Is it safe to run in the fog? How to stay visible and safe

Winter brings a number of challenges for runners, but foggy conditions can be among the trickiest to navigate safely.

As thick fog blanketed large parts of the UK on Monday, runners faced a range of potential hazards, from reduced visibility and hidden obstacles underfoot to impaired depth perception and concerns around air quality.

However, poor visibility doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to abandon your running plans altogether.

We spoke to Ramon Ghosh, a London-based running and breathwork coach and founder of Pathway Breathwork, who shared his expert advice on how to stay safe, visible and confident when running in foggy conditions.

Wear bright reflective gear 

“You want to be seen by traffic, people and even dogs, so I would definitely recommend high vis – whether that’s a jacket, hat or gloves,” advises Ghosh. “Some people also wear a reflective band around their chest.”

Consider getting a chest torch

“Think about your own illumination. Many people wear head torches, but I’m much more of a fan of chest torches,” says Ghosh.

A chest torch (or chest light) is a wearable, torso-mounted lamp secured around the chest with an elastic or nylon harness, featuring an adjustable-angle LED lamp on the front and often have a red safety flasher on the back.

“If you wear a head torch, your head will probably be bobbing up and down all the time which can affect your vision, but a chest torch tends to be much more stable,” he explains.

Plan your route in advance

“Plan your route in advance,” advises Ghosh. “That’s what we do with our running club. Everyone is aware of exactly what the route is ahead of time so that they can plan for it.”

Stick to familiar, well lit, pedestrianised routes

“I would recommend sticking to what’s familiar, even ground and well-lit paths,” advises Ghosh. “When you go onto a trail or onto a field, you’re much more likely to encounter potholes and uneven ground, and that’s where injuries happen.”

He adds that when people treat a winter foggy day as if it’s a summer’s day, that’s when things tend go wrong.

“If you’re in an unfamiliar area and you’re not close to streetlights you could get into trouble, especially if you don’t have your phone on you or your network and signal stop working,” said Ghosh. “So, it’s really important to plan ahead, make sure that people know where you’re going and to stay close to street lights so everyone can see you.”

Run in a pair

“If you’re running with other people, especially in a big running club group, I would recommend pairing off rather than going five or six abreast,” advises Ghosh. “You can suddenly encounter a pedestrian or a dog walker without much notice in foggy conditions, so running in a wide line can lead to issues.”

Leave your headphones at home

“I don’t recommend wearing headphones while running, especially not in foggy weather,” says Ghosh. “In foggy weather, you need to have all of your sensors available to you because you need to use your sight as well as sound to navigate these conditions.”

Ghosh views headphones as an unnecessary distraction for runners.

“People like to listen to music to get pumped up, but I think that the best thing you can do is not run with headphones and to instead tune in to your breathing, your effort levels and to what your body is doing,” says Ghosh.

“When you do that, you actually don’t really need to look at heart rate or pace as much because you will have a much better understanding of how you’re running, what your form is like, what your fatigue level is like, how your foot’s landing on the ground and what your arms are doing.”

Try nasal breathing

“Nasal breathing, especially if it’s an easier run, can really help in foggy conditions where there might be a lot of pollutants,” says Ghosh. He explains, “Your nose is a natural air-conditioning system. It will warm the air and filter it.”

Wrap up warm

“Foggy conditions typically mean that it’s a bit colder out there, and we will usually lose a lot of heat from our hands, head and feet,” says Ghosh. “So, while wrapping up around the midsection, in my view, is important, it’s not as important as putting gloves and a hat on because your body will prioritse keeping the organs warm in your midsection.

“I would recommend covering your head, putting some warm socks and gloves on to make sure that your extremities stay warm.”

Slow down

“Try to run a lot slower and you could even do a run walk if the conditions are really bad,” says Ghosh. “Of course, it’s not as good as running normally in perfect conditions, but sometimes you just got to do the best with what you have.

“You will still get the benefits from doing aerobic exercise.”

Know when to call it quits

“If visibility is very limited and your only options are going off-road, then it’s not going to be a safe choice to go out running in foggy weather,” says Ghosh.

“In addition, this time of year where we have just had Bonfire Night and lots of  fireworks, there can often be quite a high level of pollution. So, if you suffer with asthma or breathing difficulties, it’s not advisable to go in early morning fog because there might be an increased risk of air pollutants that could irritate your lungs.

“Sometimes not running can actually be a safer and better choice in the long term.”