The Power of Morning Runs
Tags: Running, Fitness, Morning Routines, Productivity, Health

Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash

I hated early morning runs. It’s cold and dark, I’m stiff, and I love to start my day slowly with a cup or two of coffee. I’ve tried before, but I always fall back into squeezing workouts in during lunch or at the end of the day.

Until now.

I have a new running buddy. We bonded while running at a 31 hour race, and she is a total delight. I moved many times in the last decade, so I haven’t had a consistent running partner in years. I forgot how wonderful it can be.

However, I have an extremely flexible work schedule right now and my new friend does not. Our options became 1) run at 5:15 am or 2) run at 6:00 pm.

I am someone who desperately wants to be an early riser. 2020 sucked away all the motivation to wake up early, so instead I sleep in and spend the rest of the day beating myself up for the way my morning turned out.

So I picked the 5:15am option, and here’s what happened.

My mentality shifted.

Accountability partners are priceless. Just like magic, I can pop out of bed at 4:15 because of a commitment to my friend. Better yet, there is no cell service at the trailhead. If I sleep in, she’d be stuck there alone in the dark with no option to call and say “hey, are you coming?”.

With a routine buddy run on the calendar, my mindset changes. Mornings, which used to be an ego focused pity party, are now purposeful and rewarding. Now I’m waking up in the 5:00 hour even when I don’t have something scheduled. I know my mind works best in the morning, and the initial two minutes of “this sucks” are forgettable compared to the precious extra hours I gain. Let’s face it, no matter what time I wake up, productivity takes a downturn around 4:00 pm. I can go to bed earlier now without sacrificing anything except a mindless hour of TV. We all have the same 24 hours, but I’ve learned to maximize mine by structuring my day around when my mind is the sharpest.

I go into race mode.

Like I mentioned earlier, my flexible schedule allows me to run whenever I have the time. Putting on my shoes and heading out once I’m done working has a very informal feel to it. 5:15 am runs though? They put me into race mode.

Lying out your gear the night before, waking up before sunrise, drinking coffee while stretching in the dark. These cues take me right back to race mornings, and I begin to take my workout more seriously. Waking up early is a purposeful undertaking, so I make the run count.

I forget I ran.

When I wake up early and get my run done, I almost have to remind myself it happened later in the day. I’m able to just check it off my list and forget about it.

When I save my run for later, I think about it all day. When am I going to get it done? What is my workout? Will I have time? Can I do anything after the run? If something fun comes up mid-day, I have to pick between that or my run.

If you are an anxious person, running first thing allows you to relax into your day without stressing about training.

Photo by Dawid Zawiła on Unsplash

AM runs are powerful, and I’m working on transitioning all of mine to the early morning hours. It does take discipline, and I’ll be using the following strategies to shift my routine.

1. Find that person who is willing to get up with you.

A running partner is ideal. If you don’t have anyone willing to exercise early, can you find a friend who wakes up for another reason? A simple accountability text exchange might be enough to get you out of bed.

2. Start slow.

Right now, I get one or two early runs in with my friend. The other days of the week, I’m simply practicing waking up early. Maybe I’ll run first thing, or maybe I’ll save that for later. The big step is avoiding the snooze button regularly.

3. Realize the sucky part doesn’t last.

You’ll be over the exhaustion in a couple of minutes. Once you exit the bedroom, take a look at the beautiful stars, and start your coffee, you’ll feel accomplished and awake. Create a mantra, like “it’s only two minutes”, for those first few terrible moments.

So, what do you think? Are morning runs in the cards for you, or will you stick to evening sessions? Either way, I challenge you to switch up your routine and try the opposite of what you’re used to. Who knows, it might completely shift your mentality.