By this time of year, I’m ready for the temperatures to cool down a bit. After 3+ months with many days of heat over 90 degrees, having to do all my runs early to avoid heatstroke, and getting sweaty on my bike commute, temperatures in the 70s will do me just fine. If only they could stay that way!
On the other hand, I’m very sad about the dwindling sunlight hours. There is nothing worse than getting out of work and seeing it is already pitch black at 6 pm. At least we have a few months until it gets that bad.
I’ve noticed in the last 2 weeks that it is dark when I leave on my morning runs. Living in DC, especially in a neighborhood that is still gentrifying, I take a few steps to make sure I’m safe in the dark. The good thing about running in the city is that there are street lamps everywhere. The bad thing is that there is a lot more crime.
I don’t have any experience running in the suburbs, but some of these “rules” apply to exercising in the dark anywhere. I
- Wear bright clothing. I know what you are thinking – duh. But sometimes it’s easy to forget when the seasons start changing. Last year I left work on my bike one day and it was pitch black – the early sunset took me completely by surprise. This morning I wore a white shirt, and light blue shorts. I recommend some type of reflection gear if you are running somewhere without street lights.
- Don’t blast your music. I would say run without music, but I know that most people prefer it. Make sure you can still hear things around you.
- Run on busy, well-lit streets. I run towards the safer neighborhoods in DC, and mainly on busy roads. While this might not be my usual preference, it is not as loud as it is later in the day so it’s not so bad. Also, do not jaywalk! I know it’s tempting when there are very few cars around, but what if someone forgets to put on their headlights?
- Let someone know your route. This is going to sound paranoid, but I like to leave a mapmyrun view of my route up on the computer or tell Neil my basic route. Even if you live alone, it’s a good idea to leave your route up on your computer in case something bad happens.
- Carry ID. I use my health insurance card, but Road ID is another great solution.
- Make eye contact with people. This is also something I do when I walk around a neighborhood where I’m not feeling so safe. This will make the good guys remember you and make the bad guys think you are confident (so they won’t mess with you!).
I know a lot of these tips sound like I’ve watched one too many Law & Order episodes, but in reality I was once mugged and ever since I’ve been more careful. The mugging wasn’t even that bad – it was on my college campus early in the morning, I ran away and the guy was arrested without taking my stuff – but it was a wake up call to make sure I’m always aware of my surroundings.
Do you ever workout in the dark? Do you have any tips to add to the list?
These are really good tips. I would run some nights after 9 in Philly and had to be pretty careful about it. I haven’t done much night running yet, but I’m definitely trying to figure out a good route.
I tend to not workout in the dark, but I think those are great tips. When I was biking home a few minutes after 7, i could barely believe it was already so dark out! I’m not ready for the early dark but definitely am ready for the cooler weather.
I like your last tip – I think so often we tend to look down or away! I am ready for the brighter AMs esp to encourage exercise- but also dred leaving work at 6 with it being pitch black.
These are the same “rules” I follow for working out in the dark. Really I follow them for just about EVERY outdoor workout – you can never be too safe if you ask me (although I don’t wear reflectors during the day…that’s just overboard)! One thing I do carry with me when I run at night is pepper spray. It’s sort of a pain to have in my hand the whole time but I just feel safer with it. Especially since I don’t carry my cell phone with me when I run.
Good tips, it’s still scary sometimes! Do you carry a phone? What do you put snacks, water, ID, music in when you run long distances?
I only carry a phone half the time, but I probably should more often. I usually wear nike shorts that have a zip pocket that I can put my jelly beans, ID and keys in. But I also sometimes use a handheld wate rbottle that has a little pocket, or my camelbak which has a pocket. For music I have been using an armband but I just ordered the new iPod shuffle to clip on my clothes!
These are great tips. I carry my phone with me too just in case. I don’t love to do it, but it makes me feel just a little bit better. And I definitely stick to busy roads I figure I won’t get jumped if there’s traffic going by.
Also using a headlamp can be helpful. I usually run where there are street lamps out in the ‘burbs, but there are still parts that are quite dark. These are great tips. In the ‘burbs of DC you still have to be careful – crime is all around.
A headlamp is a great idea!
I love these tips! I’m in a relatively safe area of Arlington but something about running alone in the dark makes me very uneasy. I think I’ll keep my runs to the daylight or hit the treadmill if I the distance suits it. I finished up a long run on Monday night just as the sun was setting…. so that was a little extra motivation to run faster to get done more quickly!