What is your night running routine now that it gets dark so early?

Name that distance wrote:

strategies wrote:

Run outside at lunch when it’s light out. Break from work and few people out.

This is the answer, as you work from home. If someone can run just before lunch I don't see why they wouldn't, its the perfect time of day. Never dark, sun is high, perfect point in your digestive cycle, midday energy boost, not groggy from just waking up, not tired from a full day's work, I could go on...

Amen. It really is the best time. My work can get really busy in the middle of the day. It takes a concerted effort to do this. But I agree it's the best idea.

Unlike most people here, fortunately I really like running on the treadmill. Other than music, podcasts, it's also an efficient way to watch your movies or TV shows which is a better use of time than sitting on the couch not doing anything watching them.

Went for a night run on college campus near me tonight again. 1hr run. Can't beat a big college campus at night for a decent run sometimes.

As far as the treadmill goes, for intervals I used to use one. But I try to run outside at all costs if possible. But they're better than nothing especially if you have gnarly weather.

Here is my routine wrote:

I put my clothes on and head out the door. The less I think about it, the less likely I am to skip going. Put your shoes on, and go. Ditch the stupid headlamp and vest. You're not spelunking.

For the record, I prefer going before work because I have friends and a wife and prefer doing other things after work.

This.

I sneak out for a run around 4:00 and finish before dark, then shower and go back to work for a while. My work is flexible, and this system works great for me.

Here is my routine wrote:

You're 49 years old and you can't figure this out on your own?

I don't like running in the dark either but we all have to do it. I either run in the dark in the morning (6am) or after work. It's just something I do without much thought. I put my clothes on and head out the door. The less I think about it, the less likely I am to skip going. Put your shoes on, and go. Ditch the stupid headlamp and vest. You're not spelunking.

For the record, I prefer going before work because I have friends and a wife and prefer doing other things after work.

Please all, for your own safety, don't be like this guy.

The wearing a safety vest or not:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dr0RaVDXQAAEmce.jpg:large

Don't be the pitch black guy in the pitch black if you have people living that care about you.

JabbyJaywalker wrote:

The wearing a safety vest or not:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dr0RaVDXQAAEmce.jpg:large

Don't be the pitch black guy in the pitch black if you have people living that care about you.

The dude in the right would be more likely to be hit in the liberal utopia i currently reside. That is, if he didn't get swallowed up in a pothole or trip on our crumbling sidewalks first.

I began working out in the morning before school when I was a JR in HS. It stuck with me, usually once or twice during the week still to this day. Depending on work schedule I can sneak in a lunch run, then runs on Saturday and Sunday, always. I do oddly enjoy my early morning runs where it's still dark before breakfast, it's a unique start to the day, and it makes my oatmeal and coffee that much more enjoyable.

I like running in the early morning darkness. I live in a more rural area, so I head for the unpaved roads. I hate the constant light of headlamps. I use rechargeable LED Knucklelamps. If no cars are coming, I run without any light. My eyes get dark adapted, and there is enough background light to see well enough, not like my usual running route is going to develop a chasm.

When a car is coming, I turn the Knucklelight on to bright, then to less bright, then to blinking. It gets the drivers attention better than a constant light (as in dorky steady headlamp) and they usually turn down their high beams. I also wear a reflective vest, bright beanie and gloves, and white jacket.

This morning @ 5am I ran 7+ miles, 18 degrees F, with freshly plowed snow. Snow on the ground makes it less dark. Tomorrow will be single digits, a good test on the cold tolerance of the batteries. I prefer warm summer morning runs, but I'm fine with winter dark runs too. I'd sooner cut my b**ls off then run on a treadmill.

I get up and run early so its dark 10 months of the year. I just run on the trails in the dark too. Use moonlight (if possible) to light they way. Most of what I do is stupid. But I'm used it it.

Here are the three things that make a run miserable for me:

1. Before 5 AM or after 10 PM

2. Cold (subjective, but usually the air temp has to be below 10°F)

3. Heavy rain, snow, or ice

If I have to deal with two of the three on a given run, I'll still get out the door. If I have to deal with all three, I'll skip it and sit by the fireplace with a drink in hand.

I'm typically at work by 6 AM or earlier, so running or working out in the AM isn't an option. The YMCA I go to has an 18 lap/mile indoor track so thats an option (going there tonight cause its windy and cold as f#$k here today). I feel like a rat on a wheel though at 18 laps/mile. Otherwise if I get home before dark I can run the roads or a few trails nearby. If not then there's an outdoor, lighted asphalt running/walking track at the town rec field.

Running in the dark in the morning , very early, can actually be very peaceful, calm, centering. I like to do it every now and again. Any other time, the noise level sucks.

I try to wear reflective gear and I always carry a super bright flashlight. I run a route I know like the back of my hand. In late fall I worry about tripping on wet leaves, etc.

I live near a park with (somewhat) lit streets. It's not a problem.

There are a couple of tracks near me that are open to the public and are lit.

If the track is closed for some reason, we usually do repeats in the park.

The only thing it changes for me is less trail running, more road. Hard to run trails at night unless you're carrying a flashlight and taking it easy.

When I was in school I would rush to get out as soon as my last class ended. Could get 3-4 miles of a run in before it got really dark.

I had my regular wintertime dark loops which took advantage of streetlights, sidewalk, schoolyards, parks and empty parking lots with minimal light. I would run over to these loops, which were 2-3 miles long, and run them multiple times. Most sections of the loops had enough light to run in, smooth predictable footing, and little or no traffic, Most of these loops were not on streets and only crossed side streets with little traffic.

I would do pickups or fartlek when I was going through the well lit areas with good footing . Then run slower in rougher areas with less lighting.

Never wore a light.

On weekends and holidays I ran mid morning, Took advantage of daylight to do harder workouts and/or longer runs.

Stepped in a bad pot hole a dark road and really hurt my foot though. I don’t mind running in the dark but sometimes feel a bit scared (wild animals, weirdos,etc). I do run my routes though and try to do am runs where it starts out dark and gets lighter instead of evening runs. Try to stay in the neighborhood loop at least where it’s somewhat well lit, etc. but that can get boring. I do find it hard to run intervals though as I don’t live in the most even footed area (sidewalks are kind of crappy) and the track is not lit up after hours. What headlamps do you suggest?

I pretty much wake up in the morning and think about running then I think again and decide I can just put it off till after work so I go to work and pretty much dread my run for pretty much every moment I think about it and I even make excuses to stay at work and chitchat and stuff just so I don't have to go home and run and when I'm driving home at this point I'm really dreading my run and so I drive like kind of slow but not too slow so I don't draw attention and finally when I get home after driving kind of slow I slowly convince myself that skipping a run won't make me slower so I watch some t.v eat some dinner and go to bed but once in bed I can't sleep because this is like the third time this quarter I have skipped a run and figuratively speaking shareholders are starting to lose confidence so I toss and turn in a literal way for a figurative fortnight and this doesn't stop it's pretty much continuous

u gay bro? cuz im just runnin those cheeks