run in the dark
City Night Run
With the days getting shorter and the nights closing in now is the perfect time to get out and run in the dark! Edinburgh changes personality as night time descends throughout the city from the vibrant and exciting city night lights to the eerie haunted cemeteries and tunnels what better time to be exploring the city. A fun route darting around the city and finishing off with views of the Castle lit up at night, let me take you safely through the darkened streets for a night time running tour.
I love running in the dark. There is something mythical and special about being engulfed in a cloak of darkness and powering on through. It is definitely more isolated as it’s just you and your little circle of light created by your head torch but I find this can be a fantastic feeling of freedom and anonymity; you don’t see anyone and they don’t see you. All people can see is your head torch and you are not recognised so you are free to be who you want to be. I know some people that feel more comfortable running in the dark because they lack the confidence to head out in the daytime for fear of being ridiculed by indiscriminate others.
Then there are others that don’t enjoy running in the dark for a variety of reasons; safety being the main issue so here are some tips to keep you safe this winter in the dark:
- Plan your route – stick to routes you know and tell someone where you are going or better yet take a running buddy along
- Be visible – I see too many runners (and cyclists) getting around in completely black clothing, great to be anonymous but you don’t want to be hit by a car or a bike so ensure your clothing is light coloured or at least has reflective strips, wear a flashing armband or ankle band so people can see there is something ahead
- Be able to see – wear a head torch so you can see where you are going, your circle of vision will be less so you will need to take this into consideration with your speed but a good head torch is worth every penny. I find the Black Diamond head torch great for close to the city and just off the main roads, but for proper kick ass light up the road style head torch when out in the trails the Ay-Up lighting system is second to none. If you don’t have a head torch you can use a hand held but I find the bouncing of the light from carrying it in your hands makes you feel queasy
- Join a club – there are loads of running clubs around where you will have safety in numbers by running in a group
- Run Naked – not literally! But ditch the headphones and pay close attention to your surroundings so you don’t scare yourself half to death when someone comes near you or objects appear that you weren’t expecting, awareness of your surroundings is key
- Carry a phone – if you do get lost or need help then you have access to it
Check out my blog on some great night running events throughout the UK. Have you tried any of these out or which ones have you tried out overseas?
Run In The Dark
As darkness swept across the globe on Wednesday 12th November at 8pm local time thousands pulled on their running shoes, flashing armbands and various guises of lights and neon colours and headed for the door. Joining over 30 cities worldwide Edinburgh was lit up with 149 runners joining a living light show flowing through the streets and Holyrood Park like lava.
The Lifestyle Sports Run in The Dark plays a vital role in funding the Mark Pollock Trusts’s mission to find and connect people around the world to fast track a cure for paralysis. Runners paid an entry fee of £15 which goes directly to the trust with the event being supported by volunteers. The super trio of Lucja Leonard (www.edinburghruntours.com), Iona MacArthur and Sue Finn put their hearts, minds and time together to organise the pop up event for Edinburgh utilising the Crowne Plaza Edinburgh – Royal Terrace as the race headquarters on the night. A special thanks goes out to the volunteers that assisted on the night with registrations and marshalling duties as well as local sponsors of the goody bags including Crowne Plaza Edinburgh -Royal Terrace, Nira Caledonia, Matthew Clark, Vivimoss sportswear and Lululemon.
The night wouldn’t have been complete without the support from C. Pendleton/W.Robb from Iconic Photo Tours Edinburgh (http://www.willrobbphotography.com/2012/09/iconic-edinburgh-photo-tours/) who sat in Holyrood Park to capture some stunning photos of the light streams created by the runners with the dramatic Edinburgh city line in the background.
Edinburgh weather played ball ensuring a fun, dry and safe night was had by all. With the event being such a great success along with the high level of interest from the Edinburgh running community all keen to support such a worthy cause, Run In The Dark is sure to become a fixture in the yearly running calendar. For more details visit www.runinthedark.org and sign up to the newsletter so you don’t miss out on next years event.
Run in the Dark
As a keen runner and lover of my beautiful city of Edinburgh, I couldn’t resist getting involved in The Run in the Dark, taking place world wide on the 12th November in various cities at various times, in the dark (as the name would suggest). As darkness descends around the world, thousands of runners will be heading out, all raising money for The Mark Pollock Trust and having a load of fun doing so. There are 5 official locations in the UK, and Edinburgh will be a pop-up version run by yours truly, so join me and loads of other runners for a fun and interesting way to explore the city, at night.
The start and finish line will be located at the Crowne Plaza Edinburgh – Royal Terrace, 18 Royal Terrace, EH7 5AQ, feel free to leave bags or warm clothing for afters with the reception team. The 5km run will take us down to Holyrood Park and through Hunters Bog underneath Arthur’s Seat to enjoy the pure dark and back up past the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the New Calton Burial Ground back to the Crowne Plaza, while the stoic 10km runners will loop around once more.
For your own safety please bring along a head torch or hand held torch with you as certain parts of the route are not lit.
After the race has finished all runners are encouraged to reunite at the hotels’ Terrace Bar for the ‘obligatory’ night cap.
Whether you are completing the 5km run or 10km run, please aim to arrive at least 15 minutes in advance of the start time (8pm) so that we can ensure everyone will receive their flashing armband and have a group photo before we go running! Goody bags will be handed out to all participants after the race.
Edinburgh Run Tours 