Run In The Dark whilst Jeffing

Run In The Dark is an annual event hosted in a series of countries worldwide and I attended the one in London on Wednesday evening.

It was in Battersea Park and you could either opt for a 5k or 10k route.  The course was all within the park and worked on laps, with two being completed for the 5k route and four for the 10k route.  It begins at 8pm (hence the name) and at the start there are volunteers handing out glowstick bracelets and also jelly beans (and everyone loves jelly beans)!

I had never been to Battersea park before and it was lovely.  As I have an obstacle run this Saturday I was particularly interested in the structure in the middle of the park that was either for a Go Ape type activity center or for an obstacle event though I couldn’t quite make it out in the dark but nevertheless wanted to get involved!

I was running with my lovely friend Anna and ran with her for the full event watching our time as I was determined we would beat her PB.

Anna is the polar opposite of me with running – she loves it and smiles the whole way whereas I dislike it and look angry or like I want to pass-out/cry or both.  We had made I deal that I would get her a PB and she couldn’t hate me for pushing her and that I would in turn smile for a photo rather than looking like a grumpy old cow.

Anna jeffs.  Never heard of it?  Don’t know what it is all about?  Neither did I.  Basically jeffing is the Jeff Galloway method for running and adopts a run/walk methodology.   As explained on his website:

The Galloway Run Walk Run Method. Galloway designed this method in 1973 to help beginners start running. Strategic walk breaks allow each runner to control fatigue, virtually eliminating significant running injuries. Numerous surveys show that veterans tend to improve their finish times when they shift to Run Walk Run. 

This was my first time jeffing but Anna had her watch set up so that after every 4 minutes of running it would beep to indicate that it was a walk time for 45 seconds and then would beep again and basically repeat for as long as you were going.  I was skeptical but Anna was explaining to me that it means the run segments are stronger.

I do know from running forums that I am on that this method is hugely popular not just with people new to running but also people who have been running for a long time and simply prefer this way of running.

It obviously worked for Anna as she smashed her personal best for a 5k by over 2 minutes and her personal best for a 10k by over 6 minutes, which any runner will appreciate is a huge achievement!

The atmosphere was great and everyone was in high spirits.  The volunteers were giving out the goody bags, cans of red bull and bottles of water.  I was a little disappointed there was no medal but I am a bit of a medal whore.

I will definitely be going back to that park and may coincide it with a cheeky run.  Not completely won over by the event as I’ve done Electric Run before which is on the same basis but had much more going on throughout the route and in my opinion was the better event (sorry Run In The Dark) As for jeffing who knows? I may need to use that technique as I up my distances!