Tips & Advice For Running At Night

Safety should always be first on your list of priorities when it comes to night-time running.

With that in mind, route planning, running with friends, and wearing the right kit is very important. But let’s not forget one significant factor when it comes to running at night: it’s fantastic fun! Keeping your training going through winter is good for a host of reasons, both physically and mentally, and will make your winter one to remember.

A Freeing Sensation

Of course, we’re all a little nervous when it comes to night running. We should all take extra precautions to make jogging at night as safe as possible, but it’s certainly worth the time and planning. Take the light, for instance: the ambience after sunset differs completely from your summer run on precisely the same route. There’s also less traffic and a sense of tranquillity. It almost feels like the streets are yours. And as you have fewer distractions, you can focus more on your body. Think of it as a freeing sensation that sharpens the senses! And that’s where your RunTogether group comes into its own.

Running Safety

Again, it’s worth stressing you must get the running safety aspects sorted. If you’re running with one of RunTogether’s running groups, your group leader will help you with that. Either way, reflective kit is a definite and should always take a phone with you. You should also remind yourself that when it’s dark, wet, cold and watching Coronation Street seems like a better option, there’s nothing like running the day’s care away on the pavement! It’s a perfect moment to blow off some steam - the perfect stress-reliever before you drift off to sleep.

Helping You Sleep

Do you worry that running at night will make it harder to fall asleep? Recent research conducted in Switzerland actually shows the opposite: evening exercise can help people fall asleep faster and spend more time in NREM (non-rapid eye movement) during the night.

Night running also helps with the way you move. Running in the dark makes you think about your form a bit more and, as a result, daytime movement becomes so much easier. Truly a win-win!

So, with the right gear and a bit of planning, a whole new world awaits. And if you still need convincing, allow trail runner and Royal Marine Ed Norman to provide you with all the motivation you’ll ever need:

“We all need to expose ourselves to new stresses to improve and develop as people, and training when it’s cold, wet and dark helps us deal with life stress better. Take control of what you can control and reap the rewards in all other aspects of life. Work and relationships all become easier to deal with. The dark months make up half the year, so if you ignore training in the dark, you’ll have missed six months that you could have spent working on your personal development, health and fitness!”

Gear Up For Success

Sally Wallis, a mum of three and a lover of jogging at night, shared this running advice when she chatted about her nighttime half-marathon win:

“Start slow. Running in the dark can be daunting at first - your whole environment changes significantly and can take some getting used to. Take it steady if you’re new to night running. Make sure you run with others.

“Company will ensure that night-time running is fun, sociable, safe, and something you want to keep doing. And don’t forget to light up! Your most essential piece of night-running kit will be a decent head torch. And finally, stay seen. Whether you run first thing in the morning or late at night, high-visibility clothing is vital. Choose a reflective top or jacket, with reflective accents on tights, and high-vis bands on arms and ankles.”

One solution might be Kukri’s range which is now available in the RunTogther store.

Be Safe When Wearing Headphones

On the subject of what to wear when jogging at night, there’s the headphones you use. As we all know, listening to music or an inspirational podcast can make even the toughest miles fly by. But of course, as you are less able to hear your surroundings, running safety becomes an issue. That doesn’t mean to say you shouldn’t run with headphones at all, however! Let’s not forget the superb AfterShokz system which really does utilise the best of both worlds, using bone conduction rather than earphones. This enables you to listen to your music at night while still monitoring what’s going on around you. Perfect! A bit like running at night.

Are you looking for more running advice or tips for staying safe? Stay up to date with all the latest information by following our blog! If you’re interested in the benefits of running as a group, you can also search for a running group near you. Don’t forget, if you’d like to get in touch, you can email us at hello@englandathletics.org.