Tips for running in the morning (as opposed to the night)
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kristinegift wrote: »When I run in the morning, I more or less roll out of bed, drink a bit of water, put on my clothes, and head out. The key is to get out of bed and head out the door before your sleepy brain has time to say, "Oh wait... go back to bed!"
I must try this tactic. I spend far too time hitting the snooze button, making coffee, nibbling on granola, drinking coffee, waiting to use the bathroom...by the time I get out the door well over an hour as passed, sometimes more.
Get up.
Get my *kitten* out the door.
Run.
Oh, and dress...probably should do that too.
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Depends on the time/distance. If my planned run 45 minutes or less, I basically roll out of bed and into my shoes. No food, no water, no coffee, but also no down time between waking up and leaving the house. (I set out my clothes and plan my route the night before, so no dawdling on the computer!)
If I want to run for an hour, or more, I wake up about an hour before I want to run. If I'm not too hungry, I just have coffee and wait for it to, uh, do its thing. Then I leave as soon as that's taken care of, before I can get hungry. I'll pack a Gu for the road, but only if I'm running more than an hour.
If I'm already hungry when I wake up, I'll have coffee plus peanut butter on a banana then wait 45 minutes before running to digest. (The PB & banana is my personal preference because it sits very well with me, but that's after many years of trial and error. I like it because it's "solid" and doesn't take up a lot of volume. Other people I know prefer oatmeal because it's heartier, or something with bread, or eggs, or a protein bar... but regardless, no more than 200 calories.)
Short version: trial and error is your friend!
Wow, very informative. I've noticed many people have talked about having coffee. why is it? Is it because it makes you poop
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BrianSharpe wrote: »Take a preworkout or fat burner as soon as you get up. Drink some water and hit it. Fasted cardio in the morning works well for me.
My pre-workout......coffee. Fat burner? Is there such a thing?
OP it may just be a matter of adjusting to a new schedule. Personally going for a run first thing in the morning is the second best way I can think of to start my day off, you don't say how far or for how long you've been running. It may just be that you need to dial back the distances at first and expect it to not be brilliant at first (not all of us are morning people)
Fair call - I do think that there will be an adjustment period of new schedule. I tend to do around 4km when i'm taking it easy, then 7km+ something more intensive.0 -
mrswhitehog wrote: »This...with a side order of "Get up and go"!Tips for running in the morning.
- Set all your stuff out the night before. Sleep in your shoes if you like. Take a pillow to the track or the trail you run on and sleep there. No excuses when that alarm goes off.
- Get up when the alarm goes off.
- Have a little bit something to drink. Water. Cold coffee. Miller Light Whiskey
- Eat a small snack if you like. I seldom do.
- Get out there and run. You'll be asleep the first mile. Just tell yourself the first mile pace is slower and forget about it. No one will notice your slower split time. They'll all say "Damn! They already did their run this morning." and they'll be totes jealous of your 14 min/mile splits.
- Enjoy the sunrise. This is one of the best parts of running in the morning.
- Fell better knowing all the rapists and thugs are still asleep in bed and tired from chasing people that run in the evening.
- Laugh at all the people stuck in traffic as you run past them.
- Shower, enjoy some food and the rest of your day. Your workout is done all the rest of the day is yours!
Haha - i love it guys!!0 -
I am the opposite of you. I turn in to a slug at night, and I am my most energized first thing in the morning. Good luck changing your energy patterns; I haven't figured out how to run in the evening yet.
Have a big glass of water before you head out.
Aw man!! I envy your earlybird habits :P I've never been a morning person but I'm totally up for changing that.
How long do you wait after having a glass of water before you head out?0 -
don't take a "fat burner." these are overpriced pills that usually just contain some kind of stimulant or they do nothing. you do not want to do a lot of cardio on popular fatburning stimulants such as ephedrine or yohimbine - it can put unneeded strain on your heart.
Fair enough - i'll probably keep things natural anyway
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I'm a morning runner - if i don't run int he morning, it doesn't happen!
In summer I'm out the door at dawn - i don't usually feel like it at first, but once I'm on the sidewalk, I feel great, and I love the early morning quiet and seeing the sunrise. I run fasted on those days, maybe a glass of water (and well hydrated from the day before), and I'm off. Granted, my summer runs are usually around 3 miles, so I don't need a lot of fuel to get through it.
