Calling all early morning runners

[Fitsticks]

What do you do in winter???

I get up at 05.15am to be out before 05.30am so I can get in a run and be home in time for my husband to get to work (2 small smelly boys to be looked after) but it's getting dark now. So what do you all do? Do you change your running time? Not really an option for me. Do you run with some sort of lighting? Do you stick to well lit areas? Do you cut down how much you run? Help.

[Babsicles Graduate]

Like you my only choice Is early morning before work I cannot stick to well lit areas as each way I can go has some areas not lit

I have purchased a light to illuminate the path 20 metres in front of me and it has a red light on the back

Tried it and it worked well it only lights ahead so if you wanted to look around would need a head torch as well

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

We discussed lighting a bit on my post yesterday - might be worth a read.

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

I run after work twice a week, so will soon also be running in the dark. I have a chest light which is great, so the shorter days don't affect my running at all really. I do stay on local roads in the dark, keeping my beloved trails for the weekend. If, I'm feeling very brave 😉, I use my Zombies, Run! App occassionally too! The winter months are long and lots of us don't have the flexibility to stick only to daylight runs, so getting some safe kit is definately the way to go! Embrace the dark side and good luck!😀🏃🏽‍♀️

[Razouski]

I got a piece of advice from my running buddy's wife who is not a runner but works for the probation service with ex offenders. She advised me to vary my route or my time of running especially if I'm running in the dark. She has had offenders tell her how they have watched lone women runners and worked out which days they run on, what time and what their route is so that they can then target them... I know it sounds creepy, and I don't want to be alarmist, but she was concerned that I don't make myself vulnerable especially as it gets darker etc. I hadn't really thought about it before.

I actually do vary my routes and times (but I'm lucky that I have the flexibility to run at different times).

Good luck with your lighting solutions.

[Coddfish Graduate]

If you have the ability to run in a lit area used by other runners, that's obviously going to be best. I think being seen (and therefore not hit) by early morning traffic is one of the biggest considerations, so try not to run all in black and make sure your clothing has reflective strips on it.