Running blind

[Matt]

I tried a new experiment this morning, and once again, I didn't get hurt. (except for one pesky rock about a mile and a half into the experiment.) What did I do? I ran without my glasses. I figured this couldn't be too much more dangerous than running in the dark.

Now, if you have good eyesight, you can't do this experiment. But you could run barefoot in the dark, which is a close approximation.

I ran for about 40 minutes with glasses, and being able to see. Then I ditched my glasses and went for about 20 minutes blind. I think the hardest part of this is trusting my feet.

I'm not totally blind without my glasses. I can see well enough to avoid cars, trucks, buses, other runners, bikers, and roller bladers.

On a totally different note, I just wanted to say that it was actually warm in Chicago today. Low 70's this morning. Almost like summer.

Thanks for listening.

 

[Vickers]

Yikes!  I couldn't imagine

Yikes! I couldn't imagine running without mine. I guess I'm too paranoid about running over glass, briars, small childrens, other things that might impede my form. Heh. This of course could be because I'm still very new and don't have some sort of 'foot sense'. (Which I believe is the missing sixth sense.)

Good on ya, though! Did it seem more liberating? Sometimes I get a little down about watching the ground all the time and not the pretty nature.



-Vickers

 

[stomper]

Partial "Blindness" happens

Partial "Blindness" happens to me frequently in the Pacific Northwest, since running & breathing and sweating while it rains and changes temperature and splashes mud can make my glasses basically completely useless, and I can only see vague blobs without them. I feel foolish doing it, but it's fun, and nothing bad has ever happened.

I guess the thing is that vision gives you an idea of intelligence or control. Which may or may not always be true. So to be relieved of that intelligence or fantasy of control is kind of a revelation.

I've also run completely in the dark, though on paths I already know. Which is extra foolish/extra fun.

 

[Matt]

stomper wroteartial

Partial "Blindness" happens to me frequently in the Pacific Northwest, since running & breathing and sweating while it rains and changes temperature and splashes mud can make my glasses basically completely useless, and I can only see vague blobs without them. I feel foolish doing it, but it's fun, and nothing bad has ever happened. I guess the thing is that vision gives you an idea of intelligence or control. Which may or may not always be true. So to be relieved of that intelligence or fantasy of control is kind of a revelation.I've also run completely in the dark, though on paths I already know. Which is extra foolish/extra fun.

I've done runs in the dark, too, which has a slightly different feel. I think the sense of danger adds to the fun, which ironically probably helps relation, too.

I have to trick myself into running in the dark. Usually, I start out when it's still light, but on the way to getting dark. By the time darkness hits, I'm far enough away from home that I get a good stretch of running in the dark. I have a few blocks in my neighborhood that don't have street lights, which make the darkness more complete.

 

[jschwab]

I'm nearsighted and I do this

I'm nearsighted and I do this sometimes. I feel like it's beneficial and keep me sharp - if I ever had to function post-apocalypse with the eyes I have, I want to know I can . But I have also read about eye training and reversing nearsightedness, so I do it to maintain the vision I have. My prescriptions have gotten less strong since I started running.

 

[Shacky]

I enjoy running in the dark

I enjoy running in the dark once in a while. The main thing I worry about is stubbing a toe on a curb or something but so far so good.

Also, Ken Bob in his book mentions getting in some night runs to test out your form.

 

[khyricat]

I can't imagine ever having

I can't imagine ever having my glasses off while awake and running, but then again I can't see 2" in front of my face without them- when I've tried, I have run into walls and cars, etc.. but they do get partially fogged in winter and wet in rain..

 

[jschwab]

I forgot to mention I am

I forgot to mention I am currently in the middle of reading Marla Runyan's autobioography right now where she describes training for and eventually running in the Olympics as a legally blind distance runner. Improbably, her first disciplines were high jump and then heptathlon (involves shot put and hurdles). She was running on tracks and not barefoot, so it's different, but it made me feel like running more with no lenses in to see how it goes. If she can clear hurdles without really seeing them, maybe running with no lenses will sharpen my perception in other areas (soles of the feet not, I hope?)

 

[kentox]

I've done quite a few runs in

I've done quite a few runs in the dark and I really enjoy them. Have never hurt my feet or stood on anything. Makes you trust your feet a lot more instead of your eyes. Also makes getting up early when it's dark for a long run a lot easier. Makes the sunrise a lot more beautiful as well

 

[Gkikas]

kentox wrote:I've done quite

I've done quite a few runs in the dark and I really enjoy them. Have never hurt my feet or stood on anything. Makes you trust your feet a lot more instead of your eyes. Also makes getting up early when it's dark for a long run a lot easier. Makes the sunrise a lot more beautiful as well

Ken, I hadn't at all thought of running in the dark in terms of BEFORE sunrise... changes my whole perspective on the question since I'm a morning runner. I'll have to give it a try sometime.

