Need Motivation to Get up Early!

mitch239

I used to be the same where I would spend 30/40 mins on my phone whilst laying in bed. I found an app that means I can block certain apps until a certain time. So I set that so if I was getting up at 7:30 for example, I would set the app time to 8:00/8:15 so it means I would get of bed as I was awake and might as well get up and about.

jbruced

angf0679 wrote: »

jbruced wrote: »

angf0679 wrote: »

Because I love to run. Getting it done in the morning, means I don't need to try to get it in when I get home. I'm training for a half-marathon. My runs are starting to get to long to do on my lunch break at work.

A couple questions come to mind. 1) Are you training for a specific half marathon on a specific date in the near future or are you training to do an unspecified half marathon sometime later this year? 2) what is your reason for not wanting to run after work?

Please know that I am not being critical of you; just trying to find a way to help you find the motivation you are looking for.

1) I'm training for half on April 18. I'm not registered for it yet, as I still need the money to. However, I'm not starting my training after I register, as it would only be 1-2 months way at that point!!!

2) I just find it hard sometimes to get back out the door. It's easier if I pack a snack to eat around 4pm, so I'm not so hungry when I get home. Running after work usually means it's past 8pm before supper.

I don't know how much registration is for running events. The cycling events I do can be as low as $20 as an early bird price on the Bike MS events I do. The other rides I signed up for range from $40-$75. I register at the earliest possible time which creates a sense of committment. The Bike MS events are basically 150 miles over 2 days. I have two of those scheduled this year. The others are century rides, 100 miles in one day(10 to 12 hours); 4 of those this year. The first century ride this year is April 18th like your event. All of this takes phyical and mental training or I fail; thus training is a priority.

I also have signed up for a Rugged Maniac event to do with some of my children and grandchildren, which adds to the sense of commitment.

Is your half marathon event for a cause/charity? If so, is it one that is truly important to you? Is it important enough to you to put the phone down and train for your goal?

Are you hoping to just finish the event even as the last finisher of the day; happened to me twice. Or are you wanting to finish in the middle of the pack or higher?

angf0679

Mitch239 - I should look for that

jbruced - This race has no "early bird" pricing. It's just one fee. I wish I could register early. I just got caught up on being behind on bills. Stupid me once again didn't save for Christmas (or December as I call it as I have three immediate family birthdays in December) and I haven't had the money to spare until now. Next pay I'm registering for this race! (or the one in June I want to do that's over 40% sold right now) My goal time is to get closer to 2:30 finish time. I shocked myself in September when I ran my half took 4 minutes and 20 seconds off my PB. I'd like to see if I can take some more time off it! My current is 2:36:04

TheRedQueen1981

Probably not the advice you’re looking for but to be blunt — just do it.

shrgregory

I say it starts with breaking your habit. Get up once, and go for your run. Try to do it again the next day. Half the battle is starting. I struggled just to work out, but once I start it's hard to quit. Save my phone for afterwards.

kdbulger

I'm with the others here - Leave your phone elsewhere in the house. Get a different alarm clock. Don't pick up the phone 'til you're walking out the door for that run.

That said, for me, running at 5 in the morning is never going to be the solution I need. Have you looked at other solutions? Lunch hour runs (go in early, leave late if needed)? Run-commute to or from work?

A different training plan where your weekday runs are shorter and your weekend run is the long run?

Theoldguy1

angf0679 wrote: »

littlegreenparrot1 wrote: »

Why not just wait until you're on the bus?

No WIFI on the bus

Get unlimited data. I have 90 minutes of commute, streaming stuff all the time.

angf0679

kdbulger - To run commute to work would mean going over a highway (which where I live is illegal to walk/run/bike along side a highway) and over 20km.

Theoldbuy1 - I wish I could afford unlimited data!

I'm looking into options for a different alarm clock. Maybe one that screams at me!

Aermorgen

Some thoughts, as someone who gets up at 5 a.m. seven days a week unless there's sickness involved:

For me, ability to get up early in the morning begins the night before. I'm not sure if your goal is to be up at 4:30 or 5-- whatever time you're aiming for, are you going to bed early enough for that to be reasonable? And are you setting your body clock by going to bed/getting up at the same time every day, whether it's the weekend or not?

Second thing is that it's important for me to have as much of the morning prepped in advance as possible. Are there things that you could ready the night before so that your morning clicks faster and you don't have other calls on that time? Since it sounds like bible study is something that can take you 30-60 min (?), could you do the main work the night before, do a 5-min standing up refresh on what you did once you get up, and then think about it while you're running? Are there things in your post-run/work readiness time that could be done in advance, shortened, or eliminated?

Third thing is probably the hardest: I get out of bed when the alarm goes off, no matter what. I don't use the snooze button and I don't spend time being awake but still in bed. Once I'm physically up, it's a lot easier to go with everything I've already prepped. I'm up--I might as well get going. I usually don't sit down at all until after my workout is done.

Fourth, for me, anyhow, is that I've come to regard the time between 5-6:30 a.m. as the only time I can count on that's mine, for me. It's too valuable to give to the internet or starting work early or any of the other things I might do with that time. The things I do on a phone, I can find corners for in other parts of the day. I think changing the way you think about that time and valuing it more highly might help you keep it focused on what matters to you.