The Path I Took To Become A Morning Runner
A longtime fan of evening workouts, Hoppe Feet describes the path she took to become a morning runner.
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For as long as I can remember, I have preferred evening running, the setting sun serving as my cue to lace up my shoes and hit the road. Recently, I started training with a friend who favors running in the morning. Therefore, in order to appease my friend, I have slowly transitioned into a “morning runner.” While I have not completely traded in my sunsets for the sunrise, I have come to appreciate, and somewhat enjoy, running in the morning. Here are some of the things I’ve discovered along the way:
Fueling First
For me, the hardest part of running in the morning is figuring out how to properly fuel beforehand. I’ve found that I don’t need to eat anything for shorter runs (anything less than 10 miles). But for longer runs, if I fail to fuel pre-run, I struggle through the last few miles. This means waking up a bit earlier than my scheduled run to eat something small; bananas, dates, and oatmeal work best for me. Nutrition post-run is also an important consideration. After completing a strenuous morning workout, it’s tempting to let myself indulge a bit throughout the day. Instead of snacking on sweets and treats to reward myself, I keep myself nourished with healthy foods post-run.
Toilet Time
Another huge adjustment for me was figuring out my pre-run bathroom routine. I have learned (the hard way!), that I need to allot a little extra time before my morning runs to take care of business. This ensures that I’m not desperately searching for portapotties halfway through my run.
Sleepy Runner
Without the caffeine from my morning cup of coffee coursing through my veins, it often takes me a few miles to feel fully awake. This makes completing certain speed workouts especially challenging in the morning. To accommodate this, I give myself ample time to warm up before speed-specific and tempo workouts.
Related: The 5 Stages Of Waking Up For Early Morning Runs
Chilly Weather
I have also discovered that morning running often means cooler temperatures. While this is ideal for summer months, the idea of getting out of my warm bed to run outside in the winter cold seems especially dreadful. To help with this, I lay out all of my running clothes the night before. If I have to think through what I’m wearing, it’s easier to psych myself out of a chilly morning run.
Accountability Partner
In the beginning, all of my morning runs were completed with friends. Knowing that I had an obligation to meet other runners kept me accountable. Now that morning running is less daunting to me, I am more inclined to run in the morning on my own.
Worth It
The absolute best part of morning running is that it ensures that the rest of my day is incredible! It affords me time to collect my thoughts and goals for the day. Most notably, there are very few things that compare to the feeling of productivity that ensues after a hard run!
Related:
There’s One Trick That Made Me A Morning Runner
6 Tricks To Becoming A Morning Runner (And If They Actually Work)