5:00 AM: The alarm rings, I spring out of bed to silence the mechanical chirp and dash off to the other quadrant of the house, draped in darkness. In that room, my supplies are ready to go. With a quick fuel stop, satellite acquisition and deep breath, itโs go time.
What mission is this, you may ask? A top-secret military mobilization process? A complex battle plan enacted by highly trained soldiers? No, it is something much more coordinated: the allusive implementation of the solitary pre-dawn ritual of only truly dedicated individualsโฆ
โฆor for those of us that speak regular English: the early morning run.
I, like many 9 to 5โers (or more accurately, 8 to 5โers) with crowded work schedules, find the time before heading into the office as โbestโ time for getting in a training run. While it might be dark, cold and kind of lonely, there are definite advantages to running before the dawn breaks โ including less traffic, cooler temperatures (in the summer) and that feeling of a runnerโs high throughout the day.
That said there are also some negatives: the most obvious being the fact that it is DARK. So, this is my battle manifesto for conquering that oโdark hundred run:
ยท Crave your run โ make it the reason you go to bed at a reasonable time.
ยท Eliminate the need to think – for the first 10 minutes that youโre awake โ set out your clothes, shoes and gear so thereโs no need to shuffle around in the dark (or better yet, sleep in your running clothes โ I even pull on my compression socks the evening before if I want to wear them on my run).
ยท Light your path โ literally and figuratively, with a headlamp or flashlight to see, and a mapped out plan (even if it is just in your head) of your running route.
ยท Do what you need โ to make it a habit. Use this solitary time to think about decisions you need to make, or go the opposite way and run out your worries! I use my morning runs as a time to catch up on Podcasts, which I [safely] listen to through the speakers in my running vest! I know that missing a run will mean missing an episode, so itโs another way to keep myself accountable.
Once youโve got your rhythm figured out, hitting the pavement before the world wakes up can (and will) become a part of your life, too! Really, it does get easierโฆbut youโll still impress your friends and coworkers with your early morning motivation J
QOTD: When do you run? How do you stay motivated?
I not only get my running gear ready the night before but also what I’ll be wearing to work. I actually do 7-4 so I have to get out there early and it’s just soooo dark now (insert annoying whiney voice). Since it is cooling down here now, I have experimented with some after work runs. Totally different
I totally know what you mean about experimenting with different run times! It definitely takes some “test and adjusting”
Great post! I have to run early in the morning, before the kids wake up. It’s nice to have an hour or so alone, and helps to mentally prepare me for the rest of the day. I also have to lay out my entire outfit the night before too, or I will just end up waking my husband up crashing around our bedroom looking for gear! And you are absolutely right about making it a habit, I feel a little crazy if I don’t run in a few days!!
I am NOT a morning person so I don’t think I’ll ever run in the mornings unless I was meeting somebody on a weekend or something. As far as when it’s dark-no siree-not since my run in with a copperhead snake on the edge of my driveway one early evening. ๐
Got to get my runs in after work and before dark!
I wish I had more running buddies around, but there aren’t a lot of runners in my area!!
Shannon
http://www.irunreadteach.wordpress.com
It’s great when each of us can find the ideal time for us! With winter coming, it’s already dark by the time I head home!!! I used to supplement my runs with treadmill runs, but our gym’s TM has been broken for a few weeks now ๐
morning is my favorite time to run also! i love the early moments before the sun comes up! i feel so happy and accomplished and ready for everything! not to mention, it’s the closest time of day to breakfast, and that’s the best part of my day for sure!! LOL!! spa love!
Hahah agree about breakfast = best part of the day!! ๐
Hey Heather, these are great tips! I’m an early morning workout person, yet sometimes it’s too easy to go back to sleep for JUST five more minutes. I’ll have to try out these tips and see how it goes. ๐
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