Originally posted by Dena Evans on Feb. 6, 2014
Don’t let your running and training be hampered by arbitrary tales that may lead you off track. If you find yourself caught in the trap laid by one of these myths, it is time to set yourself free!
Myth #1: If you don’t have time for the entire prescribed XXworkout, you should just skip the whole thing.
We all know the nagging pain of a day where the alarm didn’t go off, your toddler is sick, work is a fire drill, or the weather is garbage. The scheduled workout is Just. Not. Going. To. Happen. In frustration, it can be tempting to bag everything and sulk. Don’t. Your schedule is the best-case scenario, and every single runner has had to punt and pivot now and again. If the track workout isn’t an option, an aerobic run can still help clear your head, and keep you on track for either an adjusted workout day later in the week or next week’s tasks. If the schedule calls for 45 minutes and you only have 25 minutes, your body will get a significant benefit from doing even half the work. If you are taking an unplanned “zero” in the log, focus your mental energy on the positives – more freshness for the next session, accomplishment of the tasks and issues that have stolen your run time, and the confidence that a day or few off does not have to have a significant impact on your fitness level.
Myth #2: Days off are for wimps.
Training hard is important to get toward your goal, but without recovery, your muscles don’t have the ability to adapt and recoup after the stress you have placed on them already. Recuperation time allows your body to return to preparedness for the stimulus ahead and in doing so, get the most out of the upcoming challenge. Running hard every day drives your body into a deeper and deeper hole from which it eventually becomes impossible to escape. Build your schedule with some planned and regular rest, and the chances of you making it to the start line of your goal race will increase immensely.
Myth #3: You will set a personal best every single race or you are not trying hard enough.
There are many, many factors that contribute to a personal best day. An accurately (or inaccurately) measured course. A tail or head wind. Hills. A bad meal the night before. How well recovered you are. Your bout of flu last week. Neglecting to hydrate along the route or beforehand. The list goes on and on. These are not excuses, but factors which can both enhance or diminish the yield from your training up to that point. Your actual fitness plays the largest role, but smart training includes a slight cyclical effect where recovery periods are interspersed with hard training and tapering for goal events. 100% effort each time can be a good way to practice the significant demand your body will require when it is primed for a signature day, but even top level effort each time may not always result in a new level of achievement, particularly for experienced runners who have been through the train and taper cycle in the past. Concentrate on the quality of your preparation, the execution of your plan, and when your body is ready, you’ll have good racing habits and attitude down pat.
Myth #4a: The more cushioning in your shoes, the better chance you have of avoiding injury.
Most athletes do not need to purchase the shoes with the maximum potential padding, structure, or stability in order to stay injury free, and in fact these shoes can sometimes impede your stride from operating at its greatest efficiency. Each foot and every person is different. Consider getting a gait analysis from an experienced staff member at a reputable running specialty store in your neck of the woods, and adding that info to your reasoning as you choose your next pair of shoes. Well-cushioned shoes have indeed helped many non-runners become runners through the years, but for many athletes, other choices may serve the body better.
Myth #4b: The less cushioning in your shoes, the better chance you have of avoiding injury.
In recent years, thousands of runners have become enamored with the “minimalist” segment of the running shoe market. These are typically footwear with much or all of the heel lift eliminated, or shoes meant to simulate running barefoot with various ways of wrapping around the foot or articulating the sole. While incorporating barefoot running or minimalist footwear into a larger program to strengthen the foot and lower leg can be very beneficial, these decisions must be made in context. Injury history, the restraint to gradually incorporate this type of running, and the availability of suitable and safe terrain must all be considered. Again, minimalist footwear have been invaluable tools for many runners, but just because you want to be one of those runners, doesn’t mean you are. Get some input from your experienced local running specialty retailer or a podiatrist, and don’t do anything all at once.
Myth #5: Training for a marathon is a great crash diet.
Physical fitness is a great by-product of decision to train for a half or full marathon. Weight loss may result, but the “goal beyond the goal” should always be sustainable, healthy habits. Athleticism, strength, endurance are all aspects of your best self that need to come to the fore in order for you to reach your race finish line. Explicit, short term dieting and caloric reduction while maintaining a schedule of challenging running tasks can be detrimental to your training and health at best, and dangerous at worst. We want running to be a life-long, rewarding pursuit, but we also know it fits into a larger context of healthy diet, sleep, lifestyle, and fitness choices. Incremental changes you can live with, while adjusting to training, can help ensure that this goal won’t be the end of your training, but just the start.