In winter I still run mornings, but later since I'm not beating the heat, and will usually eat breakfast first, as long as I've got at least a two hour window between eating and run time. And run day breakfast (before or after) is usually oatmeal with plain greek yogurt, blueberries, honey, cinnamon, maybe some protein powder, and black coffee.0 -
I always eat before. I can't run on an empty stomach. Usually, I'll have a small coffee and something small like nuts, toast, or fruit before. Sometimes I'll eat leftovers. I don't wait after eating to run, unless I have a big meal it doesn't bother my stomach. I usually eat after running, especially if I've run over 5-6 miles.0
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I just get up, get dressed and go. I do not give myself time to think about it. Empty stomach for anything less than 5 miles. PB on whole wheat bread of over 5 miles. My first mile is a little slower and then I am good. Give yourself time to adjust. The first few weeks are tough then it is all good:).0
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workout_junkee wrote: »I just get up, get dressed and go. I do not give myself time to think about it. Empty stomach for anything less than 5 miles. PB on whole wheat bread of over 5 miles. My first mile is a little slower and then I am good. Give yourself time to adjust. The first few weeks are tough then it is all good:).
Sounds like a period of adjustment then.. So do you think the 'weak' feeling will eventually get better if i stick with running in the morning?0 -
I'm so with you on this. I struggle massively to get out of bed. I now run at lunch instead as we have lovely showers at work with fresh towels and I only have to bring my clothes because I even leave spare trainers here.
That said, I still have to get up 3 mornings a week to do my Kayla Itsines BBG circuits because if I don't it just does not happen.
Here are things I do/what I have learned:
- Try getting up 30 mins to an hour earlier for a week before committing to exercising in the morning. This eased me in. Once my body started to feel less horrified by the early start, I started hitting the pavements and rising a bit earlier again.
- Consider an alarm that forces you to wake up. There are various apps that build a game into turning off your alarm. I personally enjoy Alarmy (Sleep if you can!) which forces me to take a picture to match an image I've locked it to previously - otherwise it will not turn off!!!
- I also used to have a timer plugged into the power socket which forced my lamp on at a certain time.
- I'm a better fasted exerciser in the morning, it makes me queasy to eat. Different for everyone.
- Keep to that time once you get into the habit. Ok, you may only run 3 mornings a week but get up at your run time the other days to. Sleep-ins ruin the habit unfortunately.
I hope there is something in there which helps!0 -
I'm so with you on this. I struggle massively to get out of bed. I now run at lunch instead as we have lovely showers at work with fresh towels and I only have to bring my clothes because I even leave spare trainers here.
That said, I still have to get up 3 mornings a week to do my Kayla Itsines BBG circuits because if I don't it just does not happen.
Here are things I do/what I have learned:
- Try getting up 30 mins to an hour earlier for a week before committing to exercising in the morning. This eased me in. Once my body started to feel less horrified by the early start, I started hitting the pavements and rising a bit earlier again.
- Consider an alarm that forces you to wake up. There are various apps that build a game into turning off your alarm. I personally enjoy Alarmy (Sleep if you can!) which forces me to take a picture to match an image I've locked it to previously - otherwise it will not turn off!!!
- I also used to have a timer plugged into the power socket which forced my lamp on at a certain time.
- I'm a better fasted exerciser in the morning, it makes me queasy to eat. Different for everyone.
- Keep to that time once you get into the habit. Ok, you may only run 3 mornings a week but get up at your run time the other days to. Sleep-ins ruin the habit unfortunately.
I hope there is something in there which helps!
thank you so much - this post was immensely helpful. I had no idea there were alarms that forced you to take a picture to turn it off. amazing!!
