Thursday, September 15, 2011

Late Sunrises Mean Running in the Dark

I had an easy 3 mile run on the schedule Tuesday morning but because it’s now super dark in the morning when I wake up and get going, I wanted to try a new route that keeps me in well-lit, public spaces. When running early in the morning, it’s really important to be smart and stay safe. There aren’t a whole lot of people out and about yet, so you can’t zone out and fall into your own little world when running at 5:30am. Running in the morning doesn’t do you any good if you’re not safe!

This is the route I took (thanks for the map DailyMile!)

Alt Downtown 3 Miler

I started at my usual point, ran along the water, then up Broadway, around City Hall Park, back towards the water and finished in a small park near our building. I have mixed feelings about this route.

Pros:

  • Safer in the dark
  • Nice to mix things up
  • More hills than my usual route

Cons:

  • More people to dodge
  • Have to contend with traffic lights and construction
  • Loud trucks and cars

So, I guess there are as many pros and cons about the new route and it evens out. I know the safety factor trumps the smelly trash on the sidewalks and having to dodge people on their way to/from work or the bar. At least fewer people honk their horns at that time of day!

Today I tried another version of this route to add on another mile. I don’t mind running the streets too much, but I much prefer to run along the water or in the park. It’s just more relaxing.

  • Do you change your route depending on what time of day you run?
  • What do you prefer? City streets, parks, or rural roads for your runs?
  • What safety precautions do you take when you run?

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Yesterday’s workout -

  • 40min stationary bike
  • 2x20 seated row
  • ab exercises
  • stretching

Today’s workout -

  • 4mile run
  • ab exercises
  • stretching

2 comments:

Callie said...

I'm the same way as you when it comes to running in the morning! Safety is my number once concern, and I also feel like I'm expending more energy looking over my shoulder than running itself.

If I'm running in the mornings before sunrise, I will not run on trails or in parks because I'm too alone. I prefer to run along the road, but my route doesn't have the city problems like smelly trash! That's the worst :(

I tell my roommate the night before if I plan to run in the morning, and tell my boyfriend to make sure he talks to me before work in order to make sure I'm still alive ha. I guess that's not very proactive, but at least someone would know if I was missing!

Unknown said...

I feel the same way about running in the morning. I run around 530 as well, and I spend the first 20 minutes or so feeling a little spooky and jumping at every noise. I do think I need to re-engineer my morning route - there are a few areas that are really dark and it's hard to see any people until they are right on top of you.

Your new route sounds great!