We're 2 months into the New Year. Seems like a good time to revisit the goals we set on 1/1/15. Here's a look back at a great article by Dena Evans from 2010.
Goals seem like a good idea at the time. They motivate us to start, they provide good fodder for conversation, they keep us organized. However, if they are truly going to be accomplishments we look back on with pride, these goals must also include the risk that we might not pass the test.
Recovery doesn’t begin when you finally tuck into bed the night following your workout. Recovery begins as you unwind your body from the hard work just accomplished minutes before. Busy schedules may tempt us to skip a cool down jog, but it’s important to reserve some time for this last piece of your workout. Even a couple easy laps after your last hard interval or pace run can help unwind your body and your mind.
The cool down provides an often crucial transition period for your body and mind as it goes from high intensity requirements to preparedness for the next activity of your day. The cool down does not have a huge amount of science proving its necessity, but it’s important that you don’t stop completely and immediately after long, hard exercise,or take your heart rate from extremely high to extremely low in moments (this is why many marathons and half marathons automatically build in lengthy post-finish straightaways to walk and collect fuel). Let your body temperature drop gradually instead of getting straight into the car sopping wet with sweat. Giving yourself a moment to jog, roll, and stretch before getting into that same car can prepare your tired muscles for the commute and prevent the onset of post-workout tightness. A week later, that post-workout tightness can resurface as IT band or low back tightness, from which it may be just a stone’s throw to an injury as workout loads increase.
Stretching has been discussed in the running media a great deal lately, with the once familiar pre and post-run routines now discarded as outdated and not a necessary precursor to injury prevention or better performance. While we encourage dynamic exercise as a part of our Active Warm-up, we also encourage athletes to be knowledgeable about post-run foam (or other tool) rolling and stretching (even if you only have those precious few minutes). Even if you don’t practice both or each every single day, it is wise to keep those tools in your arsenal. They help the body transition from the tension of the hard workout to post-run life.
Another key aspect of recovery is rehydration and refueling. If running longer than an hour, consuming about 1/3 of your calories burned per hour through sports drink or food can help ensure success. Making sure to get at least that much food down the hatch in the first 15-30 minutes after working out (even if you don’t feel hungry), can make a significant difference in how quickly your body will begin to prepare itself for the next hard task. Waiting 2 hours and then eating a huge meal or a pitcher of beer is an absolute no-no! This will delay your recovery and adaptation for your next workout. Bring a snack and a low sugar sports drink to your workout and consume them when you are done. You’ll take the edge off the hunger (and avoid a need for a ridiculously huge meal later). You will feel stronger for the rest of the day and more importantly for your running, eliminate needless time where you body is hunting around for fuel sources in vain.
When you do get to hit the hay, an evening workout may leave you wide awake. While this may be unavoidable, morning or midday runners should feel nice and tired when bedtime comes. Resist the temptation to let a post-hard workout or race day act as a reward to not worry about sleep. In fact, those nights are most crucial. This is your body’s time to repair and prepare for the running ahead. Do your level best to get good sleep the night after a hard day and give yourself the best chance possible for future success and injury free running.
Human nature, the demands of every day life, and other unpredictable aspects of modern living may intervene and prevent you from always executing a perfect recovery routine. Do your best, try to chalk up small wins each day, and integrate good habits as much as you can. Your body will respond with more good days, and hopefully your future successes will encourage you to continue treating yourself well post-run.
Your weekly schedule has just appeared in your email inbox and it is time to sit down to consider the week’s training tasks. What track workout or tempo run is planned? When and where will that workout take place?
We know that the actual intervals of the workout will require our greatest expenditure of energy, so naturally we psych ourselves up for those. Far less often do we consider the importance of the warm up. This month, we will shed some light on this crucial aspect of your training and give the warm up its due.
Most workouts include varying amounts and variations on four very important aspects: Easy running, LIGHT stretching, running drills, and strides.
Easy running
It is not uncommon for an easy warm-up jog to be described as a way to “get the blood flowing.” Although that phrase is often uttered with a figurative meaning, the reality is, the easy jogging at the beginning of your warm up does exactly that. Easy running provides a bridge for your body to move from a static situation (sleeping in bed, driving the car, watching TV), to a place where your core body temperature has been raised. This prepares your muscles to accommodate increased blood flow, allows for more strenuous contractions as required by a hard workout, and starts the processes you’ll need to use your body’s stored energy effectively throughout the session.
