of May.  They have yet to replace the sidewalk. 

Sunidaze

But thank you all for the good advice!  If I can't make it work, I do have a trail at work to run on my lunch break (in addition to the treadmills) and several parks nearby that I can go to after work on occasion.