Running in the dark and associated issues. Just for a change I thought I would broach a subject for those out there running on the edge. Especially with the Connemara 100 miler, next month, entering its third year. Ultra running is no longer the elephant in the room, it’s time has come to shine.
More and more runners are pushing at the marathon barrier and following the few ground breaking souls down the road to Ultra distance in Ireland. But eventually the distance becomes so long, or the runner seeks out a challenge that will entail running in the dark. No matter that you start so early it is still dark, or you run so long it become dark or you train at nights, you will end up running in the blackest of night.
High visibility clothing is in abundance and in all shapes and sizes so I won’t discuss it here other than to say “Wear it”. It reflects with car headlights and you can’t always rely on your torch to function. You will never regret been seen at night on a road, and it is coming to the stage that I believe you should be wearing bright colours in the daytime as the driving population becomes more aggressive. It also helps other runners identify you and makes it easier to follow the runner in front of you. And not only on roads, but trails as well.
So what about them lights? First of all you are going to need some lights. A head torch that sits comfortably is the standard. Try and get one with a decent beam and that the focus of light can be adjusted. Some have a bright and low light intensity setting which will help depending on the levels of ambient lighting available. I find that an adjustable strap like a headband along with another that goes over the top of the crown works best and prevents slippage. Another useful feature is a mount on the torch to adjust the angle up or down depending on your terrain. It needs to have an adjustable fitting for when you wear a hat underneath (depending on the temperature). The alternative for the backpack wearing racer is to mount the torch on the chest strap. This leaves the head free or the lightweight head torch for simple map reading tasks. Rear facing lights has a few issues; it really depends on where you are racing. In traffic or on roads with traffic I like to wear a simple red flashing LED light similar to the rear bike lights. But on a trail or off road where I expect quite a few runners in close proximity I usually set the red light to constant so as not to irate my fellow travelers. Why have one at all? It makes you visible, the runner behind you can follow it easily and it is visible when you fall face-down across the finish line (not to be recommended). Try not to shine your lights into the faces of other runners or volunteers, either angle it down or shield it when other runners pass you or when approaching race marshals and carry spare batteries in your pack or in your drop bags (aid station supplies). Try your lights before the race to get the settings right and to check how to change batteries, mindful that changing batteries when your tired, mid race in the dark can become complicated very quickly.
I find my depth perception is thrown off in the dark when running. I am sure with practice you can become proficient at running by the shaking torchlight in the dark but it does help to practice. A few runners I know like to carry a hand torch as well as a head torch. This is to shine further up the trail to anticipate the foot fall as well as to enlarge the illuminated area and it doubles as back up torch. Quite a number of American racers I know prefer to carry a hand torch, to supplement the head torch. If you do, make sure it is light and has a strong beam. A wrist sling or loop to hold it in case you need to drop it would help and generally it should be an LED torch so the batteries last longer. I personally have an extremely small back up torch that I hope I will never have to use again. The smaller and lighter the back up, the less speed I can maintain in the dark as it usually is inadequate as a primary torch on its own.
An extremely important issue at night is fatigue. Even if you haven’t been running all day to get to dusk, the chances are you have been awake most of the day. This coupled with your daily rhythm, will make you feel tired. Tired or exhausted people make mistakes! A misstep into a pothole or a navigation error costing injury or time is a very real fear. Double check your calculations, keep your focus or even link up with another runner going your speed. Also with the temperature drop that happens with darkness, I like to put on the extra layers of clothing before I get cold. I find that once you get cold it is harder to rewarm to a comfortable level. In most of my races, come dusk, I add or change clothing. If you’re too warm later you can always take it off again. Temperature regulation is very individual and you will develop this with practice. Associated with the temperature drop is usually a drop in hydration levels. I find the cool night time air seems to trick my body into thinking it doesn’t need as much fluid despite the fact I am still running. Monitor your drinking, and make sure you continue to take sufficient fluids onboard. If you have a support crew that are inexperienced, make sure they know to monitor your fluid intake especially as it gets dark or colder. Be aware that it is nearly impossible to determine the colour of your urine in the torch light. If you rely on the colour as the barometer of your hydration, try and have an alternative plan.