Light stretching
The purpose of the warm up is to execute a string of activities that will conclude when your body is prepared to begin the hard work at hand. Taking a timeout to stretch for 20 minutes will certainly disrupt the progression of that process. However, taking a few moments to check in with the major muscle groups after (and only after) you have been able to light the fire with easy running can provide a helpful transition to the increasingly dynamic activities in the warm up routine. Hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, glutes, and iliotibial (IT) bands can be lightly stretched (finding a cozy position for 2x8-10 seconds without any strain or hint of pain) from a standing or supine position without taking more than 5-7 minutes away from the remainder of activities on tap.
Running drills
Running drills are exercises that mimic or closely resemble some of the types of repetitive demands harder running will make on your body. The intention of running drills are to help ensure your body has been prepared to handle these, and to also reinforce the type of angles and form habits practiced by efficient runners. Runcoach has outlined and created short videos for a basic canon of seven running drills. Each drill is meant to be practiced for the distance indicated immediately after which the athlete should run with good form at 1500 meter pace effort for the balance of 100 meters.
Strides
Consider the last time you observed the start line of a competitive road race or track race. Many times the athletes involved take complete repeated short running bouts of 30, 50, or even 100 meters just before the competition begins. These final preparations are called strides. These strides listed on your warm up are most definitely related (as their lower-key cousin) to these pre race sprints. A chance to concentrate on good form for 20-30 seconds and provide the body a few more sustained efforts that keep the body warm and prepared to work hard are the final touches on your warm up routine. If you have ever done a workout with a short warm up and felt rusty on the first effort, only to find yourself feeling markedly better on the second bout, then you know firsthand the importance of strides. Please see our video description of strides here.
While warm up is a crucial physical preparation process, it can also be an invaluable time to review the mental elements you’ll need to employ during the workout and distance yourself from the everyday cares that will be waiting when you return through your front door. Let your warm up free you of the world’s gravity and transport you to the weightless state of focus on your workout. Complete each step with care and you’ll find your workouts will benefit.
A little more than a month from now, you’ll have the chance to consider some potential New Year’s resolutions. Where you will start from on January 1 will have a lot to do with how the next few weeks go.
While the holiday season can provide some of the happiest moments of the year, it can also wreak havoc on your running goals. Here are some ideas for how you can make the most of the season and keep your motor running before hitting the ground full speed on January 1.
Even if your schedule doesn’t normally include morning running, consider scheduling your runs for the early hours.
The first few weeks of December often include more events outside of your control than potentially any other time of the year. Office functions or extra hours / shifts at work, recitals, school events, and holiday obligations for school aged kids, other civic, religious, or social events and obligations –the calendar can get pretty crowded.
That run you already scheduled after work can quickly get pushed to the wayside when you find out from your spouse at 4 that you need to be somewhere you had forgotten about at 6:30, dressed neatly and with a bottle of wine for the hosts. Maybe your mom needs you to drive her across town for that special ingredient she wants to put in the pie she is making tomorrow and aren’t you just the one to take her this evening after work but before they close at eight? There goes the run.
Late in the month, family meals (in addition to food shopping and preparation), odd schedules, the irresistible pull of a bowl game or the warm couch (and the inevitable snooze), can successfully thwart the most stalwart runner in their efforts to stay on track. If you are able to run in the morning, even if it is not the best series of workouts you have had all year, you at least ensure that you don’t put yourself in a gapingly large training hole. At this point, it is dark in the morning AND in the evening, so you probably won’t miss much there. You will however, be able to give yourself a silent high five every day, even when the rest of your schedule may leave you scrambling. So, block it in now!
Stay hydrated
Yes, you should drink water because you are training and you want to stay hydrated. But, the holiday time is also a key hydration zone in many ways that will also help you feel more like yourself when you do get a chance to hit the road or the treadmill. Maybe travel is in your plans. As we have mentioned before in Personal Best, you should aim to drink a cup of water for every time zone you cross while flying in the dry air-conditioned atmosphere of an airplane. If mountains or other dry, snowy climates are in your future, this is also important as high altitudes and dry air can leave you under-hydrated before you realize it. You may already be out of your element or preferred weather conditions for a time during the holidays, so everything you can do to at least keep your body working well will be key to move from just salvaging a situation to a place where you get some quality running accomplished despite the challenges.
Even if your holiday plans do not include travel, proper hydration remains crucial to staying on track. It can assist with digestion when faced with a gauntlet of rich foods and a never-ending stream of chocolates in the break room. It can also help combat the dehydrating effects of holiday related alcohol consumption and give your family feast some welcome company in your stomach so you are not as likely to go overboard for the fifth time this week.
