The Running Thread - 2016

[orangejeepgirl]

ATTQOTD: (I am following everyone else, but since I am new here, what does "ATT" stand for - Answer To The? - I know QOTD is Question of the Day) My work schedule is great for training. I don't go in to work until 12:30pm, so I am usually able to run in the mornings! If I have to run at night, I will go to the track at the school near my house which has lights. No way am I running in the dark anywhere else.

 

[camaker]

ATTQOTD: (I am following everyone else, but since I am new here, what does "ATT" stand for - Answer To The? - I know QOTD is Question of the Day) My work schedule is great for training. I don't go in to work until 12:30pm, so I am usually able to run in the mornings! If I have to run at night, I will go to the track at the school near my house which has lights. No way am I running in the dark anywhere else.

You are correct. ATT = Answer To The.

 

[Tasmen]

ATTQOTD: (I am following everyone else, but since I am new here, what does "ATT" stand for - Answer To The? - I know QOTD is Question of the Day) My work schedule is great for training. I don't go in to work until 12:30pm, so I am usually able to run in the mornings! If I have to run at night, I will go to the track at the school near my house which has lights. No way am I running in the dark anywhere else.

Oh I'm jealous of your ability to go run in the mornings.

 

[PrincessV]

I believe my ATTQOTD falls into the category of "do as I say, not as I do." Frankly, I'm safer on my streets after dark if the elderly Happy Hour crowd CAN'T see me. I've run all lit up and reflective, and I've run without all that stuff... so help me, if I'm all lit up, those drivers see me and turn the car to come right at me! I think they get all confused and accidentally tun the steering wheel toward where they're looking. But if they never see me, I run right by with plenty of clearance. Now, this is about a 1/4mi stretch of road with no streetlights, no sidewalks, and little traffic. The rest of my after-dark route is on sidewalks of heavily-trafficked roadways with enough street lighting to approximate daylight.

 

[The Expert]

...Sounds like a fun race, to make it more interesting i think you should drink whole milk with each donut.

Trust me, that wouldn't be the right kind of interesting for anyone in my proximity!

 

[croach]

ATTQOTD: I'm gotten pretty comfortable with running in the dark(do a relay where you don't have a choice and it helps, lol). I was using a headlamp but just carrying it instead of wearing it. But I got this light - http://www.runningwarehouse.com/Nathan_Zephyr_Fire_100_Hand_Torch_Flashlight/descpage-NZF1HT.html - and it works great. I also always a bright shirt on any night runs.

 

[croach]

@LSUlakes coukd add the following race on Dec 17 for me

croach - Seashore 50k - NG.

Also not that important but if you want add my finish time for my half on Sept 24 in Montreal it was 1:29:46. Thanks!

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

ATTQOTD: I have a drawer of dark running stuff (a reflective vest and three clip on strobe lights) that is there for me once I finally become the early morning runner I have been trying to become for the past 2 years! Right now the drawer just mocks me as I wake up too late to run (again!) and I fit in a run later during the daylight hours. Since my running route has mostly sidewalks, and there are lots of cars driving to work starting at 6:00am or so, I feel like its a pretty safe prospect.

 

[kirstie101]

ATTQOTD: I don't feel safe running in the dark. I used to do it because I had to so I do have gear to do it. But thankfully I have a treadmill now so my weeknight runs will be on the treadmill until we change the clocks again! I live in a safe neighborhood and when I did run at night I stuck to the sidewalks rather than the creek trail. But honestly I'm just to worried about bad people and the possibility of falling and injuring myself.

 

[dis_or_dat]

I believe my ATTQOTD falls into the category of "do as I say, not as I do." Frankly, I'm safer on my streets after dark if the elderly Happy Hour crowd CAN'T see me. I've run all lit up and reflective, and I've run without all that stuff... so help me, if I'm all lit up, those drivers see me and turn the car to come right at me! I think they get all confused and accidentally tun the steering wheel toward where they're looking. But if they never see me, I run right by with plenty of clearance. Now, this is about a 1/4mi stretch of road with no streetlights, no sidewalks, and little traffic. The rest of my after-dark route is on sidewalks of heavily-trafficked roadways with enough street lighting to approximate daylight.

