A Double First! And a Double 5k 🚶‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[Birdlady64]

I've been itching to run this weekend, and wanted it to be a longer one, but life is being obstructive right now. A series of errands meant no run yesterday. ☹ I've not been sleeping that well all this week and the sleep gremlins finally won this morning. 💤👿

I was uhm-ing and ah-ing about whether to run this afternoon, but decided instead on a 5k walk in the woods with Mr B. It was busy over there again. We reached home as it was getting dark.

Kettle on and I sat down with a nice cup of Rooibos. I got a real taste for this on a road trip to South Africa in 2001.

Tea drunk I say to Mr B - "I think I might go for a run in a bit". He looks at me like I've sprouted an extra head😂.

So, I set off from the house about 5:30 pm. Well, I've never run on a Sunday evening before, and I have never, ever run in the dark before.

So that's a double first!

I opt for a reflective yellow top (I'm not sure it reflected much at all) and a clip-on white led running light. Some proper reflective gear is on my list for Father Christmas! 🎅

I used NRC "Running in the Dark". This was OK , full of tips about what gear to wear, and personal safety for running at night. I'm not too sure about coach Bennett's suggestion to carry pepper spray though!

Anyway, I stuck to the pavements (which I hate) between home and my parents house, performing a 0.7k loop several times. It was a weird experience. It felt like I was super speedy - but the stats are telling me the exact opposite!

Last knockings, but at least I finally managed to squeeze a run in this weekend. It ended up as a slow 5k in Zone 2/3, and not the longer run I had wanted. But it was a run all the same!

Happy Sunday evening everyone!

[nowster Graduate10]

I'm not even sure pepper spray would be legal here!

Well done for braving the dark. 👍

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

No you are probably right there.Makes you wonder though if that's relatively normal in the USA

[Couchphoenix Graduate10]

A friend of mine did the NRC ‘Running In The Dark’ run and said all the safety tips freaked her out a bit. You should have done a Zombies Run.....they get you moving especially in the dark 😂 well done on getting out there though and completing 5k 👍🏃‍♀️

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Couchphoenix]

You know what, I never thought of that this evening, but I might have tried it if I had. I know you keep trying to persuade me.😁Tbh a lot of the advice in that NRC run was just common sense but the pepper spray idea freaked me a bit.

[Couchphoenix Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

I’m guessing Coach Bennett runs in a dodgy neighbourhood like the ones you see on TV.....he’s company though when you’re out there running on your own.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

Well done heading out for that run when you could have curled up for the evening. Happy running 🤗

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Grannyhugs]

Thanks!It was tempting, but maybe going for a run right after a walk like that wasn't such a great idea.

I'm glad I went out though

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

A run is a run and I’m glad you managed to fit yours in before weekend ended

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thanks. I'm not sure I want to make a habit of Sunday evening runs though.I gave a few days off coming up so hopefully it will be easier to make time for a run

[Jools2020 Graduate10]

Mmm Rooibos. Sounds like a translation of Red Bush (says she with her linguist hat on!) I like Red Bush.

It sounds like a run with a difference. I’m not sure I fancy running in the dark as I’m sure I’d trip over something! My night vision is appalling.

You managed to make it work for you and went out for a 5K run, so well done for that! 👏👏👏🏃‍♀️👍

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

It's probably a bit of an acquired taste but I love it.I'm glad I went out, but maybe it wasn't so great an idea right after a walk like that.

I have a few days leave coming up so hopefully it will be easier to run

[Tillybeach Graduate10]

Well done! Going out on a dark cold evening, plenty of respect!!

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Tillybeach]

ThanksI wore a vest under my long sleeved top. In hindsight I wished I hadn't as I was too warm.

I also missed my buff sun visor which doubles up as a great sweat band. I just felt like a bit of an idiot running in the dark wearing a sun visor

[Hidden]

Boooooooooooooom!!

You can't beat a bit of a night run. Hey you...well done. Your experience and consistency has allowed you to run wherever, whenever and whatever. Take it and put it with the rest of the leaves on the tree 🌳 😃

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Hidden You have such an amazing take on the things and always so positive and uplifting.I never really considered myself as being consistent, but yes and others have also said that.

This run put down a line in the sand for me and I've just extended the time during which I can run through these shorter days. That has to be a bonus.

