TIPS ON WAKING UP EARLY TO RUN

Confession: I’ve been a morning runner for five years and have never been as enthusiastic about waking up as this guy.

Yes, waking up early does get easier with time. But will you ever LOVE it? I can’t guarantee that. But I can guarantee that morning runs will make your life easier and in the end will benefit your training.

Five years ago, you would never catch me up any earlier than I had to be. However, I started finding it much more difficult to squeeze in my run after work. Whether it was a friend that wanted to grab dinner, a deadline I had to make or just utter exhaustion, I found myself continuously pushing back my workout just one more day.

It was then I decided that in order for me to routinely run, I would have to squeeze it in before work. By working out in the morning, I could use the rest of the day for whatever came my way.

If you’re interested in joining the club of morning runners, here are some tips for getting started.

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1. Set a goal

Whether it is to complete a 5k or lose 5 kilo’s, you are much more likely to wake up if you have a goal to work towards.

2. Go to bed earlier

This was a struggle for me. I realized I could not run as well attaining less sleep. If you wake up an hour earlier, then you need to get to bed an hour earlier. The first few nights you might toss and turn, but your body will adjust.

3. Lay the right clothes out the night before

The less steps I have to take in the morning to get out the door, the better. Whether it is packing a bag for the gym the night before or laying out bright reflective clothing for running outside, you will be thankful you did this in the morning.

4. Set a routine of waking up early

Sleeping in super late on the weekends really messed up my internal clock when I had to rise early during the week. Plus, I usually claimed I didn’t have time to workout on Saturdays due to my social activities, but waking up earlier on Saturday has given me time to run or go to a yoga class!

5. Warm up

Your body is just waking up. Don’t go full speed ahead instantly. Properly stretch and warm up your muscles then gradually increase your speed.

6. COFFEE

When I need a little pick-me-up, a little coffee usually does the trick.