Running with other people also works, and not only for the obvious reasons. A fixed time with a club, a colleague or a neighbour removes the nightly negotiation with yourself. If you have never joined a group run because you assume everyone is faster, most have a slower pace group and they are generally delighted to see a new face in November, the month when attendance dips.
What if running alone in the dark makes me too anxious to go?
Start by naming which part is actually doing it: the isolation, the specific stretch under the bridge, the particular hour. Then change that one variable rather than abandoning the run — a daylight lunchtime slot, a partner for the first kilometre, a different loop. If the anxiety is broader than running and is colouring other parts of your week, it is worth talking it through with your GP or a therapist rather than trying to outrun it.
How do I stay motivated when it's dark at both ends of the day?
Lower the entry price and keep the reward close: kit laid out the night before, a five-minute rule where you only commit to getting out of the door, and something warm waiting for you at the end. A small, unambitious target — three runs a week until the clocks change again — tends to survive winter far better than a training plan built in optimistic September.
