Another thing that is very helpful is to get acquainted with the route in the daylight. Once you are running in a familiar environment, you'll no more startle at shadows, and you'll be more responsive for actual problems (say, some obstacles on the trail). If possible, choose paths that are not completely covered by woods, use the open sections to relax; finally, you can try to exploit the moon phases.

I sometime go hiking during the night for the sheer pleasure of it (that is, a tighter connection with the nature), and often I keep my headlight switched of: of course I do this only on paths I know very well.

Another thing that is very helpful is to get acquainted with the route in the daylight. Once you are running in a familiar environment, you'll no more startle at shadows, and you'll be more responsive for actual problems (say, some obstacles on the trail). If possible, choose paths that are not completely covered by woods, use the open sections to relax; finally, you can try to exploit the moon phases.

I sometime go hiking during the night for the sheer pleasure of it (that is, a tighter connection with the nature), and often I keep my headlight switched off: of course I do this only on paths I know very well.