Is there a best time for running? In the morning, evening or perhaps during the mid-day. The choice varies from runner to runner depending on their own time schedule and preference. My runs range from before the breaking of dawn to the wee hours in the night.
Singapore is a country where we have long hours of daylight — about 12 hours. As such, I started to clock in my long easy run during the mid-day where the sun shone bright. It allowed me to go further without having to worry about waking up very early or missing out on dinner appointments. Traditionally, I have mostly ran during the early mornings and evenings, so the mid-day runs were new to me. One thing I learnt was the strain on my eyes during bright and sunny days. To be very honest, it is possible to continue running as such.
There are many articles and mentions of why sunglasses are important for the protection of your eyes. For myself during these runs I wish to look around more freely and enjoy the scenery. Thus, I started searching for a pair of sunglasses for my run.
To put it out front, the perception of a brand certainly is one factor but for myself it is not an important factor. I think there are other factors which are crucial for any sunglasses.
- First is that it doesn’t bother you during your run — non-bounce,
- Next would be the level of protection against the ultraviolet (UV) rays,
- How it looks and fit to you,
- And not to forget, the price of the sunglasses you are paying.
After a search for running sunglasses, I decided on grabbing a pair from Sunday Shades. An e-comms/online retailer without a physical store. I know there are many brands out there and a few (e.g., Goodr and Torege) which offers affordable pair with their own appeal. But, they are in the United States.
The pair I bought was the Tempo series in Sunset Lagoon. I will say I really love the colour, there were other pairs but that was before I found this pair. I took the shades out for a easy 12km run around the Marina Bay area to see how it fits. What the brand promises, it delivered. It doesn’t bounce and it fits Asian size for the nose bridge and cheek area; Asian and European has differences in their face features as thus the need for an “Asian Fit”.
My initial worry was that it fails in every aspect, but it certainly did not.
At the price I paid for this pair, I am happy that it works. I can also see myself taking this out for casual outing under the sun and even to overseas (when we can finally travel again). There is only one point to note, I do have a larger/wider face (about or more than 15cm). When the wind picks up or when I go faster, the wind can be felt around my eyes. Not a huge concern but just something to note.
I am a casual runner and not looking to spend a large amount of money on my glasses. So perhaps, if you are looking for a pair, you could consider Sunday Shades. It is relatively less expensive, so you will not feel heartbroken for accidentally damaging it. And there are certainly a variety of colours but not the style/design of the shades. Maybe as they grow and expand, we might see new product lines.
If you had tried their shades or any other brands you would recommend, do let me know!
Till then, keep on running!
Note: I am not paid by Sunday Shades to write this nor compensated in any way. I bought the shades myself with my own money.
