Running in the morning Vs. in the evening

Chlo92x
Chlo92x Posts: 168 Member
edited November 10 in Fitness and Exercise
I always prefer to go running in the evening,
Im not a morning person and can never get myself motivated!

Is there any preferred time for maximum results?
Or do you think its individualized?

& What do you guys prefer?

Replies

  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    It's solely personal preference. I'm a morning person, so my workout happens (typically) between 8-11am (depending on if I go to the gym for a class or walk outside, hike, etc).
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    i am not a morning person. ive done it a few times and my eyes burn the rest of hte day and i am confused all day long. as if i stayed up too late. plus there are hotter guys at the gym in the evenings:p
  • luvbwfc
    luvbwfc Posts: 107 Member
    I find my weekend runs at 11 am much easier than weekday runs after work. Presumably due to having eaten more recently at weekendw
  • cajuntank
    cajuntank Posts: 924 Member
    edited January 2015
    The preferred time for maximum results Is the one you can better devote more energy to. So if you run better, faster, longer in the evening and you enjoy this part of the day better for whatever physical or pychological reason, then that is the time that will give "you" better results.
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    I'm a morning person so I typically get up around 4am to run or go to the gym. I've tried running in the afternoon but it is so hard to get my butt out the door. With that said, I have better luck getting on my road bike for a quick afternoon ride. I honestly think whatever time of day works for you is the way to go. In the end all that really matters is you are getting out there, not sitting on the couch with a bowl of Lucky Charms :D
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    personal preference and based on when you have time.

    i prefer to go early in the morning, that way it's done. but sometimes because of work i have to go in the evening. and sometimes i won't go until after lunch because i have too much other stuff to do, and often i won't do any of it if i've worked out early in the morning.

    but you know when i don't run? between 2-4 pm. why? i live surrounded by about a half a dozen schools, and those are the hours all the kids are on the sidewalks letting loose after being inside for 6-8 hours. it's not a fun experience for me :|
  • Chlo92x
    Chlo92x Posts: 168 Member
    carrieous wrote: »
    i am not a morning person. ive done it a few times and my eyes burn the rest of hte day and i am confused all day long. as if i stayed up too late. plus there are hotter guys at the gym in the evenings:p

    Haha I like your thinking!
  • Chlo92x
    Chlo92x Posts: 168 Member
    When i work I work from 7am untill 9.30pm with an hour travelling each way... There is no chance in me doing anything before or after work... espcially if im working two days in a row :s
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I run after work... I get up early enough as it is! Apart from on a weekend when I run mid morning.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Chlo92x wrote: »
    When i work I work from 7am untill 9.30pm with an hour travelling each way... There is no chance in me doing anything before or after work... espcially if im working two days in a row :s


    so you'd need to leave your house by 6am... say 550 just in case. maybe you need 30 minutes to get ready in the morning...

    wake up at 4:30am. it's possible. i do it. splash some water on your face, get dressed quickly, eat a banana real quick, and you can be out the door by 450. you can do a 30 minute run and be back by 520am. you now have 30 minutes to shower and change before heading to work.

    if you made a protein shake breakfast to have in the car, you can drink that while you drive.
  • Orfygirl
    Orfygirl Posts: 274 Member
    I run first thing in the morning. I find that if I put my workout off until after work, it never gets done. I'm too exhausted by the end of the day and have a million and one reasons why I shouldn't go for that run.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Chlo92x wrote: »
    When i work I work from 7am untill 9.30pm with an hour travelling each way... There is no chance in me doing anything before or after work... espcially if im working two days in a row :s

    been thinking more about this post...

    so you work a fourteen and a half hour shift... but not daily. in fact, not always two days in a row from what you say. well, you don't have to exercise daily. in fact, these long days at work can be perfect to force you to have a real rest day. often times, people feel that they need to exercise daily.

    instead, do you exercise schedule around your work schedule. working two days straight? awesome, that means that the day before is going to be a big workout!! and the day after is going to be a strong one too!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited January 2015
    Chlo92x wrote: »
    I always prefer to go running in the evening,
    Im not a morning person and can never get myself motivated!

