The Running Thread - 2016

Back when I didn't consider myself a "runner" yet, I would feel like my normal running clothes were a bit of a costume. Just the standard tech Capri and shirt. Felt like my "armor" going into a battle. If I looked the part then I could fake my way to the finish. First time I wore tank and shorts to a race was same thing. My "runner" costume. Glad I'm finally just treating them as my normal clothes now :)
 
Oh I totally understand you, Roxymama, though I have another threshold. So far I've only worn basic shirts and basic bottoms that I owned previous to running. The day I upgrade to what I call 'motivational shirts' (you know the kind, with witty quotes) I'll know I'll consider myself a 'runner'. The other day while on the phone with a friend she mentioned that her boyfriend was doing yet another race soon and we both laughed. I just forgot that hey, I've run a race too! I can also feel this mild impostor syndrome when I'm running and spot very serious runners (you know the type, with lots of gadgets, looking serious and wearing professional clothing, whatever that is, but you definitely know the kind when you see it).
 
QOTD: With daylight saving time ending on November 6, and our runs are getting lasting longer into the afternoon, I figured now would be a good time to discuss what do you do to make yourself visible when you are running in the dark? So what items do you run with so you can be seen by others on the road? Do you have certain routes that you stick to that have more street lighting? Routes with uneven surfaces become a problem? How about safety from people who may wish to cause you harm?

ATTQOTD: I have a reflective vest and a flashing light I wear for night time runs. Both early morning or late evening. Since I moved I don't have a lot of options to explore and the roads I run on are only a few years old, so I am lucky that I don't have to deal with potholes/uneven surfaces in the road. As I runner, the rule I have been taught is always run facing traffic. So even if the car doesn't see me, I see them and can move out of the way while giving the international one finger peace sign for nearly hitting me. The area we moved to is also a safe area, but I would never rule out the possibility that someone could try to do something crazy. I try to stay aware of my surroundings and never use headphones especially during runs without the sun up. Just trying to give myself the best chance I can to prevent a accident.
 
ATTQOTD: Well, for me daylight saving time ends a week earlier than for you in the US... But days are short enough already here that there is only the chance of a daylight run during the weekends for me. I live in a large city and after dark I run laps on the sidewalks around a number of blocks in my neighborhood. It is really safe where I live, so that is not something I need to think about. However, I feel uncomfortable to run through parks after dark on my own. I used to be fine with just street lights, but after a nasty fall two years ago, I got a head lamp. I love how much light it gives me and it has a red light on the back as well, so it makes me more visible, too. The only problem I have encountered is when it is drizzling (or even worse when it is foggy!) as then all the little water drops reflect the light directly in front of my eyes and I end up seeing even less!
 
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Burgundy Rose said:
I ran my first 5K this year during the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon weekend and my goal is to run the Half next year (September 2017), most probably with a costume. I'm really excited, even with the deadline so far away, and I've been running three times a week and so far and it's going really well.
I do find that I'm a bit of a fussy runner. I need my Spotify playlist, I need interesting scenery (luckily we're surrounded by that as I live right next to Disney and my regular runs are done around the hotels) and I have no idea how I'm going to be running when it gets colder than this. I haven't suffered from any injury so far but I really need to get myself to a specialist shoe shop and buy proper running shoes that fit me or I know I'm in for some trouble sometime soon. I started with 5Ks three times a week, then 5 twice a week and 6K once. I'm ready to start running a bit more this week and will most probably run 7K this weekend. Whenever I run another kilometre, I make sure I do that for a few weeks before adding another one. I've been enjoying running so much. I couldn't care less about my time, I'm just happy I've reached a point where I can sprint to the bus stop to catch my ride to work without feeling like I've just completed a whole Dopey.
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Do I understand you correctly and you live next to Disneyland Paris?? I would love for my daily running path to be around the hotels there, such a great area!

Welcome to the thread! Looks like you have found something you really love in running! And I can only recommend that you get the right shoes sooner than later. You don't want any problems to even start bothering you.
 
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ATTQOTD: Hey @LSUlakes .....timely topic. I typically run in my neighborhood. Not much traffic and easy to jump off the road or in a driveway if someone is headed my way. Have had some interesting close calls with the newspaper lady early in the morning but otherwise no issues. I have my phone and use the flashlight app at times but nothing reflective or bright and imagine that it would be hard to see me. I always run against traffic and use the speaker on my phone for music so I can hear the outside world too. Good news is that my roads are getting resurfaced and many potholes and uneven surfaces will no longer be my nemesis.

Mrs. Slogger recently asked me if I would be comfortable if she ran by herself in near dark (or dark!) the way I do.
Um..........that's a great big cup of NOOOOO!
Think I need to "up" my reflective gear game.
 
Burgundy Rose said:
Oh I totally understand you, Roxymama, though I have another threshold. So far I've only worn basic shirts and basic bottoms that I owned previous to running. The day I upgrade to what I call 'motivational shirts' (you know the kind, with witty quotes) I'll know I'll consider myself a 'runner'. The other day while on the phone with a friend she mentioned that her boyfriend was doing yet another race soon and we both laughed. I just forgot that hey, I've run a race too! I can also feel this mild impostor syndrome when I'm running and spot very serious runners (you know the type, with lots of gadgets, looking serious and wearing professional clothing, whatever that is, but you definitely know the kind when you see it).
Click to expand...

I hear you and I GET you!
The nice thing is that nowadays so many people wear athletic clothes that aren't even going to do athletic activities. So there is so much more cute stuff (that fits me too, thank god) out there now that can be ran in...then back when I was younger. God bless stretchy tech fabric. And god bless the Target cheap "athletic" section. So that makes me feel less like an imposter (also because I'm not!) because literally people in front of me in line at starbucks are all dressed like fancy runners these days :)

ATTQOTD:
I don't run in the dark very often. Usually it's only when I've mis-timed the end of my run when I'm chasing the sun home. But I own several reflective shirts and two reflective jacket/pullover things. So when I know I'm up against the timing of sundown, I do make sure to throw it on. My armband for my phone is also reflective. My hubby has said he is getting me a headlamp many times when I complain about my treadmill at night.
The darkest I've ever ran in was at a WDW race and luckily I was with thousands of my friends.
 
@Flossbolna That's right! We live right by the park, about a 15-minute walk from it really. It's a great area to run though I'm often the only one running there and families clearly give me a look when they see me run and they've just spent an entire day catching rides and are properly half dead from exhaustion. I've had some truly wonderful reactions though, once a family of four cheered me on so loudly I heard them through my earbuds and the father started racing me for about 0.2 seconds as a joke (his family was hysterical after that!) It's nice to run in a place where people are happy :) I do have to be extra careful though as there are, as you'd expect, many small children walking back to the hotels. I'll stop whenever I'm not sure they'll walk in a straight line. I've never even bumped into someone but I'm mindful of the fact that when I run there, I'm a safety hazard.
Thanks for the tip about the shoes, I know I really should go. So far so good but I'll have a good pair by Christmas for sure :)
 
Here we are in the last race weekend of October and this weekend we have the following posters with races:

29 - @Miranda - Great Bay 5K (33:00 / N/A)
29 - @derekleigh - Meredith Bay Trick of Trot 5K (21:30 / N/A)(or sub 7:00 pace)
29 - @IamTrike - Peak to Creek Marathon (3:30:00 / N/A)
30 - @DVCFan1994 - Marine Corps Marathon (NG / N/A)
30 - @roxymama - Hot Chocolate 15k (1:34:31/ N/A)
30 - @MommaoffherRocker - Evergreen Pumpkin Run 10 Miler (NG / N/A)

If you would like to revise your race day goal or any other changes, just let me know. Good luck to everyone this weekend!

@DVCFan1994 I think I may have put the wrong race or date next to this or something. please correct me if I am wrong.
 
