Night Light

With winter bringing shorter days and less sunshine, those who love to pound the pavement are forced to rethink their running schedules. For Towson’s Tim and Julie Polanowski, this was not an option.

After driving home one winter evening and witnessing a runner in dark clothing bobbing and weaving down the road to avoid cars, the couple decided to do something about it. Disappointed by the reflective gear already on the market, they came up with the concept for At Night Athletic. “We want to help people find their wellness on their time and their schedule,” says Julie.

The pair developed the idea for their first illuminated athletic wear in January 2015—women’s capri leggings and men’s shorts—inlaid with LED lights to provide significant visibility for evening walkers and runners. The lights are powered by a lightweight battery pack that sits in the waistband of the garment. The pack, which resembles a small belt buckle, is rechargeable and interchangeable when paired with other items from the brand.

For additional safety, it has a panic button that will change the light’s color and emit an alarm. The pack also has the ability to connect to your phone via Bluetooth and can send a preset emergency text message to your designated contact with your GPS location.

In the future, At Night Athletic is looking to develop more pieces for its well-lit collection, including styles for hikers and bikers, and it hopes to be in local boutique retailers this spring. “We will look to see where the market takes us,” says Tim. “I’m proud to have gotten this far. The fact that we have gotten something out there that we created means more to me than a lot of the other successes I’ve had in my life.”