The exhaustion and lack of energy can play havoc with your body’s ability to maintain a comfortable temperature. Try not to stop too long at aid stations or long periods of minimal work effort. If the weather is particularly cold you will find the sweat turning cold (icy) on your back, wicking or technical clothing will help alleviate, in part, this problem. In some of the longer races it might be more advantageous to crawl into a sleeping bag or in to the arms of your support crew for an hour and get “fresh” and renew your efforts than it is to continue to eek out a mile or too in a fatigued state and wind up exhausted. You will more than likely make back the down time by being more alert and being able to push the pace. That again is dependant on the individual and on the support crew knowing their athlete. I find the body has three natural rest/ sleep periods. Between 23:00 and 01:00, again at 04:00 to 06:00 and a final one mid afternoon around 13:00 to 15:00, appear to be the common periods. If you need some down time, about 20 minutes for a power nap around these low periods are worth contemplating. Make sure to set an alarm or have one of your crew responsible for waking you, this stops you from worrying about sleeping on and makes it easier to sleep.
Try and rest up before your big race. You should be in taper mode coming into the race so try and get 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night in the lead up to the event and if possible sneak in a nap during the daytime. Get at least one uninterrupted nights rest two nights before the race as few people, myself included sleep well the night before the race. That and some races have an early start which cuts into your rest the night before.
It is important to practice night time manoeuvres, as any simple day time task can become a nightmare in a fatigued state in the pitch black. Try not to over think things in the dark but go for the simple solutions. Being dive bombed by moths attacking your head torch can be quite unnerving if you are not prepared for it. So get out in the dark nights on terrain similar to race conditions in advance of your big race so as to find the problem and fix them. I found the reflective tape on the back of one of my running packs blinded any support runner directly behind me at night on a training run. Easily sorted, but would have driven my pacer nuts for 12 hours if I had not dealt with it before the race.
As you see above a lot of the comments are my own personal opinion and experience, this might or might not work for you. Neither is this list exhaustive. Ultra running or endurance events beyond the norm, tax us each in our own way and through trial and error we each find our own road. That I think is some of the appeal of Ultra running and what drives everyone to their own finish line. So experiment with a few different things in the lead up to your big event. And if you find something to add to this article, please do contact me and share the knowledge.
Niall
16/07/2011
More and more runners are pushing at the marathon barrier and following the few ground breaking souls down the road to Ultra distance in Ireland. But eventually the distance becomes so long, or the runner seeks out a challenge that will entail running in the dark. No matter that you start so early it is still dark, or you run so long it become dark or you train at nights, you will end up running in the blackest of night.
High visibility clothing is in abundance and in all shapes and sizes so I won’t discuss it here other than to say “Wear it”. It reflects with car headlights and you can’t always rely on your torch to function. You will never regret been seen at night on a road, and it is coming to the stage that I believe you should be wearing bright colours in the daytime as the driving population becomes more aggressive. It also helps other runners identify you and makes it easier to follow the runner in front of you. And not only on roads, but trails as well.
So what about them lights? First of all you are going to need some lights. A head torch that sits comfortably is the standard. Try and get one with a decent beam and that the focus of light can be adjusted. Some have a bright and low light intensity setting which will help depending on the levels of ambient lighting available. I find that an adjustable strap like a headband along with another that goes over the top of the crown works best and prevents slippage. Another useful feature is a mount on the torch to adjust the angle up or down depending on your terrain. It needs to have an adjustable fitting for when you wear a hat underneath (depending on the temperature). The alternative for the backpack wearing racer is to mount the torch on the chest strap. This leaves the head free or the lightweight head torch for simple map reading tasks. Rear facing lights has a few issues; it really depends on where you are racing. In traffic or on roads with traffic I like to wear a simple red flashing LED light similar to the rear bike lights. But on a trail or off road where I expect quite a few runners in close proximity I usually set the red light to constant so as not to irate my fellow travelers. Why have one at all? It makes you visible, the runner behind you can follow it easily and it is visible when you fall face-down across the finish line (not to be recommended). Try not to shine your lights into the faces of other runners or volunteers, either angle it down or shield it when other runners pass you or when approaching race marshals and carry spare batteries in your pack or in your drop bags (aid station supplies). Try your lights before the race to get the settings right and to check how to change batteries, mindful that changing batteries when your tired, mid race in the dark can become complicated very quickly.