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Burgundy Rose said:
@Flossbolna That's right! We live right by the park, about a 15-minute walk from it really. It's a great area to run though I'm often the only one running there and families clearly give me a look when they see me run and they've just spent an entire day catching rides and are properly half dead from exhaustion. I've had some truly wonderful reactions though, once a family of four cheered me on so loudly I heard them through my earbuds and the father started racing me for about 0.2 seconds as a joke (his family was hysterical after that!) It's nice to run in a place where people are happy :) I do have to be extra careful though as there are, as you'd expect, many small children walking back to the hotels. I'll stop whenever I'm not sure they'll walk in straight line. I've never even bumped into someone but I'm mindful of the fact that when I run there, I'm a safety hazard.
Thanks for the tip about the shoes, I know I really should go. So far so good but I'll have a good pair by Christmas for sure :)
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Sounds amazing to me! And the DLP races then really are your local races. Nice! I often run in a park that is quite busy on the weekends with families, so totally understand the being careful around small children. I guess the looks are from people who think you are on vacation yourself and who wonder how you can have the energy to go for a run after a day in the parks. ;)
 
LSUlakes said:
QOTD: With daylight saving time ending on November 6, and our runs are getting lasting longer into the afternoon, I figured now would be a good time to discuss what do you do to make yourself visible when you are running in the dark? So what items do you run with so you can be seen by others on the road? Do you have certain routes that you stick to that have more street lighting? Routes with uneven surfaces become a problem? How about safety from people who may wish to cause you harm?
Click to expand...

I run frequently in the early morning hours. I use a head lamp and NoxGear Tracer360 to make myself visible. I also run against traffic, so I can see what is coming at me, and like you mentioned am a big fan of giving the one finger salute to idiot drivers. I have various routes that I run, but none of them really have street lights. I live in a relatively rural area, so lights aren't a high priority on the streets.
 
ATTQOTD: So far, just stick to daylight. I suppose I do need to hit up some of the end-of-season camping sales around here and pick up a few things, though.

Oh and @LSUlakes I just signed up for a 5K for November 5. I couldn't resist the idea of snarfing donut holes at the aid station. Every donut hole you eat (and keep down) takes a minute off your finish time! Too bad it's not a 10K for POT, right? :)

5 - @The Expert - Donut Dash 5K (NG / N/A)
 
The Expert said:
ATTQOTD: So far, just stick to daylight. I suppose I do need to hit up some of the end-of-season camping sales around here and pick up a few things, though.

Oh and @LSUlakes I just signed up for a 5K for November 5. I couldn't resist the idea of snarfing donut holes at the aid station. Every donut hole you eat (and keep down) takes a minute off your finish time! Too bad it's not a 10K for POT, right? :)

5 - @The Expert - Donut Dash 5K (NG / N/A)
Click to expand...

You know 11/5 is my b-day and I would love some donuts after my long run that day... just saying. lol. Sounds like a fun race, to make it more interesting i think you should drink whole milk with each donut.
 
I have a ton of reflective gear and see very well at night, so running at night has never been a problem. But I live out in the country, so am forced to do all of my night running on a small highway in our area with wide shoulders. Running on the rural roads in my area at night would end badly. No street lighting, too many blind curves, lots of hills with poor visibility when cresting and nothing even resembling shoulders or sidewalks. Sadly, night running means no trails for me - I have taken too many nasty spills at night to risk it at my age.

So, to recap, the biggest challenge for me with respect night running is my running route - I only have one choice, so those runs get monotonous.
 
Great topic! I'm trying to figure this out, especially since I'm thinking of adding a 4th day of running to my routine. Once a week, I have access to a track to run on after work and that's lit, so that works out well. In the Summer, I enjoyed getting up early once a week to run before work. But now, it's dark if I want to get in a run before work. The sidewalks in my neighborhood are uneven and have cracks, so I'm worried not just about making myself seen but making sure I can see the pavement. @Flossbolna - you mentioned a headlamp. Does it provide enough light for you to see the surface you're running on? Is it awkward because I figure you'd have to be looking down for the light to hit the pavement? I suppose the 4th day of running could also be the treadmill and that would solve my problem... That would be one day on the track, 2 days on the treadmill, and then my long run on pavement. But that doesn't really sound like ideal training for a road race.
 
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