Knuckling Down In The Dark

"Have you ever been alone at nite, thought you heard footsteps behind and turned around and noone's there?
And as you quicken up your pace you find it hard to look again because you're sure there's someone there
Watching horror films the nite b4 debating witches and folklore the unknown troubles on your mind
Maybe your mind is playing tricks you sense,and suddenly eyes fix on dancing shadows from behind"
Fear Of The Dark-Iron Maiden

Yep the end of Daylight Savings Time on Sunday means for the next few months I'll be running in the dark.....yea!!!!!
At least for the next few weeks I'll start in daylight but b4 Winter Solstice on December 21st I have get used to finishing my runs in the dark.....all those years of scoffing at my mother who told me that eating my Carrots would help me see in the dark are about to come home to roost......
After a couple of weeks of not being as committed or focused not just on my run but also stretching and icing my achilles{tisk tisk bad runner!!!}I felt it was time to knuckle down again,maybe after 10 weeks of nothing but training I need a race to get me focused,it's been almost a year since my last race so it's long overdue and I'd be lying if I didn't say I didn't have one in mind but I'll divulge that 411 nearer the time.....

Thanks in part to getting away from work on time for once I was home just b4 4pm,frankly w/ deminishing daylight now those extra minutes are going to make all the difference for the next few months,changed and stretched and out the door by 4.08pm and on the road for my 8 miler it was a brisk 46 degrees,not quite 3/4 length bottoms yet  but I did throw on a long sleeved dri fit shirt which I ran w/ the sleeves rolled down......my only concession to the milder air circulating.
There were still a few hardy souls out along the Schuylkill Banks and Kelly Dr when I reached them but not the masses for a few weeks ago,granted w/ marathon season coming to a close{respect to alll those who ran NYC on Sunday} and thanks to my earlier than usual start it was still daylight when I made the turn,in fact the time and temprature atop Peco Tower which doesn't come on till 5pm was evident until  I was making my way back down along the Schuylkill Banks.

The final vestiges of daylight were just visible as I made my way over the South Street bridge an hour into my run and then things got real interesting!!!!
"Back Pack" goes sprinting by me on my left hand side, my natural reaction was to give chase but w/ 2 miles of my run left I thought why bother?
We both got stopped at the red light where the on/off ramp to I 76 comes in,then when the light turned green he was off like a shot,b4 I got half way to Franklin Field I caught and passed him but I could hear his foot steps behind me {seriously Dude were you wearing running shoes or clogs???} we get to Franklin Field and all hell brakes loose!!!!
"Back Pack" goes all "50 shades of Usain Bolt" on me sprinting by me like he'd either been shot out of a cannon or we were in the final 200m of an Olympic final,I didn't know  if I should be offended or play along and while I gave chase I drew the line at the corner of 33rd and Spruce when "Back Pack" ran out infront of a turning car from Spruce St.....it's all fun and games till someone becomes a hood ornament I guess!!
The final mile and a quarter while in darkness went by w/out incident I'm happy to report!!!