I find my depth perception is thrown off in the dark when running. I am sure with practice you can become proficient at running by the shaking torchlight in the dark but it does help to practice. A few runners I know like to carry a hand torch as well as a head torch. This is to shine further up the trail to anticipate the foot fall as well as to enlarge the illuminated area and it doubles as back up torch. Quite a number of American racers I know prefer to carry a hand torch, to supplement the head torch. If you do, make sure it is light and has a strong beam. A wrist sling or loop to hold it in case you need to drop it would help and generally it should be an LED torch so the batteries last longer. I personally have an extremely small back up torch that I hope I will never have to use again. The smaller and lighter the back up, the less speed I can maintain in the dark as it usually is inadequate as a primary torch on its own.
An extremely important issue at night is fatigue. Even if you haven’t been running all day to get to dusk, the chances are you have been awake most of the day. This coupled with your daily rhythm, will make you feel tired. Tired or exhausted people make mistakes! A misstep into a pothole or a navigation error costing injury or time is a very real fear. Double check your calculations, keep your focus or even link up with another runner going your speed. Also with the temperature drop that happens with darkness, I like to put on the extra layers of clothing before I get cold. I find that once you get cold it is harder to rewarm to a comfortable level. In most of my races, come dusk, I add or change clothing. If you’re too warm later you can always take it off again. Temperature regulation is very individual and you will develop this with practice. Associated with the temperature drop is usually a drop in hydration levels. I find the cool night time air seems to trick my body into thinking it doesn’t need as much fluid despite the fact I am still running. Monitor your drinking, and make sure you continue to take sufficient fluids onboard. If you have a support crew that are inexperienced, make sure they know to monitor your fluid intake especially as it gets dark or colder. Be aware that it is nearly impossible to determine the colour of your urine in the torch light. If you rely on the colour as the barometer of your hydration, try and have an alternative plan.
The exhaustion and lack of energy can play havoc with your body’s ability to maintain a comfortable temperature. Try not to stop too long at aid stations or long periods of minimal work effort. If the weather is particularly cold you will find the sweat turning cold (icy) on your back, wicking or technical clothing will help alleviate, in part, this problem. In some of the longer races it might be more advantageous to crawl into a sleeping bag or in to the arms of your support crew for an hour and get “fresh” and renew your efforts than it is to continue to eek out a mile or too in a fatigued state and wind up exhausted. You will more than likely make back the down time by being more alert and being able to push the pace. That again is dependant on the individual and on the support crew knowing their athlete. I find the body has three natural rest/ sleep periods. Between 23:00 and 01:00, again at 04:00 to 06:00 and a final one mid afternoon around 13:00 to 15:00, appear to be the common periods. If you need some down time, about 20 minutes for a power nap around these low periods are worth contemplating. Make sure to set an alarm or have one of your crew responsible for waking you, this stops you from worrying about sleeping on and makes it easier to sleep.
Try and rest up before your big race. You should be in taper mode coming into the race so try and get 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night in the lead up to the event and if possible sneak in a nap during the daytime. Get at least one uninterrupted nights rest two nights before the race as few people, myself included sleep well the night before the race. That and some races have an early start which cuts into your rest the night before.
It is important to practice night time manoeuvres, as any simple day time task can become a nightmare in a fatigued state in the pitch black. Try not to over think things in the dark but go for the simple solutions. Being dive bombed by moths attacking your head torch can be quite unnerving if you are not prepared for it. So get out in the dark nights on terrain similar to race conditions in advance of your big race so as to find the problem and fix them. I found the reflective tape on the back of one of my running packs blinded any support runner directly behind me at night on a training run. Easily sorted, but would have driven my pacer nuts for 12 hours if I had not dealt with it before the race.
As you see above a lot of the comments are my own personal opinion and experience, this might or might not work for you. Neither is this list exhaustive. Ultra running or endurance events beyond the norm, tax us each in our own way and through trial and error we each find our own road. That I think is some of the appeal of Ultra running and what drives everyone to their own finish line. So experiment with a few different things in the lead up to your big event. And if you find something to add to this article, please do contact me and share the knowledge.
Niall
16/07/2011