You've given me plenty of tips to implement.. Thank you 0 -
I'm a v early morning runner as my tactic to get me started was to set the alarm so early that I was damned if I was going to be awoken that early and not make the most of it and run. I don't eat or really drink before going out (did 7m this morning fasted and felt good until the last mile). My longer runs I do at the weekend and eat a banana first and take sweets if going more than 8-9 miles. I don't worry about my pace on my early runs - they are slow. But then when I run furled and fully awake (and in daylight) I am comparatively speedy! In short, I wouldn't worry about pace as it will still benefit your running overall and will improve race times etc if that matters. I have an early morning pace and a (faster)normal pace0
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I always have to get up early enough to have a cup of coffee and use the bathroom before going for a run. Without going in to details, coffee helps speed things up.
I hate aiming for a 10k/15k and realising that after 5k I need to find a bathroom.
Apart from that I avoid eating anything early morning, it just sits heavy in my stomach.
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I think its all been said but I too am an early morning runner. I started around 5 months ago and chose 5:30am as it was quiet and no one would see me make a fool out of myself struggling to complete 2.5k!
Since then it has become habit and I am now doing 10k runs and getting it finished before 6:30am. The whole day is then mine! I run fasted with the exception of a small drink containing BCAA's.
Getting up can be a struggle, especially during the winter months and the weather dictates if I go outside or not. When you do though, its a different world out there. If you run in the country or on the outskirts of a town then there is a wonderful feeling of tranquillity as you witness the night disappear and nature coming to life.
Running later in the day just doesn't appeal to me at all.
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In the winter, don't forget to wear a blinky light and headlamp, so the groggy drivers out on the road see you! I have a petzel headlamp that I really like that charges via USB so it's always ready to go.0
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I run in the morning, sometime between 05:00 & 06:30, because that is the only time i can guarantee nobody is asking for me for anything, and because I have to run before drinking anything. Yes you will be slower, that's normal, you need to warm up. Just be slower. Save one day a week for sprints and do those in the afternoon, or do the long slow slog then a few sprints at the end.
I do not eat or drink anything before heading out, just drink a lot of water the night before, but never run more than 5 miles anyway. I can't drink before running because #4 baby knocked the urethra out of alignment or something, anything in my bladder leaks out (only during running, not coughing or laughing or anything) and I'm not so hardcore that I don't care.... up to 5 miles fasted has never been a problem, I drink a bunch of water when I get back, and am conditioned to fasted workouts at this point.
If you ever run a race, it will almost certainly start in the morning, so it's good training to do your running at this time anyway.
Just get up and put on your shoes and step out the door. That's the important part. Day after day.0 -
Tips for running in the morning.
- Set all your stuff out the night before. Sleep in your shoes if you like. Take a pillow to the track or the trail you run on and sleep there. No excuses when that alarm goes off.
- Get up when the alarm goes off.
- Have a little bit something to drink. Water. Cold coffee. Miller Light Whiskey
- Eat a small snack if you like. I seldom do.
- Get out there and run. You'll be asleep the first mile. Just tell yourself the first mile pace is slower and forget about it. No one will notice your slower split time. They'll all say "Damn! They already did their run this morning." and they'll be totes jealous of your 14 min/mile splits.
- Enjoy the sunrise. This is one of the best parts of running in the morning.
- Fell better knowing all the rapists and thugs are still asleep in bed and tired from chasing people that run in the evening.
- Laugh at all the people stuck in traffic as you run past them.
- Shower, enjoy some food and the rest of your day. Your workout is done all the rest of the day is yours!
This is AWESOME!
I always run in the morning, and almost always in a fasted state. On rare occasions when I feel very hungry first thing in the AM, I will have like half a banana and a swig or two of water, then give it a few minutes to digest so I don't cramp up, but 95% of the time I'm on an empty stomach. Then when I'm done, I shower up, eat breakfast and then I'm good for the rest of the day!
Between having a job and 3 kids, getting up early before the rest of the family does and getting my workouts in is kind of the only option. The evenings are just too hectic and by then I'm too tired.
I have my workout clothes all laid out and ready to go the night before. I get up, change, and go get after it! I actually look forward to it everyday, its a great way to start my day, get my body working, and get my calorie burn on!
Just like anything else, it takes a while for the habit of getting up and exercising early to form. Give it a few weeks, you'll be an early morning champ in no time!
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I find I'm too hungry in the morning to run on an empty stomach. I just have something small like a banana or a couple of clementines and then I'll eat breakfast when I'm done.0
https://youtu.be/slTNf0sweD8
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