    Is there any preferred time for maximum results?
    Or do you think its individualized?

    & What do you guys prefer?

    Why would it matter? It doesn't by the way. Exercise when you can and when you can crush it...

    As far as results go, I'm assuming you're talking about weight loss...that's going to have more to do with your diet and consumption than what exercise you do or when you do it. Exercise is for fitness and you make fitness gains regardless of when you exercise so long as you are able to push yourself and keep getting better.

    Also, as the good Captain has stated...you don't have to exercise every day. Rest is good for you and a part of the equation.
  • Chlo92x
    Chlo92x Posts: 168 Member
    Capt_Apollo wrote: »
    Chlo92x wrote: »
    When i work I work from 7am untill 9.30pm with an hour travelling each way... There is no chance in me doing anything before or after work... espcially if im working two days in a row :s

    been thinking more about this post...

    so you work a fourteen and a half hour shift... but not daily. in fact, not always two days in a row from what you say. well, you don't have to exercise daily. in fact, these long days at work can be perfect to force you to have a real rest day. often times, people feel that they need to exercise daily.

    instead, do you exercise schedule around your work schedule. working two days straight? awesome, that means that the day before is going to be a big workout!! and the day after is going to be a strong one too!

    I work three times a week, i officially get paid for 12.5 hours minus breaks. But i work different days each week so sometimes I cant go to my metafit class :(
  • LoneWolfRunner
    LoneWolfRunner Posts: 1,160 Member
    I get up at 430 am to run or go to the gym. I love early mornings. Later runs and workouts suck in comparison.
  • Chlo92x
    Chlo92x Posts: 168 Member
    I just cant get myself out of bed in the mornings. I struggle to get out of bed for work never mind any earlier haha!
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
    I used to run at the gym in the mornings - around 6:30 am. I'd pack my gym bag the night before, roll out of bed at 6 am, drive to the gym and be on treadmill by 6:30.

    Now, years and 3 kids later I work out mid-morning. When I'm not working, I run mid-morning after dropping my daughter at school and running errands. On days I work, I run as soon as I get home before doing anything else. I literally get the kids in the door, drop everything else by the door, change into my workout clothes, and do a 30 minute HIIT run. Then I take a quick shower and proceed with a crazy busy evening of taking care of 3 little kids.
  • Chlo92x
    Chlo92x Posts: 168 Member
    whats a HIIT run? x
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
    High intensity interval training. It's awesome for improving speed. I googled 30 minute HIIT treadmill and got a bunch of different workouts. Basically, it has you running at your max speed and then walking at intervals for 30 minutes.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Orfygirl wrote: »
    I run first thing in the morning. I find that if I put my workout off until after work, it never gets done. I'm too exhausted by the end of the day and have a million and one reasons why I shouldn't go for that run.

    This is me. I run and workout first thing normally. By normally I mean in my regular work week schedule. I'm more flexible on weekends. But yeah, I try to get it done before I start my day. It doesn't always work, but I try.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    The best time to work out is when you will have the most energy to work out. I'm too sluggish in the morning to be useful for anything.
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    LoneWolfRunner wrote: »
    I get up at 430 am to run or go to the gym. I love early mornings. Later runs and workouts suck in comparison.

    So it isn't just me LOL I can run in the afternoon but it literally takes me 2-3 miles to really find my mojo and if I do run in the afternoon it is typically only 3-4 miles so I'm warmed up by the time I'm done ;)

  • vha2
    vha2 Posts: 64 Member
    Chlo92x wrote: »
    I just cant get myself out of bed in the mornings. I struggle to get out of bed for work never mind any earlier haha!

    That is exactly me! Today I went for more or less the same 20 minute run twice - around 8am and 6pm. I felt like I had much more endurance at 6pm so maybe that works better for me personally.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories