I AM THE NIGHT... Runner. (And how you can be a night running bad***)

     Hey everyone.  Sorry I haven't been posting as much as I would like to be.  I've been a bit busy with training for my first ultra (sort of) and about three or four other projects.  As a result of having a ton of projects, not to mention the days getting shorter, there are a fair amount of times when I run at night.  Admittedly, I actually enjoy night running - it's a great way to clear my mind before bed, and it's fun to run a course at night that you usually see in the daylight.
     I've only been running a year and half, but I thought I would give my advice for running at night safely.  This advice is geared towards beginners who are running short solo practice runs, so if you're looking for advice on how to deal with staying up all night during a 100-mile ultra, this won't help you.  For everyone else, here are my tips on night running.
     #1 - Know the course.  Particularly if you are a beginner, you should probably not be to run in an unfamiliar area.  Also know the hazards, both traffic and (in bad neighborhoods) people.
     #2 - Master the art of seeing and being seen.  I almost put this as #1.  If you are going to run at night, YOU NEED A HEADLAMP!  Also, reflective vests or jackets should also be on your shopping list.  Whenever I go out for a night run or a run that I feel might turn into one, I take my headlamp with me (to see where I'm going) and a vest with an LED bar that flashes (to be seen by cars).  Also, in the same vein, if you have to cross the street, watch for cars carefully - they probably aren't expecting you.
     #3 - Do NOT worry about pace.  I've never set a PR running at night.  I think the reason for this is simple - you have to be more cautious at night since you can't see the terrain as well as you could in daylight, so don't worry if you can't run 5-minute miles at night.  (Not that I can run a 5-minute mile to begin with).
     Night running might seem daunting at first, but it's a great way to change up your training routine.  Also, you'll feel like a bad***.  (At least I do).  Seriously, give it a try and let me know how it goes.  Until next time, I've gotta run.

A totally unecessary analysis: Runners vs. the Zombie Apocalypse

     Hey everyone.  So, as I mentioned in the first post of this blog, there will be times where my posts aren't really about anything useful or directly related to my running, but are about random thoughts I've had about running or while running.  This definitely fits the bill.
     As Halloween is around the corner, I ended up thinking about costumes and for some reason, zombies, during one of my trail runs.  In case you've been living under a rock, they're very popular right now.  (Thank you Walking Dead.)  And a random thought occurred to me.  Supposing that the zombie apocalypse actually started to take place, how would long-distance runners, particularly marathoners and ultra marathoners, fare in this environment?
     First things first - know the enemy.  The scary thing about zombies, in my opinion, isn't their speed or strength, but their sheer numbers.  It doesn't really matter how fast you are if you get cornered.
     Long-distance runners do have several advantages.  First and foremost is their ability to hold a pretty decent running pace over long distances, and in open areas, simply outrun many of the zombies.  On top of that, they may know the local geography very well (this is especially true of trail runners) and may be able to utilize the terrain to their advantage.  I also tend to think that long-distance runners, be they street or trail-oriented, generally have good situational awareness skills.  Finally, there is some evidence that suggests that exercise can help with mental conditions like PTSD, which I imagine would be common among survivors.  The biggest disadvantage I can think of is that burning so many calories when food is scarce might be an issue.  Also, as most runners prefer to run light, they probably wouldn't be used to carrying lots of supplies or weapons.
     All things considered, I think long-distance runners would do rather well.  If you agree or disagree, let me know.

New shoes and training for an endurane test!

      Hey everybody, hope you are doing alright and having fun.  So I just wanted to update the blog with some news related to my running.  The first bit of news, as you may have guessed from the headline, is that I FINALLY HAVE NEW SHOES!

 

     These are the new kicks that I was able to get with some help from Mom.  (thanks Mom!)  They are Pearl Izumi M2s, and so far I am liking them.  I don't feel comfortable really endorsing them yet, as I've only sunk 21 or so miles into them, but they work.  They're also my first real pair of trail shoes (that I can also use for the road), and believe me, on some of the more technical terrain, that tread beats the snot out of the road shoes I was trying to use earlier.  Also, and I promise to make this the last shoe-related detail, THEY HAVE ORANGE HIGHLIGHTS!  (Orange is a underrated color).

      The second bit of news is something that I have been training for.  On November 14th, there is a run in my area called Run Your Can Off.  It's held at Gilbrook Natural Area, and for those of you who are Saint Mike's connections of min, that might ring a bell because it's basically that stretch of woods behind the townhouses.  The way this run works is that instead of a standard race fee, you donate canned food - however much should depend on the distance you run - in order to help out the local food shelf.  (Which is freaking awesome!)  The course is a 1.25 mile lap.  And they basically have the trail system out there for six hours.  

     Now, you don't have to run the entire six hours if you don't want to.  But because I have no concept of self-restraint and I needed a challenge, I have decided that I am going to run the entire six hour length of the event.  Doing this, I anticipate that I will not only run longer than a marathon distance, but also potentially longer than 50K (or 31 miles for those of you who are metric-challenged).  The long and the short of it is that either way, that's longer than I've ever run in one sitting to date.  And that is why I have begun training pretty hard.  So if I mention in some future posts something about 20+ mile long runs or the like, you'll know why.  I have to say that I'm both kind of excited and kind of terrified that I'm doing this - which is a good feeling!

     In any case, that's about all I have right now.  Until next time, I gotta run!

Obligatory Introduction Post

     Hey everybody.  In case you haven't already figured it out, this is the introductory post of the blog where I explain who I am, what I do, and all that other stuff.  If I don't sound too horribly enthusiastic about the first blog post, it's because they are generally all the same no matter what blog you are reading.  Anyhow, my name is Brian (if you hadn't already guessed that).  

     First - the boring stuff.  I am twenty-seven years old, live in Vermont, work in a factory to make a living, and... actually, that's all I can think of.  But when I am not working, I go run.  I started running a year and a half ago and so far I have completed 5ks, a 10k, a half-marathon, and the Vermont City Marathon.  I am currently doing a lot of running on both the trails and the road in hopes of both getting better at the marathon distance and getting into the world of ultra-marathons.  I'm not a fast runner by any stretch of the imagination - I just want to keep going.

     This blog is intended to do several things.  First, it is intended to be a chronicle of my adventures and misadventures in running, as well as my thoughts on running-related topics.  Occasionally, I may throw in a post or two concerning random thoughts that I had while running.  If you (the readership) have any particular topics you want me to delve into, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

P.S. - I added a picture so you know what I looked like - as of six months ago.  Yay for outdated photos!