Advice for a middle 'o the night run
jessspurr
Posts: 258 Member
Hello everyone! I'm doing the Klondike Road Relay (100 miles between Skagway, AK and Whitehorse, YT, split between 10 people) on September 11th. My leg is 13.1 miles on a highway. I've done this distance and beyond multiple times so I'm not worried about that part. The problem is...my leg isn't going to start until between midnight and 1 am. This is entirely new to me and one of the reasons I chose the leg I did, but it's starting to dawn on me that I may need some advice! Does anyone have any experience with this that can give me a few pointers or even just talk about their nighttime running experience? Thanks!
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I tried a cheap headlamp and it bounced waaaay too much. Friends of mine use ones with bigger reflector/casings and say that they work better. I found that what I like best is carrying a small LED flashlight and holding it relatively low. Many people/most people lose their ability to see color and lose some depth perception at night, so be extra careful watching for potholes and things that might twist an ankle.0
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@jessspurr Practice running in the dark, especially on uneven surfaces like gravel. I find that certain shoes are way more stable than others, so I can feel more confident running on unfamiliar roads.
I have a Petzl headlamp that I really like for running at night. It's pretty stable, as long as I'm not doing speed intervals, and it has a large range of motion so I can point it down at my feet or out ahead of me a little ways. It might be worthwhile for the team to pitch together to purchase one or two of those to make the night legs a little easier. I've tried running with a light in my hand before, but found that my arm got tired of holding it really stable (and otherwise it bounces around a LOT)0 -
I've seen a few people early in the morning on one of the trails I like to run using these.
http://www.knucklelights.com/
I think holding a pair of these would be much easier than a headlamp.0 -
I have knucklelights! They are brilliant. I used to have a headlamp I thought was okay and would happily have recommended, but after I got the knucklelights I only bother with the headlamp for getting things out of the attic. Because you have two of them, you get WAY better depth perception. And they don't get in the way of you using your hands as normal.0
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Thanks everyone!Those look cool! I think I will check them out! I have quite a bit of experience running in the dark (living in AK- it is dark kind of a lot here!) and I've got a decent headlamp, a Petzl, I love it although come to think of it, I've never worn it without a hat so it might bounce a bit without a hat. But maybe I will need a hat that night! Who knows!0
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The Ragnar Race Bible has a section of night running safety that might be of use to use:
https://ragnarrelay.com/race_documents/55c3f80184e4f5.58809592.pdf
They also have an online store with a safety bundle. I'm not saying you should buy it from here, but it will give you an idea of what they're recommending:
http://www.ragnargear.com/essentials
I'm thinking about getting the Nathan reflective vest for my nighttime running.0 -
You should get a piece of reflective clothing if you don't have one - I love the amphipod Xinglet.
http://www.amphipod.com/products/visibility/xingletsbelts
I do wear my visor at night with my Petzl - it helps keep the weird halo effect out of my eyes.
I have run in the middle of the night a bunch for Ragnar. I actually find that it makes me more nervous running at night around my house than during Ragnar. I think the fact that you are on a route that other people just ran and will run in a minute makes it less concerning. It's fantastic. I don't have any particular advice because it's pretty much just like running during the day - if you have already run in the dark a lot, you are set!0 -
I'm not a headlamp type, but I love my handheld fenix pd22. I found knuckle lights not to be as bright as I want, and I prefer having one hand free, so I gave mine away. The flashlight only weighs a couple of ounces and throws up to 210 lumens on one cr123 battery. As for tips, you're running on pavement so I don't see what would be different. Definitely get something reflective for safety reasons. A trail presents challenges of depth perception, especially if you are wearing a headlamp (one more reason I prefer a handheld.)0
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I have the knuckle lights and loved them for a night-time beach run I did a few weeks ago. Helped me avoid the holes in the sand that were along the shore. Otherwise, I'd say general road safety. You want to be highly visible, so have reflective clothing on and maybe even small blinking lights on your shoes.0
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This...I tried a cheap headlamp and it bounced waaaay too much. Friends of mine use ones with bigger reflector/casings and say that they work better. I found that what I like best is carrying a small LED flashlight and holding it relatively low. Many people/most people lose their ability to see color and lose some depth perception at night, so be extra careful watching for potholes and things that might twist an ankle.
I use a Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp...recharge by USB cable instead of worrying about carrying spare batteries. Depth perception is tough...be careful where you step.
I started the day with a big breakfast, smaller lunch, and light supper. Run started at 11:40pm. Worked out well.
http://destrelay.crowathletics.com/
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I run Ragnars and we use a reflective vest, headlamp, and a blinking red light that clips to the back of your shirt. Just as much as you want to be able to see you need to be seen too. I use a running baseball cap on with my headlamp which makes it not move at all. You should practice some night runs wearing your gear so see what works best for you. And the best thing about the night runs for me is I always run my fastest because of that little bit of fear of being alone of the road in the dark (not that there is really anything to be afraid of). Have fun, be safe, and enjoy it!0
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