 

[kentox]

I did a 19km run on Friday

I did a 19km run on Friday morning and got up around 5:45. Couldn't sleep due to dreaming about running Still black outside and could see planets/stars very clear in the sky. I was running east into the sunrise and it was foggy as well. So I had a amazing light show to enjoy as well as the cold air around 10C. Feet were a bit numb but ok.

But a night run after work is quite relaxing as well. Most people are at home watching tv so i have the streets to myself.

 

[Matt]

kentox wrote:I've done quite

I've done quite a few runs in the dark and I really enjoy them. Have never hurt my feet or stood on anything. Makes you trust your feet a lot more instead of your eyes. Also makes getting up early when it's dark for a long run a lot easier. Makes the sunrise a lot more beautiful as well

I love those early morning runs where I get to see the sun rise. It's been such a cold spring this year, I haven't yet gotten in the habit of running that early in the morning.

 

[kentox]

Matt i dont make a habit of

Matt i dont make a habit of those early morning runs but it is mainly dictated by what time I start work and how far I want to run on that day. So sometimes you just have to get up early and get out there. The worst is waiting for the Garmin to find a satallite in the freezing cold

 

[Barfuß Chelsea]

I don't have glasses so I

I don't have glasses so I can't really try that kind of blind run, but there's a stretch I run quite often that is swarming with gnats in the summertime. I definitely do that stretch mostly blind every time, as keeping my eyes 90% closed is pretty much the only way to avoid getting a fly in the eye. I've actually started to really appreciate it (in spite of the nastiness of potentially swallowing a fly as well) because it forces me to trust my feet.

@Kent - Have you ever tried putting your Garmin on the window sill inside to let it find the satelites? I started doing that this winter to avoid freezing my arse off during the wait.

 

[kentox]

Chelsea i'll give it a go but

Chelsea i'll give it a go but I live in a apartment and I figured as soon as I go into the lift and back on the street i'll have to wait again but I will try it out none the less. Should work. have run through tunnels and lost the signal but it picked it up straight away. Fingers crossed that it saves my arse from freezing for the rest of winter

 

[Matt]

Barfuß Chelsea wroteKent -

@Kent - Have you ever tried putting your Garmin on the window sill inside to let it find the satelites? I started doing that this winter to avoid freezing my arse off during the wait.

I also do the window sill trick, and it makes a huge difference in the Winter. Nothing worse than standing around in sub-freezing weather waiting for satellites.

 

[Jonny00GT]

I had lasic 11yrs ago, so

I had lasic 11yrs ago, so there is no helping that. Also, the neighborhood I live in is quite well lit at night and there are lots of runners. I have run early and late, both and there is something pleasantly solitary about trotting in and out of the street light on emptyish streets. Near fall when there is a slight chill in the air has to be my fav...



-Jonny

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Does anyone else seem to

Does anyone else seem to runner slower when running in the dark? I find I run slower, not for some fear of stepping on something, but for having a tunnel vision type feeling. We have lots of long tunnels here where I run, and even in the daylight when I run through them, it seems like the light at the other end of the tunnel keeps getting farther and farther away. It's a bizzarre feeling. I absolutely LOVE running at night. I'm not about speed, so I could care less how fast I'm going. We're already getting into the 90s here in Georgia, so I will be running a lot at night again like times past.

I always set my Garmin outside on the walkway to my front door to wait for the satellites to load, then I go get ready to run, so by the time I'm ready, it's ready.

 

[kentox]

TJ I just got back form a

TJ I just got back form a night run and yes I was slow tonight but I don't care. Had just finished raining and there were puddles to run through Pace be damned!!

Did the Garmin trick by leaving it on the balcony before going for a run. Down the lift and on the street and it was good to go. Sweet. Butt stay's unfrozen for winter

 

[Matt]

TJ -- I'm definitely slower

TJ -- I'm definitely slower in the dark. But I'm fine with that. Most of my running is pretty slow. But this past Sunday, when running without my glasses, I was actually a lot faster. But most of that was about running with another runner who had some questions. We got to talking, and I realized that she was a much faster runner than me. I kept up with her for about a mile, but after that, I was ready for more slow running again.

Kentox -- I'm glad to hear the Garmin trick worked.