Cassia reflects on the unique experience of running at night, where darkness offers a sense of solace that daytime couldn't provide at the start of her journey. She discusses how night running became a metaphor for pushing through life’s challenges and staying the course, even in difficult times. From building deeper connections with others on night runs to embracing the quiet power of being visible both literally and metaphorically, Cassia’s insights show the profound impact of nighttime running on her mental and physical journey.
What is it about the nighttime that makes running special to you?
CASSIA:
I started properly running at night. So I started running in the autumn. I started walking, probably a year previous to that, but when I’d actually started running, running, the cover of darkness was actually something that I really enjoyed. I felt it was like kind of a private space, and I really enjoy the sensation of running at night. I don’t know if it’s because it feels a little bit like I’m going faster or I’m floating, but I did feel that it gave me that cover to kind of move through this journey without feeling like there were so many eyes on me. And I still really love it.
How does running at night connect to themes in your life, like pushing through that darkness and staying the course in those difficult times?
CASSIA:
I think I’ve always liked the part of myself that looks at things that are harder, and says that I’ll do them anyway. So if it’s raining, I’ll always go for a run. If it’s dark, I’ll always go for a run. If it’s cold, I’ll always go for a run. If it’s humid, it doesn’t matter. I’ll always do it. And I think running at night represents, a lot of people would say, “I don’t want to – I’m going to stay in bed,” or “I’m going to get an early night.” And there’s something about being that person who puts on a head torch and goes out anyway that’s really, really badass. And I love meeting other runners with their head torches on running at night too. It’s like, we’re like the secret cult of people who are like, really cool, yeah.
Why is it important for you to share a night run with others, and how does running with others build those deeper connections?
CASSIA:
I think I want to show people that it’s really fun to run at night. I think it’s a whole, especially living in the UK, the evenings are getting darker quicker. We live, like most of our lives, in rain and dark and cold. So it’s not exactly the nice – well, it’s not that… No, there’s no such thing as bad weather. There’s just weather, so there’s no bad conditions. But you know, it’s not the most enticing thing to run in. I think a lot of people would prefer to run through sunflower fields in France, in the sun. But yeah, sharing a night run with other people, I hope to show that it’s a whole section of your day that can still be, you know, taken and being productive with.
You’ve talked about the importance of being visible, both literally and metaphorically. We look back at that quote, “healing out loud,” what does it mean to you to be visible while running in the dark, and also as a metaphor for life – being heard and being seen?
CASSIA:
Well, I think, yeah, being seen, you can only be seen if you’re loud enough to be seen, and you actually show people who you are. And so many people say that they can’t find their tribe, or they can’t find their people, and I think it’s because you aren’t being loud enough about who you are, or perhaps you’re not being as honest about who you are. Like, there are people out there who will love you for so many different things. Like, I have friends I play Dungeons and Dragons with. I have friends that come running with me. I have friends that do other things. You know, you will find people who love you, but the only way you can find them is if you’re visible enough for them to find you.
What keeps you motivated to keep going in the cold months? What keeps you going?
CASSIA:
I have a lot of different playlists that are themes. So I have like, wild west run, astronaut run, Gotham run – I think there’s like, fairy run. There’s loads of different things. And for a lot of people who are neurodivergent, they find that they can’t connect with things that are boring or don’t interest them. And I have a lot of, like, call them special interests – so like medieval history or Batman or whatever it is. And I always felt like fitness was really boring and that I couldn’t be interested in it, so I never kept up with it. But if I could somehow get the two together, then I’d be really interested. So the fact that I can, you know, be really into Lara Croft and actually become Lara Croft and have a playlist to be Lara Croft – like, right now, I’m listening to a lot of old 80s adventure films, because it’s the winter arc. So of course, we’re like getting into that whole vibe. And I think a lot of people don’t realise how much inspiration you can draw from all different areas of your life, of things that you love, and bring it into fitness. So I’d probably say, yeah, like superhero stuff really helps, especially, like, it’s dark, it’s moody, it’s emotive, it’s, you can wear your hoodie, you can really get into the mood. And then practically, you know, I think the cold can be hard. Make sure that you prepare – so gloves, face warmers, just, you know, make sure you have all of the right things you need to stay warm and stop making excuses.