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.
Claire Wood, Senior Footwear Product Manager (Performance Running) at New Balance
Claire Wood has spent a career working in running footwear design and sales. After stints at industry sales powerhouses Mizuno and Brooks, Claire now works with New Balance in their Boston headquarters, leading the development of some of their most popular recent styles.
rc: Sometimes when shopping for shoes, a salesperson will ask you to run a bit so he or she can analyze your gait. What types of things are they looking for to help determine the best shoe for you?
CW: In this case, the salesperson is looking to identify any biomechanical tendencies – meaning what your body and mechanics by default are doing. This could include the popular overpronation, meaning to roll inward a significant amount that could lead to injury. Overpronation is very common, and a variety of stability shoes address this. Always tell the sales person what prior injuries or areas of pain you often experience. Pain on the inside of the knees or shins could be from rolling inward upon impact and can be easily remedied.
rc: What are the key aspects of a shoe that determine what kind of runner it is designed for?
CW: Running shoes have gotten so elaborate that it can often be overwhelming to try to figure them out. Running shoes all fall within a certain category, Neutral, Stability, or Control. Neutral means that the footprint and basic design of a shoe is for a runner with a pretty efficient biomechanical gait. A stability shoe would have a higher density of material, found on the medial side of the shoe to bring additional protection to counter forces rolling inward. Control shoes are the highest degree of stability – and are less common than neutral and stability shoes. Always make sure that whatever you’re fit in feels comfortable, as nothing should hurt. In addition to the basic categories, running shoes offer a variety of heights which situate your foot in various positions off the ground. This is called “offset”, and is an important aspect of the shoe. Always make sure you’re never transitioning too rapidly from a shoe higher off the ground to a shoe much lower to the ground, also called a “minimal shoe”.
rc: What are some ways in which current shoe technology has evolved to better serve runners?
CW: The goal with any running shoe should be to make the experience better for the runner, and let the runner think about the run, not the shoe. Materials in the upper of the shoe have become much thinner and more pliable, allowing for a more secure fit with a much lighter feeling over the foot. The materials that make up the midsole – foams, rubbers, and plastics, are also significantly more innovative. The goal with technology in running shoes is that it improves cushioning, stability and the overall performance of the shoe. This could mean the protective element or the actual feel – be it bouncy or plush.
rc: What are the next frontier(s) for shoe design? What kinds of challenges are you and other shoe designers looking to tackle over the next several years?
CW: The next frontiers of shoe design are always focused around the goal of making the run better. Just as our iphones, laptops and vacuums are getting lighter – this is the goal of running shoes. It is important, however, to never sacrifice something in order to make a shoe lighter. For a runner logging a lot of miles or with an injury history – there is often a fine line. That said, the focus of footwear has shifted to not only include what is under the foot and on top of the foot, but the actual position the foot is in throughout the entire gait cycle. Having an awareness of this and helping runners better their overall form – feet, core and upper body included, is all part of what we believe is inclusive to footwear design. Thinking of the foot as an extension of the body, it is our duty to think of the footwear design as an extension of all elements that affect that foot.
Typically in this column, we look at a simple component of the running experience and attempt to help you be aware of how to maximize or at least benefit from the proper implementation of that component. This month, we are talking about a muscle with a fancy name, but the concept is just as simple and important as topics like arm swing and hydration.
The transverse abdominis (TVA) is one of the innermost layers of flat abdomen muscle. The name refers to the horizontal direction of its fibers, but the muscle stretches from the bottom six ribs down to the iliac crest, or pelvic region, helping to stabilize both regions. The TVA also connects to the diaphragm, assisting with inhalation. If anyone has ever encouraged you to “tighten your core” they most likely were encouraging you to regain posture that the TVA helps to provide.
As it is such a deep muscle within the body, the TVA can many times go unaddressed, even when we are making a concerted effort to do “abs” or core exercises. However as a long, strong, and deep muscle connected to many of the parts of the body that drive running performance, we want to provide some tips for how to activate and strengthen this part of the body. As this month’s Pro’s Perspective featured athlete David Torrence attests – it really can help!
The Chek Institute of Vista, California provides a simple exercise with 4 steps for making yourself aware of the TVA and beginning the process of activating it.
1. Kneel on the floor on hands and knees and let the contents of your midsection rest against the abdominal wall.
2. Keeping your spine flat and straight, take a deep breath from your diaphragm.
3. Exhale, drawing your belly button toward your spine by actively trying to use the bands of muscle connecting your ribs and your pelvis. Do not flex the spine or rotate your pelvis area.
4. Hold your belly button to your spine for ten seconds. Relax for ten seconds and repeat the process several times.
Once you are aware of and comfortable activating your TVA, one simple exercise to begin with is the plank.
Plank exercises can be done in many different variations and difficulties, but to get started, lets begin with the simplest version. Get yourself into a lifted push-up position. Your back should be flat – one long line from your shoulders to your heels. Your feet should be shoulder width apart, and your arms can be either straight with your palms on the ground, or bent, resting on your elbows/ forearms. Your head should be neutral – just extending from your neck, not tilted specifically up or down.
Concentrate on engaging your TVA muscles much as you did in the previous exercise (pull your belly button toward your spine), while you simply hold this position for 20, 30, or even 60 seconds. When you feel comfortable with this exercise, able to do 2 or 3 times at 30-60 seconds, you could try going from resting on your forearms to your palms with arms fully extended or lifting one foot off the ground at a time slowly, making sure to maintain the same weight distribution as much as possible.
When you have built confidence with these or similar exercises, you will find that activating this muscle is an important component of our Whole Body Strengthening routine. It is particularly important in these exercises: Left & Right side planks, partner punishment, and pointers.
As David Torrence suggests, don’t let your core “crumple” at the end of your next race. Get to know your transverse abdominis and prepare to finish strong!
Unless you are nursing a lengthy consecutive day streak, there is probably a limit to the type of weather you will endure to complete or at least attempt your scheduled run. This line is probably very personal decision point, honed over time and perhaps drawn at a different place than when you first began running.