Ah that happens to me too! I'm all the way to the side in the bike lane and then I see the car drifting way into the bike lane and I have to wave my arms frantically since I can't move any further to the side. I know this is probably unsafe, but in the early lit dawn when there's few cars around, I'll run in the middle of the street (if no blind spots i.e. curve or crest) so cars will hopefully see me in the distance, but obviously I'll move over way before they're close. Also, the road slopes significantly on the sides, so it's killer on my IT band.

BTW, I've noticed a lot more people running my route, so I wonder if I've showed them it's safe! Probably observation bias.

 

[keahgirl8]

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).

The "motivational shirts" are as dressed up I get. No one here (or anywhere) is an "imposter." It's all in our heads when we think that.

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.

I would say that my strategy is to not run in the dark. I have done it a few times, but only in well-lit areas and never alone.

This is probably easier said than done, but try not to let potential corralling make you too nervous.

There is no way to 100% predict what corral you'll be in - you can get an idea based off of past years, sure, but it all depends on what other types of times are submitted. No matter what you run, you'll get a good placement and have an awesome time at Tink.

Agreed. I wouldn't worry about it, honestly. If you're fast enough to even hope you get in A, you'll be fine. I have done 2 Disney half marathons, one from I and one from J. I am by no means fast, I stop for pictures, and in the last half, I was very injured. I never saw a balloon lady.

 

[LSUlakes]

@LSUlakes coukd add the following race on Dec 17 for me

croach - Seashore 50k - NG.

Also not that important but if you want add my finish time for my half on Sept 24 in Montreal it was 1:29:46. Thanks!

Always happy to add a time, which btw is a very nice time!

 

[opusone]

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?

Actually, I really like running in the dark. Not that I mind the light, but in the dark, there are even less distractions, and it seems more peaceful to me.

When I run in the dark (usually early mornings), I do like it when there are absolutely no lights such that my eyes adjust to the darkness, and I can see the street/trail in front of me. However, every time a car goes by, I temporarily lose my night-vision. For safety, I used to wear a small blinking light on my shoe, but I recently bought a Tracer 360 vest, and I really like it. It is comfortable and bright. With this vest, there is no excuse for cars not to see me, and so far, they definitely seem to see me and move over accordingly.

One of the best things about this Tracer 360 vest is the battery status and management. Every time you turn it on or off, it blinks green twice if the batteries are good. When you get to about an hour or less of battery power, it blinks yellow twice when you turn it on or off. So, you have no excuse to run out of batteries mid-run... which brings me to my next point. I found out this morning on my run, when you are getting really close to running out of batteries, it switches to a power-saving mode and just pulsates red instead of your chosen color or color pattern, and it seems to do this for a good amount of time (at least 30 minutes this morning, and it was still going when I finished). I knew I didn't have much power left when I started this morning because it blinked yellow at the beginning and end of my last run; however, when I looked in our battery drawer, there were no AAA batteries, so I decided just to wear it until it died. I think I actually said "cool" out loud when I was halfway through my run and saw it switch to the red pulsating, but I still didn't think it would last for the rest of the run. It did.

 

[jhorstma]

@LSUlakes coukd add the following race on Dec 17 for me

croach - Seashore 50k - NG.

Also not that important but if you want add my finish time for my half on Sept 24 in Montreal it was 1:29:46. Thanks!

Sub 1:30 for a half marathon, huh? Say @LSUlakes, kindly put ol' @croach down for a 3:50 for his 50k - I mean, it's just simple math/McMillan after all...

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

I am following everyone else, but since I am new here, what does "ATT" stand for - Answer To The? - I know QOTD is Question of the Day

Yay for orangejeepgirl! I was afraid to ask.

