Happy (and safe) American Thanksgiving to all!
I’m especially grateful for many things this year, including our essential workers, health, having a job, family and friends, the gift of running, and of course, those of you reading this. As this is the 50th post from my Thursday Tempo newsletter, I’d like to express immense gratitude for your support and feedback. Your ideas not only provide me with topics to write about but also keep me motivated and help me grow. I wish all of you good health, happiness, and resilience.
How to stay safe running in the dark
Over the next month, the days will continue to get colder and shorter. I have shared tips about running in the cold and will now share how to stay safe running when it might be dark. Before you get out the door for an early morning or evening run, it’s important to ask yourself questions about your running route and gear as well as your support network.
For example, “Is my running route well-lit? What clothing and gear am I wearing so I can be seen? If I’m running with headphones, will I be able to hear what’s happening around me?” And finally, “Does someone know where I will be running and when I expect to be back?”
Before you run
Choose a well-lit running route around a more populated area
Wear bright and reflective clothing as well as a blinker or headlamp if running along a poorly lit path
Charge and bring your phone in case of emergency while staying alert for noise
Enable shared location tracking with someone else (e.g. Strava or Google Maps) or ask someone else to join you on your run
Carry identification such as your license or a bracelet (e.g. RoadID)
Running gear
Because I have a darker skin tone, I prefer to run in the morning and around more populated areas. If I do run at night, I wear some combination of bright colored clothing, a reflective bracelet, or a blinker on the back of my shorts to help traffic and others see me. In addition, I generally run in stability running shoes and recommend using more supportive shoes when running at night to minimize the chance of tripping or rolling over something in the dark.
Health and safety
In the current pandemic, it might be tempting to forgo having a face covering when running at night because of less activity outside but you should still carry one in case you can’t practice social distancing. Most importantly, prioritize safety. If you don’t expect to feel safe when going out for a run at night, focus on what you can do to ensure safety, even if that means postponing your run to the daytime, running with someone else, or taking the appropriate measures to feel safe.
*Thanksgiving Special*
Finding gratitude in running: Na'Tasha Jones, co-founder of RUNGRL says "If I were to try to run one a mile for each thing that deserves my gratitude, it would surely be an ultra marathon."
Why you should go on a gratitude run: No Turkey Trot this year? No problem. Do this solo Thanksgiving run and reflect a little instead.
How turkey trots became a Thanksgiving tradition: Thanksgiving is now the most popular running day in America.