Running in the AM: Five Good Reasons to Be an Early Riser
Posted October 18th, 2006 at 4:00 AM by Trish Monks
Section: Running & Training, Health & Fitness, Exercise
Trish Monks, writing all the way from England, is a wonderful addition to our team. Although Brits might speak a little differently and make us laugh from time to time - we still love them and we love Trish’s writing. Enjoy!
There are many reasons why I wish I were a morning person, but the main one would have to be my running. If I could do most of my training before going to work, my life would be so much easier.
I have managed it a few times over the last couple of years, most memorably while I was training for the Paris marathon in 2004.
I vividly remember arriving home after an early morning training run, with my hair frozen solid and the sun still not up! At the time, because of other commitments (i.e. life!), it was the only way I could fit my increasingly heavy running schedule into my day, and for many, that’s a day-to-day reality.
5 reasons to run first thing in the morning:
- You get your training out of the way and in the bag before your day has really started, meaning that nothing – no meetings, missed meals, sick kids or afternoon energy slump can stand between you and your session.
- It wakes you up, physically and mentally, in a way that coffee never can.
- The air is fresher with less pollen and pollution, and the temperature is lower – a real bonus during hot summer months.
- The world is a quieter, calmer place - the hecklers are still in bed, the city has yet to wake up, and the sunrise is there to be enjoyed.
- If get out for your run before eating, there is some evidence to suggest that you are more likely to burn fat in order to fuel your efforts, because of a lack of easily available carbohydrates (no food).
(However, it is suggested that you curtail your ‘empty’ efforts to just 30 minutes of cardio (no resistance work), should give it a miss if you have any medical problems such as diabetes or high/low blood pressure, and definitely should not starve yourself all day trying to achieve a similar effect with an evening workout!)
To ensure early morning success (i.e. running rather than snoozing) I find that if I lay my kit out the night before, so it’s ready to go as soon as I wake up, and have a breakfast ‘treat’ (boiled eggs and toast soldiers especially) waiting for me when I get home, it is so much easier to muster up the motivation to get out of my nice warm bed and onto the road!
On deciding whether or not to eat before a morning run - personally I don’t. This is mainly because of the time constraints (I need at least an hour between eating and running, preferably longer), but also because for runs of less than 45 minutes - I don’t feel that I need anything other than a glass of water. Any longer than 45 minutes though and I find I am ravenous and noticeably slowing down by the time I get home, so I think that’s about my limit.
If you find you do need to eat before running, if you have a longish run planned, or a race perhaps, then it is probably a case of trial and error to find what suits you best. Try a few different things (toast, banana, half a bagel) and see what works for you, with energy gels or drinks as a potential alternative if you just can’t face food!
The main thing to do is get out there and try it – with so many benefits, it seems crazy not to, and who knows, you might like it!
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, as well as, performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Source: [Natural Awakenings]
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: blood pressure, carbohydrates, cardio, diabetes, early riser, eating, missed meals, morning person, morning run, resistance
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The Final Sprint