QT: Becoming a Morning Runner is Possible if Needs Must (Best Of-ish)

Become a Patron!

This post was originally part of Episode 208 released in January of 2016 and is more or less copied and pasted from that post. The audio, however, is a new take on the topic.

We are all busy.

There’s no question about that. But if we are trying to maintain consistency in our training, which really is the key to improving and reaching our running goals, we have to regularly be able to find time to run amid the craziness of life.

For me, the biggest key to my consistency in training has been becoming an early morning runner.

It wasn’t something that I really wanted to do, but it was the best option for me.

Because let’s be honest, if you wait to run until after work, there is a whole host of things that can screw your run up (family, work, traffic, etc.).

But if you get up at 4:30, take the dogs out real quick, and meet your running group at 5:15, you rarely run into a problem.

Funny how “life” isn’t even awake enough to screw up your run if you go early…

How to Become a Morning Runner

I’m not going to lie, sometimes I hate that I have to run in the mornings.

And theoretically, I really don’t “have” to.

I work from home, I basically make my own schedule, and could damn well go running at 10 am every day if I wanted to.

The problem is that by 10 am there are emails to send, blog posts to write, podcast interviews to record, sponsors to negotiate with, and on and on.

Never mind the fact that by 10 am in Central FL it’s hot as blazes and the humidity has reached about 126%.

If you want/need to start running before the rest of the day gets going, here are some tips that will definitely make the transition to being a morning runner slightly less difficult.

Prep Everything the Night Before

And I mean everything. Running clothes laid out, shoes ready, coffee pot set, keys located, Garmin charged. And whatever else you need for your run. Have everything you need for your run locked and loaded so you don’t have to fuss with anything in the morning.

Get Up a Little Earlier

The temptation may be to sleep until the last possible second, but that doesn’t work for me at all. I need to get up, take the dogs out, drink some coffee, and wake up a little bit before I run. I’m not the kind of person that can roll out of bed and be ready to go. I know that, so I have to adjust. If you need a little extra time to wake up, get up a little earlier. And that reminds me…

Go to Bed a Little Earlier

Sleep is vital to our overall health, and most of us are already getting less sleep than we should. If you think you can keep going to bed at the same time while getting up an hour or two earlier, you are sadly mistaken. Your body is going to break down if you don’t give it enough time to rest, so shut it down earlier and hit the sack. Late-night TV is just as good the next day on YouTube, I promise.

Stop With the Debbie Downer Routine

Seriously, stop telling yourself you can’t get up in the morning and go for a run. There are plenty of things you can’t do. You can’t fly. You can’t run a sub-2-hour marathon. You can’t travel through time. One thing you can do is get your arse out of bed before the sun rises to go run. You may not want to, but you can do it. It’s honestly amazing how easy it is to get up to go run when you are looking forward to getting up to go running. A little positive self-talk goes a long way!

Recruit Some Friends

Another sure-fire way to get up for a run is to have a few running buddies waiting on you. It’s easy to justify turning the alarm off and going back to sleep when we aren’t letting anyone else down, but knowing that there are some friends waiting for you makes you think twice about putting the pillow over your head. It’s amazing what a little peer pressure will do for you sometimes.

Look, you might never “like” getting your runs in before the sun comes up.

I thought I’d be the last person in the world that would look forward to a 5:15 am meet-up and workout. But I’ll promise you one thing, I have more energy, get more accomplished, and feel better after getting up and going for a run than I ever do sleeping in until 6:30.

And there is nothing like knowing your workout for the day is done before 6:30 am.

Not a morning runner? That's fine. But if you need/want to get out early, I promise it's doable! #runchat Click To Tweet

Are You a Morning Runner?

If So, Do You Go Early by Necessity or By Choice?

Want to Support the Continued Growth & Production of the Show?

Check out the support page for ideas and suggestions of ways you can help me grow the show. And remember, not all support involves money. Some of the best ways you can show your support are 100% free.

Subscribe to the Show

Never miss another episode of the Diz Runs With podcast by subscribing to the show, and for my fellow Apple fans out there, it’s never been easier now that the podcast app is native on the new operating system. iPhone/iPod/iPad users click here. Android users click here. SoundCloud users click here.

Please Give Me Some Feedback!

Take the 6 question listener survey to help me shape the future of this podcast.

Register for a Free Race Training Plan

Every month, I’m giving away a FREE training plan for the race of your choice. For details/information, and to sign up, just click here.

Join The Tribe!

There’s always room for more members of the tribe! Both the Facebook group and the email group provide opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else. The Facebook group is still small, but it is a great way to connect with fellow runners and foster community amongst like-minded individuals. The email group is THE way to stay up to date about future guests on the show, as well as getting some other freebies and offers that aren’t available to anyone else. If you’ve got questions about either/both, just let me know!