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When I was a kid, I felt like I ran faster after dark. I would fly over the grass chasing fireflies. Unfortunately, when the sun came out the next morning, I returned to my normal, slow, plodding self. But even as a kid, I didn't think I turned into the Flash or Superman after dark (although that would have been really cool).
Fascinating
Thanks for the post, I was wondering why if there was a reason why I prefer to run/bike at twilight rather than in the day (other than the scorching californian sun!)
Feels easier too
When I talked this over with a colleague, he felt this was a good explanation for why it always felt like running was easier after dark. We judge how hard something is based on effort vs speed. The same effort brings greater apparent speed after dark. Thus you may really become Superman!
Darkling speed
I used to observe this phenomenon when I was younger and ran a lot at twilight.I was intrigued by it but always in the dark as to why this should be.Thanks for shedding light on the mystery!
Fear
Are you scared of the dark?
Is this a silly question?
Fear
Admittedly, if I were afraid of the dark we could posit that the adrenaline might boost my running performance and I might really be running faster after dark. I mean who knows why the Flash could run that fast really. So it isn't a silly question.
But I'm not afraid of the dark. The effect is just a way cool perceptual illusion.
run faster at night
No seriousiy you do run faster at night. Well i know i do, its really weird but personally, and i think in actuall fact that it's because of all the energy we gained from when we woke up til night from the food we ate during that day builds up and gives us more energy to do things even though we feel tired inside (sleepy). Sounds weird BUT TRUE. Some scientists or something really really need to study this because i know for a 100% fact that im right in what im sayin and if your clever enough to understand, you'll also know im correct. At night we also become stronger, ovarall more powerfull in every way possible. I wouldn't say im slow in the day because actually i am very fast runner in the day at 100mtr sprint but at night i feell like f***in SUPERMAN! LIKE NO ONE IN THE WORLD COULD BE FASTER. That's how i feel, its an amazing feeling, it makes me happy. I FEEL LIKE AN ACTUALL BULLETT CUTTING THROUGH THE AIR. I also feel so much stronger (powerfull) that i could throw a punch at any one and they'll be. . .
run faster at night
...garuanteed to drop no matter who it is. People may think im crazy but you dont understand how much strengh power i have in my arms especially on a night. ANY ONE ELSE GET THE SAME FEELING? I'D LOVE TO KNOW. But yeah this does need looking up by some proffesionals like scientists or something. AM I THE ONLY ONE?
run faster at night
No seriousiy you do run faster at night. Well i know i do, its really weird but personally, and i think in actuall fact that it's because of all the energy we gained from when we woke up til night from the food we ate during that day builds up and gives us more energy to do things even though we feel tired inside (sleepy). Sounds weird BUT TRUE. Some scientists or something really really need to study this because i know for a 100% fact that im right in what im sayin and if your clever enough to understand, you'll also know im correct. At night we also become stronger, ovarall more powerfull in every way possible. I wouldn't say im slow in the day because actually i am very fast runner in the day at 100mtr sprint but at night i feell like f***in SUPERMAN! LIKE NO ONE IN THE WORLD COULD BE FASTER. That's how i feel, its an amazing feeling, it makes me happy. I FEEL LIKE AN ACTUALL BULLETT CUTTING THROUGH THE AIR. I also feel so much stronger (powerfull) that i could throw a punch at any one and they'll be. . .
run faster at night
...garuanteed to drop no matter who it is. People may think im crazy but you dont understand how much strengh power i have in my arms especially on a night. ANY ONE ELSE GET THE SAME FEELING? I'D LOVE TO KNOW. But yeah this does need looking up by some proffesionals like scientists or something. AM I THE ONLY ONE?
run faster at night
...garuanteed to drop no matter who it is. People may think im crazy but you dont understand how much strengh power i have in my arms especially on a night. ANY ONE ELSE GET THE SAME FEELING? I'D LOVE TO KNOW. But yeah this does need looking up by some proffesionals like scientists or something. AM I THE ONLY ONE?
Me too - I don't seem to experience this as an adult though
Fascinating. I was just speaking to my mum about this illusion that I experienced as a child, so I google'd it and found your article. Superbly written.
Oddly I seemed to think that this doesn't happen to me any more as an adult... but you say you still experience this illusion. Was the illusion more exaggerated as a child for you?
Does it still happen as an adult
I've gotten the experience while driving and biking, as I noted. Other people have noted in their comments that they've had the experience while running as adults.
I doubt it was more powerful as a kid, but this may reflect our memory of that way cool experience of childhood. Some biases creep in and potentially make the experience more powerful in memory than it was.
I don't run much (hard on the knees and ankles) now. It depends on having just the right experiences -- particularly, the lack of being able see all that much in the periphery, I suspect.
I most agree...
Yes must be the same as an adult... I just remember it being incredible as a child so my mind has probably exaggerated the memory of perceived intensity, even thought it was probably the same.
I wonder though if being closer to the ground as a child (I was obviously shorter than I am now) made it seem faster also. Things appear to move faster if we are closer a passing object. So maybe the two factors of being closer to the ground AND emotional exaggeration due to novelty of the experience are at play.
closer to the ground
Being closer to the ground may contribute. If the estimate of speed is an average of the faster and slower moving surroundings, then being closer to the ground makes it appear the ground is moving faster and thus the estimate of speed increases.
This is why flying in a plane can appear slow when you are way up in the sky. But as you come in for a landing, you look down as you touch down, and suddenly you really are flying along.
yes you do run faster, ive
yes you do run faster, ive always thought its because either;
1. your body has time to digest its food giving you more energy than at 11am or 1pm football game
2. your body naturally loosens up as you are awake and i think that maybe why..
i would really like to find out because i know for a fact im faster and not by a little bit.. i run the 100 meter in 11.5 but at night i am definetly quicker sprinting ..
other examples are soccer/football games you watch. if you watch CHAMPIONS LEAGUE games, they are at a faster pace than all other games because they are generally played at night and myself playing football i have noticed this playing on turf one time at 7pm
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