I hope Father Christmas brings me my reflective kit I asked him for

[Hidden in reply to Birdlady64]

If you have the three C's- Courage, Commitment and Consistency- which you do in abundance, then you'll always be ok. When times get tough remember these are in built inside you 🙂

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Yes. Such wise words.And of course that applies to life in general not just running.

Thank you

[Elfe5 60minGraduate]

That’s great, a run when you think you have missed it that day is very satisfying! 👍🏻😄Pepper spray - I mis- interpreted that as bear spray 🐻 - (we had a Canadian trip last year).😂

I like running in the dark- especially around the Christmas lights. 😄

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Elfe5]

Yes a few houses had their Christmas lights up.I don't think there are many bears in suburban Essex 😁🐻

[dijep Graduate10]

Glad you managed to get out it's frustrating when you want to get out there but life keep throwing in obstacles.I've never run in the dark either but I want to do a run to check out everybody's Xmas lights ☃️🌲

I tried rooibos about 15 years ago and really didn't like it, then 6 months ago I tried it again and really liked it 😊 It's interesting how out tastes change.

Hope you get your long run on soon.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to dijep]

Thanks. I'm hoping maybe Thursday as I will be off work then. Plus I have the Speed Challenge run on TuesdayI really love Rooibos and it's bmy go-to cuppa. Talking about taste you are right. My Dad hated olives all his life and wouldn't go near them. Then suddenly somehow at the age of 70 he ate one by accident and now he loves them!😋

Hope you manage to get a night run in to see the lights!

[dijep Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Snap 😀 I hated olives until my 40s now love them

[Littleoyellow Graduate10]

Huge respect for cramming that run in - my hubby and I both tried a run after dark this last couple of weeks and both enjoyed it. I felt ok sticking to the well lit roads and have a reflective top on order to ramp up the safety factor. Think I will ask father Christmas for a chest torch 😁 I'm also keen on the rooibos and prefer it to black tea 😁👍

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Littleoyellow]

Another rooibos fan! Woo hoo!

I'm not sure if I enjoyed running in the dark or not. It was ok, more running all the way on residential side streets I didn't like. I much prefer off road, but that's not sensible at night and alone

[Littleoyellow Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Big up the rooibos- caffeine free pleasure - I weirdly like mine with a splash of milk 😂 I normally run on a mixture of tracks and roads but enjoyed the trot round the streets in the dark as a different experience. If needs must, as they occasionally will during the winter months, an ok option 😁👍

[Hidden]

Brave run Birdlady, I’d need a RRB to take that on, pitch black around here and single track roads to get out of our village, I’d be well spooked, I have been thinking recently about joining a running group who run in the evenings in the nearest town , even they stick to the lit paths in the Winter months. great to have that feeling of wanting to run Yay 😀🤗

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. Yes I wanted to get a run in.It's ok here but I have to stick to the residential streets in town at night.

Have you thought about a head torch or chest torch?

[Hidden in reply to Birdlady64]

I’d just feel too spooked out on my own in the dark, too vivid an imagination! 😱

[Hareshaw-Granny Graduate10]

Great run for you in the dark. We're discovering all these amazing experiences with this running lark. Hopefully it will become more enjoyable for you. I'm off for a dark one in the morning round my windfarm trails 🤞🤞

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Hareshaw-Granny]

Yes - we just keep on learning don't we. I love it!Good luck for your windfarm run in the dark tomorrow

[Roxdog Graduate10]

Oh, a run in the dark! Well done for being resilient and running and doing a run on pavements. Like you, I'm not keen on road running, but it has to be done sometimes.I'm in gremlins central at the moment, so will try and run soon, but my dog is very ill so I'm rather preoccupied. 😐

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Roxdog]

So sorry to hear that about your dog. It must be a worry for you. The runs will still be waiting for you when things get better. You need to focus on what's most important right now 😘

[Health2020 Graduate10]

Well done for going for it. I know I need to get my runs in as early (but not too early!) in the day, the later I leave it the less chance I’ve got of making it out the door!!

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Health2020]

ThanksIt's difficult with the shorter darker days but we fit in the runs when and where we can

[Lifluf Graduate10]

I think its probably better to take it slow and steady if you're running in the dark. Well done for getting out there.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Lifluf]

Thank you.And yes , Coach Bennett said exactly that