Trailer Trash

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Running Trails at Night or Early Morning Before And Light (Read 62 times)

FreeSoul87


Runs4Sanity

    Do any of you get out there before dawn even begins showing? I've ran trails in the early evening, as the sun is going down (yesterday) but my eyes were adjusting. I do plan on taking my headlamp with me, and my boy Rocky of course. The only reason I've got to try and get up before 5 is because my toddler son and the distance of the trails from my house. I've ran at night once, during a race and it was awesome but this will be my first out there alone (I've hiked at night, no light) and I hope my imagination doesn't get the best of me. I will  have pepper spray as we do have coyotes and deer and god knows what else that occasionally wanders through our area (mountain lions, bears).

    *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

    PRs

    5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

    10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

    15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

    13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

     26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)

    Watoni


      Good timing! I am considering a midnight run tonight. I am not planning to take pepper spray along, although we certainly have coyotes and the occasional mountain lion. I am hoping a bright light and the ragged sound of my breathing will freak them out

        Honestly I haven't done any night running on the trails yet, and I am concerned since I have a 50 miler in a month (will start in the dark, probably finish at dusk.

         

        The trails I run are in/near Philadelphia, where I am way more concerned about the people than the animals. The obvious answer is to run with a male friend but I don't have many male runner friends, and my fiance is not in love with running. I suppose pepper spray is the next best option to those options.

        MadisonMandy


        Refurbished Hip

          I've ran at all hours before.  The more you run in the dark the easier it gets, but I still can't totally control my imagination if I'm alone.  Music helps, because it blocks out those little animal noises, but you have to decide if it's safe to wear headphones in the middle of the woods at night.  Probably safer than a lot of other shit I do.  Have good lights, and have back ups or extra batteries or both.  I typically run with a headlamp and flashlight, then have a little tiny keychain flashlight in my pack for emergencies and a cell phone.  I figure not all 4 can fail at the same time.  (Or can they?  Oh trail gods, please do not test me.)

          Running is dumb.


          Wandering Wally

            I don't run single track at night just because I don't have a good enough light to pick out all the roots and what not, so I stick to the much better groomed rail trail.  Of all the scary things out there at night, I am probably the scariest.  I don't take anything special with me other than my headlamp.  I really enjoy the early morning runs and watching the sun come up.  I also really enjoy the evening runs, especially under a full moon or with a couple inches of fresh snow.  With the new snow it can be so bright I don't need the headlamp other than to be seen at road crossings.

            Run!  Just Run!

             

            Trail Runner Nation Podcast

            FreeSoul87


            Runs4Sanity

              I can't wait to run the trails this winter during a full moon, and during snowy nights.

              *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

              PRs

              5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

              10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

              15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

              13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

               26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)

              AT-runner


              Tim

                All you need is a good light and some practice.  It gets easier once you've tried it a few times.  I wear a light on my hydration pack and shine that beam in front of my feet, and if I'm deep in the woods or on single track, I might also use a small handheld light to see further ahead.

                 

                I think someone (maybe FTYC) had a thread a few months ago about different lights.

                “Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway! 

                FreeSoul87


                Runs4Sanity

                  My biggest concern is my imagination...... stupid thing will have me freaking out lol, it isn't so bad when the leaves are completely gone but my mind will start playing tricks on me and that sucks. I wish I could find a buddy or two to run with me, then it wouldn't be so bad. Other than that I love running trails, and would love to run them at night more, I'm surprisingly very graceful and quick on my feet, though I do tend to go really fast even at night...... I'll have to slow down a little.

                  I definitely would not consider music, even though my imagination will be hearing everything, I want to hear anything and everything that might be out there, the headlamp I have is: http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpage-BDHS12.html#

                  And I love it, I am can aim it right at my feet, a few feet in front of me or straight ahead but I like to keep it just a few feet in front of me and if I want to look ahead quickly I can just tilt my head up to aim it. Though I might think about a second light, a handheld light that I can aim out into the woods just to freak myself out more Jokingdo you notice how that can give you a sudden rush of adrenaline? But I'll wait until I'm running the trails at night 2-3 times a week before I buy a second light.

