One of the challenges at this year is how to keep up the training when there is so little time during daylight hours.

Ideas that may suit are:

1) join a club - there is safety in numbers, and clubs know the best places to run in the dark evenings.  Also, it does give you the impetus to go out when its cold and dark

2) buy a good LED head torch! - invaluable where there are no street lights and also good for safety when there are - .  Also don't forget to wear high visibility clothes.

Any more advice?

Most of my running is orienteering based and during the winter our local area runs a league of town road runs each fortnight. We meet at a pub and try to visit as many control points on special maps in a set time. It is great fun, informal and very competitive. We wear fluoro clothing and head torches and junior runners are welcome if shadowed by an adult for safety. It adds interest to a training routine and is very social and motivating.

Following on from Elaine's post, there is also a network of UK  'Hash House Harriers' clubs who have a similar format (although not generally competiitive) , but who follow a trail of flour or sawdust thats been set earlier in the day by one of the members.  They also set the trail from, and meet afterwards, at a different pub in the area each week, so are a good option if you want to run with a sociable, non-competitive group.

If you run off road at night, expect to be around 20% slower than normal.  I use a Silva L1 headlamp with the batteries put on a waist band (it's an optional extra - I got mine from Wiggle) which keeps quite a bit of weight away from the head.  

What can happen is that the torch is so bright (especially when it is wet and/or raining) that everything gets bleached out and all you can see is white, bright green and shadows!  A way round this (a tip from my fell running friend Ali) is to hold the light in your hand to reduce the angle of reflection.

Pay special attention for cyclists with or without lights!  The cyclists I have come across in the dark, or otherwise, can be divided into various categories:

1. Those who do not use lights, and are intent on mowing down anyone and everyone whether on a footpath, cycle path or road.
2. Those who use lights and have them angled incorrectly, thus dazzling / blinding anyone they are heading towards.
3. Responsible cyclists who use lights and bells correctly, and cycle in the proper place.

I generally find that 1 and 2 will insist on cycling on pedestrian parts of divided cycle/pedestrian paths, footpaths and pedestrian precincts where there is ample signage to say that cycling is prohibited.

Anyway, rant over and calm has once more descended (you might have guessed that I have just had a "close encounter of the cycle kind" on a footpath despite there being one of those lovely red cycle lanes on the road!).

Dom

Mark's attitude sounds bizarre but he has a point in that we all need to look out for other road users as well as be seen by them. A couple of years ago a group of us were training in Richmond Park on the road which is closed ot traffic at night when a cyclist came down the hill on the right hand side of the road. Despite all our bright clothing and lights he clearly had his head down and plowed into the middle of the group. Runners were scatterd willy nilly of course, necessitating a trip to the hospital for one of us, and for the cyclist who had broken his wrist.

Now we make sure we are seen but also are ready to jump out the way.

Andy

Brave man Mark! Though I agree that as a runner, it's amazing how seemingly oblivious cyclists and pedestrians often are to what's happening around them, so I guess we have to take responsibility for ourselves.

Personally I only ever set myself a short run when it's dark and unpleasant, mostly because that means I'm far more likely to actually do it in the first place. Additionally, if possible I try and squeeze in a couple of lunchtime runs at work - and even if it means I stay at work a little bit later, at least I've done my run in lighter and slightly warmer conditions, and can relax when I get home.

I run every night and love the fact that the roads are quieter. Fair point that i run on the right to face oncoming traffic but like everyone else i watch out and make sure i look after myself. There were a couple of schoolboy racers tonight that i left the road to let past before continuing. The most dangerous thing at the moment is the potholes on every road! Sure i pay tax to help sort those out......