The morning run

how does one begin?

left foot forward, right foot forward, repeat until finished.

Start a Couch to 5k Program.

e.g. http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx

B

I run around 5:30am, 3 days a week, but I have always been an early waker, so it has not been that part hasn't been too difficult for me. Just set an alarm, and go for it. It may take a little while to adjust, but start going to sleep earlier and you should be fine.

It can be difficult to pry yourself out of your warm bed, but I always try to give myself something to look forward to... ie. a new song on my iPod, fun new socks, or a new piece of running gear.

The motivator for me was that I was running to work, so I HAD to get there and I had to get there on time. If I didn't go, I'd have to wake my whole family up at 6am to drive me to work in our only car (we have two cars now, but at the time we didn't).

Eventually, you will do it enough times that it becomes habit. Then you'll get to a point where you're grumpy if you DON'T get your run in.

Good luck!

I have a routine that pretty much forces me out the door. My running watch sits on my night stand and it's alarm is set to go off 5 minutes before the alarm that I have set up down the hall in the bathroom. So, I have to physically walk down there to shut it off. While I stand there in a daze, I say to myself "just start" and pull on my clothes, lace up my shoes, grab a splash of water (not too much!) and I am out the door. Works every time! )

As others have said, the key is to have everything ready. If you have got to search for anything, that logical part of your brain that realizes that normal people don't get up that early will kick in. Also, when the alarm goes off, get directly out of bed. Don't think about it or lay there. You will reset the alarm if you do. Allow yourself to think about it after you are dressed for it. By then, you've got the momentum to carry you out the door.

Do it for a few weeks, without fail and it will start to get easy. It will become a habit.

What they all said. Set your alarm, step into your shoes, and be out the door before your brain has woken up and goes "You're doing what now?"

Ha, definitely agree with this. If I'm going to work out in the morning, I have to be up and out by about 5am. That is *kitten*-crack of dawn early. Much of the year it's still pitch dark at that hour. The only way it's happening is if I get up and out and am working out before I'm really aware of what's going on. Just got to trick yourself into making it happen. By the time you wake up you're already running, and then you can feel all virtuous and accomplished by the time you get back.

Also, invest in a small headlamp unless you live in an area where everything is really well lit or your morning is way later than mine. Tripping over things in the dark = no fun.

wow thanks everyone for all your advice....think the best was to get up and go before your mind starts to reason.

Day 1 running starts tommorrow.....quick question, how do u know how fast you are running??

MFP says 6mp, 12 mph....how do u know what your rate is and how much u are burning?

a first timer walking 3 min and jogging for 2 for 40 mins....whats the estimated calories one can expect to loose??

First off to add to whatever one else has said - have your stuff ready, set an alarm - I think the single most important thing is to decide to go. For me, if I decide in the morning I won't go. When the alarm goes off its not an option.

MFP also has the minutes per mile. For example it says 6 mph (10 minute mile). That might be an easier way to track. Go out in your car and measure a mile or two and choose landmarks. Then all you need is a watch to know how long it took you to run them.
I know how far everything is away from me from doing this (even after getting a GPS I know where each mile marker is 5 miles in either direction. Lol.
Or if you have a smart phone there is a ton of free apps like Mapmyrun that will tell you your pace and give calorie estimates as well.

With walk run intervals it will be a little harder to estimate if you don't have a GPS or app.
How many calories you can expect to burn is too hard for us to estimate. It depends on how much you weigh (so you and I may not burn the same amount running the same course at the same speed) and how fast you are actually running.
Don't get too wrapped up in it. Estimate conservativel and you'll be fine.

For the mileage, if you have a smartphone with a gps there are a bunch of different apps that you can use to track your running mileage, and if I recall correctly (haven't used them since I got my gps watch last year) they also will give you a general idea of your speed. That's what I used when I was first running, until a kind soul gave me a garmin watch as a gift.

In the spring, summer, and early fall I usually run early in the morning. That is when my husband is home and I can get it done before work. I work at 7:30 AM. So I have to get up at 4:30AM and out the door by 4:45AM to get my run going. I lay all of my workout gear out the night before so I can just get it on and go. It is usually dark when I run so I have a headlamp and a light up flashing vest that I purchased from amazon.com.



head lamp I purchased

http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-Finder-Headlight-Batteries-Included/dp/B002MFK7H2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366488670&sr=8-1&keywords=headlamp

my vest

http://www.amazon.com/Innovations-20026XL-Yellow-Reflective-X-Large/dp/B00351LCCQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1366488718&sr=1-1&keywords=light+up+vest

The vest is my favorite thing. I look like a Christmas tree when I go out but everyone can see me!

I hope this helps! Good luck with your early running!