Include the family in some running
Find a Turkey Trot, or Jingle Bell Jog 5K /10K the family can walk or jog together while you get in a tempo run. Pick an outing or two where others can walk or hike while you and whomever is up for it can run. Plan a run during someone else’s shopping or errands, so they can go crazy in the stores while you take off for a few miles down a nearby bike path before meeting them back at the car. Think in advance of ways you can meld your run seamlessly into another’s schedule so that you can avoid missing a quality hour with family when everybody is finally home and you’ve just decided to head out on the trail.
Enjoy what you do get done, and don’t worry about what you can’t fit in
If you are unable to perfectly complete every single day’s training from now until the end of the year, you are probably not alone. The holidays are special because you do often have the time to travel or to visit with friends and family in ways your schedule wouldn’t normally permit. It is important to enjoy these times and maintain a balance that keeps running in perspective. If you have a choice in days of the week to get certain things accomplished or can recalculate your schedule in advance to account for certain problem dates coming up, try to prioritize the hard workouts and long runs, so if you don’t get everything in, you will at least have tackled the most challenging days. However, even if you are stymied in this effort, the important thing is that you don’t fall completely out of touch with your goals, that you don’t let guilt over two or three days missed keep you from getting back to the schedule next time out, and that you stay healthy.
Everyone, from world class athletes to beginners, will find the holidays to be a time requiring flexibility and variation in their typical routine. You are not alone. Look ahead as best you can, stay relaxed, and see if you can arrive on January 1st with only minor adjustments needed instead of a complete overhaul. Perhaps you will have even learned some tips that will make the next holiday season even better.
Whether you have just begun training with us for a goal race some time in the future, or have been a long-time runner who needs a bit of motivation or a new goal, the beginning of a new year is a great time not only to set new goals, but to do so in a way that will stick.
Ensure accountability
If you have a big goal you hope to accomplish, chances are you will be more likely to follow through if you have a mechanism to ensure that any doubt or lapses will be noted and you don’t get off track. Many times, the term “accountability” takes on a negative connotation, but in reality, a positive motivational tool tied to an accomplished goal can be a decisive element that puts you over the top.
Accountability can take the form of a reward you commit to enjoying upon accomplishing your goal. While that may offer a simple and straightforward way to motivate yourself, consider your rewards in the context of the lifestyle change you are most likely trying to embark upon by setting the goal. So, if your goal is weight loss as a part of your effort to run your first half marathon, having a huge blowout meal at the best restaurant in town serve as your motivator to get through your next long run might not be the best reward. Instead, pick a reward that reinforces the positive changes you hope to make. Of course we don’t want you to become mercenary so a few guilty pleasures from time to time are perfectly acceptable.
Enlist a friend or family member who knows you well enough to nudge or budge you when you are veering off course. All of us have times when motivation is lacking in some way or another, and by asking another person to remind you of your goals and keep you on track, you have already ensured that your will power and motivation need not be 100% all the time. Arranging at least periodic running opportunities with another runner or group will also motivate you to show up and complete your task if for no other reason than the reluctance to stand someone up!
You might not need a big reward to look forward to or need to have others with which you feel comfortable sharing your goals. Many of you enjoy our online training log for that very reason. Many of our longtime members indicate they love nothing more than to see a string of blue days in a row! Another written log or an X on each day of the calendar can be effective tools. Print out your goal race entry confirmation and post it to your bathroom mirror or write yourself a note that pops up on your smartphone calendar on the days of your tough workouts. Most importantly, take some time to consider how you typically respond to challenges - what paves the way for the times your are successful and what stands in your way. Figure out the simple ways you can keep yourself accountable and hopefully next year you’ll be resolving to achieve some new goals.
Have Fun
Oftentimes, the resolutions we make are as a result of leaving difficult tasks undone. Things that have been left unfinished for some time as a result of inertia or procrastination are going to be difficult to all accomplish suddenly because of a simple change of heart. If your goal appears to be an uphill trudge the entire way, look hard for ways to find some fun along the road. Again, if this is a prescription you are giving yourself to jumpstart a larger shift in behavior or lifestyle, you want to make sure the change is something you can live with and enjoy for some time.
