My First Night Run

135 Days to Race

Say you want to increase your speed. You search online for speed training programs. You start interval training. You run some fartleks. Maybe you start some plyometrics training. Maybe it works. The easiest way, I've learned, is to go for your first night time run.

I'm still on Pacific coast time. I wanted to go for a run and just couldn't face running on a treadmill. I've bought all the safety equipment to go running at night. I have a head lamp. I have safety flashers. I have a RoadID. I have a whistle. I even carried my phone (something I hate to do) and called my sister before I headed out.

I knew I needed to run today because I got off my schedule on vacation. I mentioned in an earlier post that I was good at the start but allowed myself to slack too much. It turns out that I only missed two runs. One of those runs was a seven miler, though. I chose to catch up on my two miler tonight. I headed out and, though I felt strong and settled easily into the run, I never settled into the situation. I found myself breathing harder than I usually do. So, when I reached a street light and could, I checked my Nike + armband to find out my pace. Let's just say that I must have really wanted to get the run over with.

I wonder if I'll become more at ease with running after dark like I got used to running in public or if I'll always be uncomfortable. And I do make a distinction between heightened awareness and uncomfortable. I don't think I'll ever become complacent about night running.