                  *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

                  PRs

                  5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

                  10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

                  15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

                  13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

                   26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)

                  Birdwell


                    I like trails at night. I tend to have some depth perception issues so I'll usually double up lights. Typically one on the head, one around my waist or chest.

                     

                    As far as wildlife goes, I should be more careful than I am. I tend to not concern myself with it at all and I've stumbled into deer herds on more than one occasion. Mt. Lions don't worry me as I don't look like as easy target (in my opinion at least). Coyotes are not a concern.

                    FreeSoul87


                    Runs4Sanity

                      Do you think a dog discourages any kind of encounters, or increases the chances of a wild encounter?

                      *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

                      PRs

                      5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

                      10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

                      15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

                      13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

                       26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)


                      Occasional Runner

                        Do you think a dog discourages any kind of encounters, or increases the chances of a wild encounter?

                         

                        Rub your dog down with a pound of fresh bacon before you go out and you'll be fine. You're dog will be screwed, but you'll be fine.

                         

                        In all seriousness, people worry way too much about encounters on the trail at night. I've run countless hours in the wilderness at night and have seen a lot of wildlife but have never had a problem of any kind. Animals are just as dangerous during the day as they are at night. Darkness just freaks people out more.

                         

                        As for people on the trails at night, if you see them, they're probably doing the same thing you are. Rapists and murderers aren't cruising remote single track looking for victims. As a rule, only the best people are found on trails. Even at night. All the horror stories about violence to runners seem to come from more urban environments.

                        AT-runner


                        Tim

                          I always use the "Trail Sound Formula" to deal with my imagination...

                           

                          ...Sound is Inversionally Proportional to the Size of the Animal.

                           

                          ie. chipmunks make the largest sound. Big grin

                          “Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway! 

                          wcrunner2


                          Are we there, yet?

                            I always use the "Trail Sound Formula" to deal with my imagination...

                             

                            ...Sound is Inversionally Proportional to the Size of the Animal.

                             

                            ie. chipmunks make the largest sound. Big grin

                            Some of those ground squirrels can get to be pretty big. I had one try to drag off one of my hiking poles.

                             2024 Races:

                                  03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                                  05/11 - D3 50K
                                  05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                                  06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                             

                             

                                 

                            mtwarden


                            running under the BigSky

                              if you do much running at night, I think you'll find double lights a large plus- I use a headlamp (on my head Big grin) and one on my waist- it really helps w/ depth perception- it also allows me to use a lower setting on the lights when they are used in tandem as well

                               

                              I run in an area that has a relatively dense population of lions and bears and I don't worry about it (if it was grizzly country I would be carrying a large canister of bear spray)- 25 years as a game warden has led me to the conclusion that neither (lions or black bears) are much of a threat   I don't see grizzlies as a much of a threat (I worked in dense grizzly country for several years), but find it prudent to carry spray whenever I visit their domain

                               

                               

                              2023 goal 2023 miles  √

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                              runfastandie


                                I run in the early morning when it is still pitch black. I pretty much feel like a wimp as even though the stars are out and there is no sign of daylight there are TONS of people out without headlamps.

                                 

                                I think it depends on where you are going. I wouldn't run in the dark on the trails near my house as I know there are a lot of homeless and henceforth many unmedicated mentally ill folk.   That is who I'm most concerned about- random acts of violence from people seeing things.

                                 

                                I do run on a trail system/county park that is embedded into one of the richest areas of California.  It is so policed and rangered I have no concern with people.  I wrap my head around the mountain lion thing by putting a light going forward, then I put a headlamp going backwards around my waist. Cats like to chase, and they CERTAINLY are NOT going to chase at something they can't see well with a blaring light pointing in their face.   Or so I tell myself.

                                 

                                Watoni- I'm SO glad you are serious about the night running :-)

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