If you have a choice of races, pick one with a great course, an established fun vibe, or another trait that will make the experience about more than just the run. If running in the dark gets you down, make sure to set aside time on the weekends to run during the day to give yourself a break from what has been difficult. Take some time to explore new routes and scenic territory around your neighborhood or city. Pick a hilly run and stop at the top to take in the view. Take some time to consider what it is that you really enjoy about running (even if you only enjoy it a little bit), and scratch that itch as much as possible.
Note Incremental Progress
The biggest goals often take a while to accomplish and progress may not always be linear. If your new year’s resolution is a long distance goal race, it might help (we typically recommend this regardless) to run a few intermediate distance efforts to note fitness progress and encourage you that your are slowly crossing the canyon toward your big day. In running, as in many other things in life, your result may be subject to forces beyond your control. Your training could go completely smoothly up until three days before the race, when you catch a cold or turn an ankle. Creating a field of multiple data points will allow you to evaluate the process rather than only having the one race to either make or break your perspective on your efforts.
Above all else, we encourage you to set goals! Reach high, assume you will be successful. Take a step in the right direction today. Making the choice to set a goal to begin with is not an insignificant part of the process. Once you have, we look forward to helping you get there!
Few life changes will have a greater impact than the arrival of a newborn. Both the physical challenges for mom, as well as the stark changes in family schedule and breadth of responsibility for both parents can justifiably upend priorities. This can wreak havoc with the comfortable patterns of habitual runners.
Chances are, unless you have had a very quickly moving adoption, you have been well aware that changes in your running routine await the arrival of the new bundle of joy. Very likely, transitions have already occurred for mom with the ups and downs of pregnancy. Whether a quick return to work or flexibility for extended parental leave is on the horizon, here are a few tips and ideas for runners in the throes of new parenthood:
Consider how baby gear purchases, such as a stroller, can assist you in the eventual pursuit of a return to running. Yes, that sounds crass – you are about to enjoy one of life’s greatest blessings, and running should come to mind? Well, if there is anything that you intend to continue doing on a regular basis after your baby comes, it probably saves time and money to anticipate how you can manage that practice within the context of your baby’s first few years at home.
For example, many running families use a jogging stroller (or a stroller with that capability) for their primary stroller. Initially, it can be used for regular stroller duty, particularly now that many jogging strollers can attach baby carriers and inserts allow for extra padding with newborn babies. When eventually jogging becomes appropriate with the little one, everyone is used to the new gear, how it fits in the car, the baby finds it to be a smooth transition, and more enjoyable / contented baby running might result.
Moms: set a completion goal, but no sooner than 6-12 months after giving birth. Dads: choose flexible goals in the first year.
While the experience of every mother is different, having a goal to shoot for can often inspire (to lose weight, to re-grasp a feeling of independent personhood, etc) when life seems completely turned on its head. Set a goal too soon, and it may become a needless stressor, both logistically, and physically, when the body is out of shape and sleep is minimal. Set a time goal too soon after giving birth, and the unpredictable physical aftermath of motherhood can create frustration. By a year, many moms are beginning to recognize their bodies again, and having a date to look forward to (as a return to the experience of being an athlete) can be a very motivational tool. Just enjoy your first goal race after baby to celebrate how far you have come. Use subsequent goal races to return to previous fitness and pace levels.
New dads are also saddled/ delighted with the many transitions of fatherhood, but many times must navigate a tricky landscape of an initially supporting role in the physical sense. Without the obvious setbacks of pregnancy and giving birth, it may be enticing to set a big goal, almost in celebration of the new family member. However, in this particular instance, it is worth considering flexible goals. Neither of you quite know how you will feel physically or rest-wise as these dates get closer, and the last thing needed is more stress. One option to keep dad on track could be to pick a distance goal with three or four options in 60 day range.
Have patience with your body after baby (yes, dads too!)
For many first time parents, the adrenaline of new parenthood eventually wears off, but many nights of limited sleep remain. Schedules change and keep changing. Things like foam rolling, stretching, strength routines, and other ancillary activities may be cut out to preserve what little time remains to run. Unsurprisingly, aches and pains might crop up, and the legs might not recover as fast. Control what you can control. Consider occasionally modifying your running routes and other patterns to avoid a fruitless comparison contest with your well-rested self.
For moms in particular, resist the urge to return to serious training until you are cleared to run by your doctor. Be sure to progress incrementally. Just like a marathon recovery that is too short, a postpartum running injury may not crop up immediately. Rather it often surfaces after the premature progression has been established over several weeks or months.
Shop and prepare for running with body after baby.
