10 Tips for a Safer Night Runs

Night runs are getting popular here in the metro. Night running require a little more planning than your average workout but with the right preparation and focus, you can make any evening workout rival its daytime counterpart. Franc Ramon, our guest writer, share some essential safety tips for running in the dark:

You’re alarm sounds off early in the morning and you’re first instinct is to hit the snooze button or just turn it off. You go through the same routine until you realize that it’s already too late to run, as the sun is already too hot. Not all people are built for morning runs. It may be because of your schedule or it may just be that you peak at nighttime or you just enjoy training at night. It still can work for you as long as you be consistent in your training and make the best of your time.

There are some notable difference between a night run and a day run and here are some tips to make the most of your night runs.

1) It’s not hot but it can be humid. While it’s much cooler to run at night there’s always the humidity level to deal with. So best advise is to hydrate often, as you would sweat a lot in a humid environment.

2) Plan your route. Know your route in terms of its safety, lighting, road quality, traffic and distance. I usually go with shorter 2.5 kilometer repeats instead of a long one at night so I worry less on my safety and I can immediately go back to my starting area if anything happens. You can also plan your water stops better if you know the route.

Here are some areas you may want to train at night:

• Makati Area – Ayala Triangle, Salcedo Village
• Taguig Area – Bonifacio High Street, Mc Kinley Hills and Bayani Road
• Pasig Area – Ultra Athletic Oval, Capitol Commons and Whiteplains
• Quezon City – UP Diliman
• Alabang – Filinvest City

3) Be careful. Watch your step especially when the route is new to you as your may trip on something and avoid dark places, if possible for safety reasons.

4) Be Alert. Always be keen on your surroundings for any potential dangers. If you have to wear earphones, go for one that allows ambient sounds. Being able to hear the ambient sounds allows you to be more aware of your environment.

5) Use headlamps. In case you go for a longer route, it would be best to wear a headlamp to ensure that you can go through the dark areas or not trip on some of the road obstructions.

6) Wear Visible Clothes. Make sure you wear something with reflectors whether in your shoes or in your outfit so you would be visible in the dark especially to cars and motorists. There are also blinkers you can clip on your clothes or shoes to make you visible.

7) Mix it up. If you’re doing a similar route every time, it would be best to mix it up. You can go for an easy recovery run one day then add some core or hill workout the next and go for speed session or interval at another day.

8) Run with friends – Friends and training partner adds a layer of security when you run as a pack. It would also make the session a lot more fun and you can push yourself to go further and faster.

9) Join a Night Race. While you’re enjoying running in the night, why not join a night race. A race is a way to push yourself further since you run it with more urgency than regular training race. There are now several races at night in Manila.

Energizer Night Trail Singapore 2015

10) Have Fun. Whatever your distance, remember to enjoy the run as it would feel easier if you enjoy what you are doing.

Don’t be afraid of the dark, as the night can be a great more comfortable time to train especially with your schedule. Just make sure to take all the safety measures in planning the route and your gears so you’ll have a smooth and fun run. Enjoy!!!

About the Contributor

Franc Ramon is the writer behind FrancRamon.com. He blogs about fitness, his travels and his runs.  He is a marathoner, a duathlete and mountaineer.