Running on trails with headlamp... any good stories?

Just lots of glowing eyes. And sometimes coyotes. Noticed both just last night.

On an early morning late Summer run (@5:00 a.m.), I believe I saw a guy walking by in nothing but a Speedo and a swim cap (I looked away).

caught this on my gopro on a recent evening run

https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/101050803-122613122.jpg?v=1532564628&w=678&h=381

Don’t want to sidetrack your thread, but wouldn’t a running light be better at about a belt high level? I am not reading the paper when I run. I can understand a headlamp for coal miners or car mechanics, but seems a bit misplaced for running.

Lowrider wrote:

Don’t want to sidetrack your thread, but wouldn’t a running light be better at about a belt high level? I am not reading the paper when I run. I can understand a headlamp for coal miners or car mechanics, but seems a bit misplaced for running.

Fair question. I'm just getting into night running in unlit areas. It seems like headlamps are the tool of choice, but I'd be interested if there are more effective or efficient things out there.

Lowrider wrote:

Don’t want to sidetrack your thread, but wouldn’t a running light be better at about a belt high level? I am not reading the paper when I run. I can understand a headlamp for coal miners or car mechanics, but seems a bit misplaced for running.

I think that would bounce around too much. If it's super dark, a good headlamp is plenty.

Also, the only actual creepy thing I've seen was during a heavy rain at night. Some guy was just standing by the side of the trail holding an umbrella and just creep laughing (i guess at me?) as i ran by. Good times!

You want a light to shine where you're looking...generally where you're going is where you're looking.

When I mountain bike at night I usually run a handle bar light and a helmet light...in reality the bar light is back up...the helmet light is way more important in seeing where you're actually going.

Night Time Right Time wrote:

Lowrider wrote:

Don’t want to sidetrack your thread, but wouldn’t a running light be better at about a belt high level? I am not reading the paper when I run. I can understand a headlamp for coal miners or car mechanics, but seems a bit misplaced for running.

Fair question. I'm just getting into night running in unlit areas. It seems like headlamps are the tool of choice, but I'd be interested if there are more effective or efficient things out there.

Since your head can turn, you can light up what you want to look at without altering your stride. Also, since the light is higher on your head than on your belt, it presumably lights up a greater area.

Night Time Right Time wrote:

Lowrider wrote:

Don’t want to sidetrack your thread, but wouldn’t a running light be better at about a belt high level? I am not reading the paper when I run. I can understand a headlamp for coal miners or car mechanics, but seems a bit misplaced for running.

Fair question. I'm just getting into night running in unlit areas. It seems like headlamps are the tool of choice, but I'd be interested if there are more effective or efficient things out there.

The headlight goes where your eyes go. I guess either way is OK. On a bike, the lamp is fixed and that seems to work.

I found a baby doll in a stroller about 5 miles in

I saw a clown's face as I ran past a storm drain once. He called up to me. He said he was floating but I was running too fast to confirm whether that was true or not.

Lowrider wrote:

Don’t want to sidetrack your thread, but wouldn’t a running light be better at about a belt high level? I am not reading the paper when I run. I can understand a headlamp for coal miners or car mechanics, but seems a bit misplaced for running.

Are you new to earth?

I was once training for an ultra running at night and came up on a turkey in the trail. I didnt know that at the time. I just saw something HUGE flying right at me. It hit me in the chest knocking me down then flapped me to death with its wings. I thought the mothman had me. It flew off. I realized about 30 seconds later it was a turkey. Never been so startled in my life. It was midnight. True story.

i ran a lot in the dark on mountain trails, usually very early 4-6 am before work

i dont use headlights, i use my bike led power lamp in my hand so i can focus the light where i want without the need to turn my head, plus when using the light lower (hands height vs head height) you get a better shadow from objects like rocks, roots and bumps

Live at the top of a canyon that runs down to a preserve. I don't run in the middle of the night (although I see mountain bikers, runners and hikers who do from my patio), but on pre-dawn and dusk runs I've seen . . .

- deer

- coyotes

- bobcats

- snakes (venomous and other)

- owls

- mountain lion (I did not see it and it could've been a big bobcat; neighbor swears it was a cougar. I'm still skeptical)

- bats - lots of bats

- turkey

- skunks

All my encounters have been peaceful, but I've had a few close calls with rattlers that don't see/sense me that I've almost stepped on.

Several wild boars, deer, and once a wolf. Foxes, rabbits, cats.

You get used rather soon to wildlife, and they mostly run away.

That's creepy.

once a bat flew straight into my chest.

another time i saw deer in richmond park at nightm their eyes were pretty spooky.

saw a guy with his trousers around his ankles stood by a tree, also in richmond park.

Was about 10 feet from a mountain lion grabbing a drink at the creek down slope

Nice kitty