5 Tricks for Running at Night
We made it to Friday y’all! I for one cannot wait for the weekend, Finn on the other hand is always a little underwhelmed…
Let’s start the weekend off with a little randomness, yes?
Yesterday I did hill repeats up the steepest hill around. It was rough and my butt was on FIRE at the end but that’s how you know the workout is making you faster/stronger/tougher, right?! One of my favorite things about hills is that it doesn’t matter how fast you do them. No matter what you are getting the benefits of running uphill!
My parentals are on their way to Italia right now to celebrate their 25th anniversary. Those lucky-ducks! I studied abroad in Florence in college so I’m wicked jealous that they’ll be in my old stomping grounds but I’m also really excited for them because they’ve never been!
Is there anything better than mailing wedding RSVP?? (besides being on a plane headed to Italy of course.) We have finally entered the stage where our friends are starting to get engaged and married and I cannot wait for all of the weddings ahead!
I think I’ve run in a different pair of shoes every day this week (<- I have a running shoe problem). One of my new favorites is the Brooks PureFlow. I got them from the 5K that I ran back in June but just started running in them. They took a little getting used to since I’ve always been an Asics girl but they are pretty awesome.
I have always considered myself to be a morning runner. In college our practices were always at 6:37am and after four years of that schedule that’s really all I know. Recently I’ve been having to do one evening run a week with NB and I’ve found the transition really hard. I’ve been adjusting slowly but surely over the last month or two. 5 helpful tips that I’ve discovered to become a night runner (or at least a once-a-week night runner 😉 ) are….
1. Do a little something in the morning – If I go from a morning run one day to an evening run the next that means that there was nearly 36 hours in between workouts. That can leave my legs feeling heavy and doing a workout can be a shock to my body. Taking the dogs for a short walk or doing 30 minutes of light yoga/stretching makes me feel 1000x better by the time the evening workout rolls around!
2. Find what works for your body in terms of fuel – I am so used to running on a low or empty stomach that when I ask my body to run on a stomach full of a day’s worth of food badddd things can happen and I just end up feeling crummy! I had to test out a lot of different food combinations to figure out what works for me (turns out the plainer the better) so it might take some time but if you struggle with stomach issues running later in the day try switching up your diet to find what you can/can’t handle before a run.
3. Plan out your post-run meal – When I finish my workout late at night I find that I am STARVING by the time I get home. If I don’t have something already prepared or an idea of what I’m going to cook I will reach for unhealthy things like chips to satisfy my hunger. Plan ahead and you will make healthier post-workout food choices.
4. Have the proper gear – It’s starting to get really dark before the end of our workouts so we’ve started bringing headlamps to light our way and reflective clothes so that cars and other people can see us. It’s also not a bad idea to have your phone on you so that you can call for help if an emergency arises!
5. Warm-up will take longer! – Just be aware that after sitting at a desk all day your body will be stiffer than in the morning and will take a little extra time to warm-up. I do extra stretching and drills before my night runs because I’d rather get warm pre-run than take an extra long time to feel loose during the run.
Do you like hill workouts?
If you had a free plane ticket to go to anywhere in the world RIGHT NOW where would you go?
Are you a morning or an evening runner? Do you have any tips for running at night?