Rich on Running: Dealing with Daylight Savings

Last week, I went for an evening walk/run along Kings Beach. It presented quite a contrast from previous visits to the beach this summer.For one thing, I couldn?t see the ocean, at least at first. I heard it, certainly … the Atlantic tides weren?t quiet. But it felt odd to walk along Lynn Shore Drive and see nothing out where the ocean should be but the lights of Nahant.Also, the number of runners was much less than the summer crowds. At times, I had the sidewalk all to myself (which was why I kept it a short visit).Perhaps one reason why there were still runners out there at all was because the beach was well-lit, thanks to the streetlights along Lynn Shore Drive, as well as the light of the moon.Even when running under the lights, it?s important to stay visible. I was surprised to see one fellow runner wearing dark clothes. I?m not sure I was that easier to see, as I wore a dark jacket.Swampscott police officer Kevin Reen, a runner and triathlete (he?s getting ready for an Ironman in Lake Placid), recommends bright colors at night.?Wear neon!” Reen said. “There are great straps or light weight (vests) to help make you stand out.”Marblehead girls cross country coach Jen Rodier, whose team finished fourth in the D2 State Championships this past weekend, said that “for myself, I make sure (to have) reflective clothing or a reflective vest.”She said last night, she was driving and saw a woman running in reflective gear.?I could clearly see her with my headlights,” Rodier said. “It was pitch black.”She added that if she does not have reflective clothing, she puts a light on her back, and said that wearing a head light also works.?Be a lot more cautious, take more precautions,” she said. “Don?t assume cars can see you. Cars rule the road at this time.”Whether we run at night or during the day, we need to layer up in the fall.?Two or three layers on top and one on bottom,” Reen said, noting that many people overdress. He suggested a good moisture wicking base layer, followed by a thermal or wind layer, and recommended moving tights or running pants.Ashley Steeves, co-owner of B&S Event Management in Salem, said that when people are running, they feel the temperature is 20 degrees warmer.?This time of year, the most important thing is learning how to layer properly,” Steeves said.Rodier tells her team that “you never can predict the weather. If you?re not running from home, pack every running attire you need — shorts, sweatshirt, long pants, mittens and hat.”Also, this time of year, changing the clocks may throw us off our exercise clock. Steeves recalled a recent bike ride when she left at 3 p.m. and “the last 20 minutes, I was kind of scared. Plus, it was rainy.”?Be cautious,” she said. “It?s hard to adjust. Waking up in the morning, before six, it?s so dark out. The sun?s just starting to come up.”She recommended a lunchtime run as an option, but also mentioned running after work, “getting it done, your top focus before you hit the supermarket or go to dinner. It?s important.”It helps to find motivation, both short-term and long-range.?I would say, get out there,” Steeves said. “There are a lot of fall races, Turkey Trots in Salem and Andover, the Feaster Five (road race).”And, she noted, “in a matter of months, we?ll be dusting off our shoes for the early spring, late February runs.”It felt good to finish my beach run last week. While I cut it short, it did feel rewarding to run under the lights. I still can?t wait for the “natural” lights to come back on in a few months.