I have to admit, I’m still riding a bit high from finishing the Marine Corps Marathon. I was pretty sure I could do it, but I had enough doubt in my mind that I carried enough cash for a cab and also had my metro card. Yes, I believe in being prepared.
Know what else is a amazing? By Monday morning, I was barely sore. Seriously. I did five loads of laundry (2 flights of stairs between the hamper and the washer), went grocery shopping (where someone did not believe I’d run a marathon because I was walking normally LOL), and took Shoo to the doctor (where we went up and down multiple flights of stairs.) Feeling fine really blew my plan of spending the day sitting on the couch eating bon bons.
Anyways, MCM was such an awesome experience for a lot of reasons, but I’ll share that in my recap soon. Instead, let’s talk about today’s topic “Night Races.” Patty, Marcia, and I want to hear your tips and experiences.
I’ve written some tips for running in the dark, but I’ve only “raced” at night 3 times: a twilight 5k (that really wasn’t that dark), Ragnar DC (where I ran at 1am, and Ragnar Cape Cod (where I ran around 10pm.) I would hardly call myself an expert, so I hope that some of you link up some good tips.
Here’s what I’ve learned from my night time races:
- Plan your meals – You don’t want to be carrying a huge meal in your belly, but if the race is longer than 5 miles, you are also going to want to make sure you have some fuel in your body.
- Familiarize yourself with the course – You aren’t going to have the same visual clues you get during a daytime run. Having at least some idea where the turns are will help you anticipate things (and help you not get lost during a night leg at Ragnar.)
- Have the right equipment – It’s always good to have reflective gear on at night. It’s also not a bad idea to have a headlamp (may even be required at some races.)
- Practice ahead of time – Get out there and do a short run near the time you think you’ll be running. Make sure you know how to use your headlamp and make sure any other items you will be using won’t chafe. (You don’t want to figure out a few miles into a half marathon that wearing your reflective vest over a tank top was a very bad idea.
- Dress appropriately – 60 degrees in the bright sun is very different than 60 degrees in the pitch black. I find that I need to wear a bit more in the middle of the night.
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Congrats on mcm! It looked like a fabulous race. I love the tip about planning your meals. I struggled with that.
Great tips for night racing – I was supposed to do the Blacklight Run but bailed because it was the night before Tough Mudder. It can get pretty cold out there!
Congrats on MCM! Looking forward to the full recap!
Glad you are feeling great! I’m sure all your back-to-back half marathons have you well-conditioned. I’ve never raced at night but I’ve tried the Port City Joggers and Lagers fun runs in the evenings and it really messes with me schedule – when to eat dinner, etc.
I guess your body was just like, oh another race! I’m glad you felt so great after. I can’t wait to read your recap!
I looooove running at night…on trails. Less to worry about when it comes to traffic 😉 But the “things that go bump in the night” seem A LOT louder in the dark!
Yeah, that last one gets a lot of people!
I can’t even begin to imagine running after midnight.
Glad to hear you’re feeling good!
This is all stuff I need to think about before I head out to RnR Vegas. Yay for a quick and easy MCM recovery!
I haven’t done a night race but I know people who’ve done Wine and Dine, and their biggest concern was when to eat.
All that right after a marathon? I need to know your recovery tips!!
I’m pretty jealous of how good you feel 2 days after your marathon. I was a wreck for at least 2 days, and I’m still feeling pretty tired!
I’ve never run a race in the dark (ok, not true – 1 leg of Ragnar at 2:30am), but I run most of my runs in the mornings when it’s still dark before the sun comes up. You’re right that things look so different in the dark versus during the day. I’ve driven past a few houses that I know I’ve run by and thought “wow, I never knew it was that color” or totally missed some other details because I couldn’t see it in the dark.
Congrats on the MCM -you must’ve trained right if you aren’t sore today! That’s what I always tell people — many folks could actually go out and run a considerable distance but the difference in training and not training is how sore you want to be the next few days! I was back in heels two days after my marathon in 2010 and it’s all because Team in Training helped me stick to a consistent training plan!
Totally agree with your night running tips. I’ve never tried a link up but will attempt my first with this topic!
I love these tips, and congratulations on the race! So happy to hear you’re not sore…that’s a huge accomplishment 🙂
can’t wait to read your mcm recap. i have a bunch of mixed feelings. loved the experience, didn’t love the actual race so much…
Not sore after running a marathon? You go girl!
I hadn’t thought about the fact that being dark would affect the temperature, but you’re right! I may need to think about my Wine & Dine clothes again . . .
Great tips. Thanks for posting!
Erika that is awesome your body was unaffected by the marathon, that right there sista is my ultimate goal behind having fun and well I think you already had that covered. Great tips on night races. I always have the most difficulty fueling for one of these cause I never know how much to eat and when to stop…
I’ve only raced once at night and I hated it. And that’s why it’s only once. Never again.
Looks like a fun race. I thought about doing a glow run last summer maybe next year. Great tips
Racing at night is not my favorite, at all. I can never seem to get out my jitters or fuel properly. Fortunately, I don’t have to do it too often, but when I do, it’s definitely a cause for some serious nerves.
I’m sitting on pins and needles waiting to read your MCM recap!
Congrats on MCM! So happy for you!
Good tips for night racing. I was just talking with someone about night racing the other day, and how I have no interest in it because I’m scared of the dark! Haha. 🙂
Looking forward to your MCM adventures!
I run by myself more often than not and I do not run alone in the dark. So, running in the dark is very limited. Great tips for when I do.
Amazing recovery after MCM!
I’ve never run a night race before, but there’s a popular one that happens here each year. The course is along the Seawall, which is a walking and cycling path that drops down into the ocean. In my mind it really doesn’t seem like the best place to gather runners together to run in the dark, but at least to my knowledge no one has fallen in yet 😉