Fall Running Gear
Ahh the fall. Pumpkin spice everything. Cooler weather. Great running weather. But as the days get shorter and nights get colder, how we get out there to tackle our runs needs to adapt for it. Here are some things to be mindful of as you get out and get some running in.
Reflective Gear & Lights: Unfortunately, those endless summer hours are gone! It’s starting to get darker way earlier than what we’ve been used to the past three months. So keep safe and seen by wearing bold, lighter color clothing to be seen easier by drivers and cyclists. Around this time many shoe companies offer more reflective versions of your favorite pair of kicks that have more shiny silver or even glow in the dark elements to help with being visible in low light conditions. Likewise, clothing is offered with more reflective striping, piping and patches to keep you out of the dark. Add onto your visibility cloak by rocking a headlamp, handheld lights (or flashlight) and waist band light to really put yourself out there. Headlamp tech continues to up the brightness of the gear without adding bulk, weight or sacrificing comfort. Knuckle lights are essentially brass knuckles for running. Instead replace the brass with mini lights and don’t face the risk of getting arrested for having illegal brass knuckles. They’re also easier to hold than your average flashlight. Finally, there are blinky lights that are really light that you can slip onto the back waistband of your shorts that help with being visible from folks coming up behind you on the path.
Over Dressing: To wear or not wear that extra layer, that is the question. If you’re an early morning runner, most likely you’re catching that brisk cold air in the morning and at first feel, you’re thinking grab the long sleeve or the jacket. Though it may feel a bit cold the moment you get out of your car, or out the front door, it may not be cold enough to warrant wearing that extra layer. Once you get going, you’re body temp is going to raise up and you’ll probably start feeling too hot rocking the long sleeve. We’re just coming off of another warm summer – no matter what part of the country you’re at. So our bodies are used to feeling warm air, hot sun in the mornings. So the moment we start to catch just a tinge of coolness, it feels colder than what we’re used to. Do your best to not give in right off the bat and reach for the jacket and instead let your body acclimate to the cool. You’ll feel more comfortable within about five to ten minutes of your run and not miss the extra layer. The same applies with the beanie and gloves. It ain’t that cold yet! As an added bonus, the cooler temps will hopefully translate to faster run times since you’re body isn’t overheating with the heat and you’ll be able to push a bit harder.
Lighter Sunglasses: If you’re like me, you hate having the sunrays in your eyes. You’re constantly squinting, adding more wrinkles to your face and straining too hard to see past the glare. So sunglasses always fix all of that up! However with light slow to rise in the morning and dwindling fast in the evening, wearing the dark tint shades will still have you straining to see, but in the darker light. Remedy that by investing in some lighter tinted shades that will still block out the UV and brightness, but not be so dark that you don’t feel like Adam Ant or The Federation. For me, I own a dope pair of Oakley shades wear I can swap out the lenses to go with whatever light conditions there are. You still may need to prop whatever shades you wear up on your forehead or hold them in your hand, depending on either time of day, but at least they’ll be perfect for the amount of light you do have.
No Headphones: Trust when I say that I am a big music fiend! Years of working in radio and for a record label further cemented my love of Hip Hop, classic rock, R&B and a good fair amount of cumbia and banda music. However, I rarely run with headphones on. Over the years, I’ve too many close calls with drivers not paying attention and if it weren’t for me keeping my eye out for them, I’d be Flat John right now. Sure you may be on a closed pathway at a park, but there’s still tons of other runners, walkers, lose dogs, cyclists, kids and more that aren’t checking for you. And likewise if your banging out some classic Dre or Santana, you’re probably losing yourself in the music and aren’t paying enough attention as well and can’t hear around you. And I know that there’s a ton of hype around bone conduction headphones like those from Aftershokz, but if you crank those babies up, it’s still pretty hard to hear what’s around you despite them sitting on your temples and not your ear holes. I have a pair and can attest to that.
So there you have it, four simple tips on how to make your fall running more enjoyable. So get out there, enjoy the cooler weather, changing colors of the leaves and give yourself and extra push to stay healthy and clear headed throughout your day.