One of the most common roadblocks to a successful return to pre-baby running fitness can be the first few efforts out the door. For many moms, postpartum bodies feel like complicated new appliances with misplaced instruction manuals, what with the likely weight gain and the new demands and dimensions of various body parts. All of us know better than to establish self-esteem from outside appearances, but without a couple running items that fit, it can be that much harder to get out and get started. Having a high impact / supportive sports bra and shorts that fit your current size can make a difference, and are worth shopping for even in advance when you have more flexibility in your schedule.
When it comes time for stroller jogging, find the bike paths.
Just as parents at their wits’ end will drive a baby around the block, hoping to induce sleep, the stroller experience for your baby / toddler can vary wildly from soothing to disruptive, which in turn may have a direct impact on your ability to reintegrate running positively into your daily life. Bumpy roads, streets with many stop lights, turns or undulations may be your only options, and by yourself, you might barely notice these parts of the route. However, the stroller years might also serve as a chance to get to know the flat, off street routes in your region better than you might have before, and allow the jogging stroller experience to emerge as a positive parenting interactive time rather than a struggle of wills.
Stephanie Lee (pictured) has been practicing yoga for over 12 years in a variety of diverse settings that include Hawaii, Greece, Italy, and Thailand.
Although we earn a small reprieve from the early morning darkness with next month's time change, many runners are just settling in for a long winter of running in the dark. Whether you rise early to beat the rush before the workday begins and the kids wake up, or fit in a run at the end of the day, nighttime running is a fact of life for many athletes. Here are a few tips for staying safe and maximizing these workouts until the sun reappears.
Avoid risk-taking
While running the same route again and again might seem unappealing, or stopping your awesome tempo run briefly to make sure a passing car sees you, it is always worth it. Stick to routes where lighting can help provide safety and mark your path, even if that means doing multiple loops around a few block radius. Head to a local track and run while kids are playing soccer or lacrosse under the lights in the evening. Put off exploration of that new trail until the weekend when you can run in the daylight. Set aside the headphones so that you can be alert to your surroundings (yes, you can do it).
Choose routes for the presence of sidewalks away from the roadway. Consider places of business where early morning activity takes place in a typically safe manner, such as a gas station, bagel shop, or Starbucks and include them on your run. Check for daily sunrise and sunset times so you can safely estimate when you will need to be in spots that are safe for those times of day. In short, give yourself at least one more measure of safety precautions than you would ordinarily take. That may mean boredom and repetition, but is always better than not being able to run at all or risking adverse events
See and be seen
Many running apparel companies and specialty brands have introduced reflective clothing and devices to help runners stay safe in the dark. Sometimes we focus on being visible to cars and others by wearing reflective gear, and other times we focus on keeping our path lit with headlamps and other illuminating devices. In reality, both are important at all times. A hard fall because of an unseen root or sidewalk crack is dangerous, and of course it is crucial to be visible to vehicular traffic. It isn’t always possible to be completely visible in the dark, but taking care to be seen and to seeing where your feet will travel can be a crucial safety precaution.
Keep others in the loop
Whether you live with others in your household or reside independently, leave a note, a text, or other word where you plan to go every time. If you encounter any trouble on an evening run, it may be until daylight before anyone is aware of your extended absence or be able to see you in distress alongside a road. Particularly if doing something strenuous or extended, such as a long run for a marathon training cycle, estimating a time of return can help ease the mind of others who aren’t used to the length of these runs, as well as determine when you are indeed overdue. Whenever possible, try to meet others for nighttime runs. Both as a safety measure and as added encouragement when the winter is at its darkest and coldest point, a partner or group willing to meet you at a nighttime hour can make all the difference.
Be creative
Roads and outdoor tracks may not be the only venues for getting in runs. Enclosed walkways, indoor public spaces, the perimeter of a well-lit parking lot, and even a circuit of long hallways in winter-affected cities might provide occasional safe locations for runs when things are truly awful and dark. Consider a short-term gym membership, even if just to break up the workout by running there, doing some miles on the treadmill, and running home. If winter is really getting the best of you, consider sampling some indoor cross training disciplines you have been waiting to try, or investigate the possibility of all-comers indoor track meets in your community as a way to get in a good hard effort inside.
While nighttime running may not be pleasant for many, runners across the country and around the world have thrived with a schedule comprised primarily of workout times before dawn or after dusk. The good news is that sunlight is likely around the corner as spring returns, and the challenge of darkness is an opportunity to exercise the type of commitment and persistence that will serve you well when faced with a rough patch in your next goal race. Embrace the challenge, stay safe, and keep up the good work.
