3 Mile Run

by Sue on November 13, 2007

On Saturday, I woke up early and headed by A1A, which is a road along the beach and ran.  I was able to run 1.5 miles without stopping and then the last 1.5 miles I had to walk a bit, but I was able to do a 3 mile run in about 30 minutes.  My goal is to be able to do 5 miles without stopping and move my way up.  And because the weather is a lot cooler, it’ll be easier to go running, but since it gets dark earlier, that’s going to be a challenge.  I have to figure out a route closer to my house, and figure out how to be safe running in the dark.  Anyone have any suggestions?  I’d try running in the mornings, but getting up is more of a challenge!  (Trust me, I’ve already tried.)

  • I've been running once in the last 7 years-pathetic I know. But I ran in the morning-just happen to wake up at 4am and couldn't get back to sleep so after an hour of tossing and turning decided to get up and go for a VERY SHORT walk/run. I took a maglite flashlight with me. I had it up my sleeve with the head of the flashlight in my palm. So if anyone approached me I'd be ready.

    Kinda silly-but I live near a not so great area and you can never be too careful around here.
  • Blaine has some great ideas, especially about carrying some mace. You can never be too careful these days.

    Would you be able to go for a run during lunchtime instead? I'm not sure what your work schedule is like, but this will let you sleep in and still be able to run in the daylight. :)
  • I recommend a few things.

    1. Get a reflective vest. Preferably a bright one. You'll look funny during the day, but I never let that bother me.

    2. Get a headlamp. They are pretty cheap; you can get a $20 pivoting headlamp at Home Depot that will work well enough on the streets (that is what I currently have). If you are going to be on trails, then you'll want to get a brighter one that is made for running. The ones that are made for running generally have a little extra support, the battery at the back of the head, and 6-8 white LEDs. My home depot one has 1 red and 2 white LEDs, which is fine when there are houselights, an occasional street light, and plenty of moon light.

    3. Get a red strobe light. I use one that I bought for my bike as a tail light, but it came with a strap so that I could wear it on my arm. It has 8 or 10 red LEDs that are very bright and that flash in 6 directions (3 horizontal and 3 vertical).

    Cars tend to notice me with all three of those on.

    Depending upon your area, you may want to carry some mace. Being male and in a relatively safe city, I've never bothered, but it might be something to bear in mind. It can be useful for dogs that go on two legs as well as those that go on four legs.
blog comments powered by Disqus