ATTQOD: I always wear a white hat and hi-visibility clothing, even in broad daylight. When I run in the dark, it is on dirt roads with little traffic. I use a Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp (with taillight!) to see where I'm going. I will also use to be seen if I get an early start on the paved roads.

Speaking of running with a headlamp, has anyone else experienced the glowing spider eyes at night? I've seen dozens, if not hundreds within a half mile.

If you don't know what I'm talking about:
https://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/3f7rq6/what_are_all_those_sparkles_in_the_grassohgodno/

 

[croach]

Sub 1:30 for a half marathon, huh? Say @LSUlakes, kindly put ol' @croach down for a 3:50 for his 50k - I mean, it's just simple math/McMillan after all...

If only it was as simple as math.

 

[Waiting2goback]

Actually, I really like running in the dark. Not that I mind the light, but in the dark, there are even less distractions, and it seems more peaceful to me.

When I run in the dark (usually early mornings), I do like it when there are absolutely no lights such that my eyes adjust to the darkness, and I can see the street/trail in front of me. However, every time a car goes by, I temporarily lose my night-vision. For safety, I used to wear a small blinking light on my shoe, but I recently bought a Tracer 360 vest, and I really like it. It is comfortable and bright. With this vest, there is no excuse for cars not to see me, and so far, they definitely seem to see me and move over accordingly.

One of the best things about this Tracer 360 vest is the battery status and management. Every time you turn it on or off, it blinks green twice if the batteries are good. When you get to about an hour or less of battery power, it blinks yellow twice when you turn it on or off. So, you have no excuse to run out of batteries mid-run... which brings me to my next point. I found out this morning on my run, when you are getting really close to running out of batteries, it switches to a power-saving mode and just pulsates red instead of your chosen color or color pattern, and it seems to do this for a good amount of time (at least 30 minutes this morning, and it was still going when I finished). I knew I didn't have much power left when I started this morning because it blinked yellow at the beginning and end of my last run; however, when I looked in our battery drawer, there were no AAA batteries, so I decided just to wear it until it died. I think I actually said "cool" out loud when I was halfway through my run and saw it switch to the red pulsating, but I still didn't think it would last for the rest of the run. It did.

QOTD: I like running in the dark too. I have a Nathan reflective vest and a head light but I have a nice neighborhood close to my house that is a mile around. So I just run a few laps around the circle. There are wide streets because it is a newer neighborhood. It's a dead end neighborhood so only people that live down there generally go down there so I may only see 4-5 cars when I run at night. I wear my headphones but I can still hear what is going on around me so I am not too worried about being attacked by anything other than a skunk.

I had the screw taken out of my foot yesterday and I start back to work next week. I still have about 2 months until I can run but it is getting closer at least.

 

[Chasing Dopey]

ATTQOTD: I love beating the sun. DW does not get the same sensation, sadly. I make her do it occasionally, though, if we have a long run at the park. The dark runs are typically long runs, and the park is well lit with street lamps along the path, and I've never been the only one there. Someone is always earlier!

I've done a few really dark runs in the neighborhood when a work thing requires a super early run, but they are always shorter. I have a couple blinking lights, reflective stuff, and a flashlight. I also stay very close to home, so although the loop is short, there is almost no traffic to worry about.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

ATTQOTD: I don't like running in the dark but lately I haven't had much choice. Usually by the last 15 minutes it is pretty dark. I take my headlamp and stick to sidewalks. Funny enough the other day I mentioned running in the dark to my mom and flashlight gloves showed up in the mail today. I can't wait to try them out tomorrow.

 

[Chasing Dopey]

Does anyone know what the "Race Director Challenge" is for WDW weekend? It looks like you even have to have a password to get to it on Active.com. (And not your account password. Something else.)

They're selling Dopey, Goofy, Marathon, AND the Half right now. Weird.