Calling early morning runners...

KMB

posted: 6/9/2009 at 11:40 AM

i do my running early... I think the single biggest moment is between when the feet touch the floor and the hand turns OFF the alarm (not snooze)... past that it is a combination of goals and memories - mostly memories: 1. I have never finished a morning run and wished I had stayed in bed - meaning I am always glad to have done it... sure sleeping is nice and warm and easier, but thats what everybody does... I want to get to work already having accomplished something; 2. memories of almost every single day that I put off my morning run intending to get to it at lunch and it never happens... and I always look in the mirror and think I should have done when I had the chance... the goals - well mostly it was trying to BQ but it could be anything... it is the idea that I am going to nail this workout... if it is just an easy day, I think: "might as well get out there, its an easy day anyway"; if its tempo day: "this is going to be perfect... 2 8's, 3 715's, 2 8's"

plus what yoda said... "Do. or do not. There is no try."

2012 Goals:

RTB Ultra
BQ (< 3:15:00)
10k < 41:00
5k < 18:30
5m < 31:30

1/2 Mar < 1:27:00

Rhode Island Road Runners

Craig S

Menace to Sobriety

posted: 6/9/2009 at 3:27 PM

Quote from KMB on 6/9/2009 at 11:40 AM:

1. I have never finished a morning run and wished I had stayed in bed - meaning I am always glad to have done it... sure sleeping is nice and warm and easier, but thats what everybody does... I want to get to work already having accomplished something.

This pretty much sums up what gets me out of bed as well. Especially important when you have a particularly soul crushing job. Plus it frees up the afternoon for golf.

Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.

Anya_

posted: 6/9/2009 at 3:51 PM

I need at least a half hour before a run. To drink water, use the head, wash my face, stretch,get my ipod ready, get my id/keys, hat, bra, socks , etc. Oh, I make the coffee first too so it's ready when I'm back.

- Anya

mamaofthree

Best Present Ever

posted: 6/9/2009 at 4:13 PM

Quote from Anya_ on 6/9/2009 at 3:51 PM:

I need at least a half hour before a run. To drink water, use the head, wash my face, stretch,get my ipod ready, get my id/keys, hat, bra, socks , etc. Oh, I make the coffee first too so it's ready when I'm back.

Me too except that I set the timer on the coffee pot so that it's brewed when I wake up. So my routine is like yours except replace "get ipod ready" with "drink coffee." Meeting folks to run early is how I first got in the habit of getting up and out. After that, it seemed natural to get up in the dark even when I am running alone. I remember when I first started running that I used to lie in bed and wonder if I should get up or not, but now it's just what I do.

KMB

posted: 6/9/2009 at 4:27 PM

Quote from Craig S on 6/9/2009 at 3:27 PM:

Especially important when you have a particularly soul crushing job.

you work where I do huh?

your avatar absolutely sums up my feelings at work from minute 1 through the door.

2012 Goals:

RTB Ultra
BQ (< 3:15:00)
10k < 41:00
5k < 18:30
5m < 31:30

1/2 Mar < 1:27:00

Rhode Island Road Runners

Craig S

Menace to Sobriety

posted: 6/9/2009 at 4:32 PM

Well some days are better than others, but its nice to look back on the day and think "At least I did something meaningful today"

Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.

KMB

posted: 6/9/2009 at 4:35 PM

Quote from Craig S on 6/9/2009 at 4:32 PM:

Well some days are better than others, but its nice to look back on the day and think "At least I did something meaningful today"

word

2012 Goals:

RTB Ultra
BQ (< 3:15:00)
10k < 41:00
5k < 18:30
5m < 31:30

1/2 Mar < 1:27:00

Rhode Island Road Runners

Aimster

Mitch & Pete's Mom

posted: 6/9/2009 at 4:44 PM

When the 5 am alarm goes off at my house, the first one up gets to get in their workout in. The second one up ~~is penalized~~ gets the joy of sheparding our darling boys through their morning routine.

Carlsbad 1/2 marathon 1/26.

Teresadfp

posted: 6/9/2009 at 4:51 PM
modified: 6/9/2009 at 4:52 PM

Quote from Aimster on 6/9/2009 at 4:44 PM:

When the 5 am alarm goes off at my house, the first one up gets to get in their workout in. The second one up ~~is penalized~~ gets the joy of sheparding our darling boys through their morning routine.

Ooh, what a great idea!! I wouldn't have to hear DS14 mumble, "GO AWAY!" as I pour water on him...

MTA: This is the kid who slept through our hard-wired smoke detectors blaring away for 10 minutes the other night (false alarm). He's almost impossible to wake up.

letchitsa1

posted: 6/9/2009 at 10:17 PM

I'm a morning person by nature, and that helps a lot. If I think I might waffle on getting out the door first thing, though, I sleep in my running clothes. Usually that's enough motivation to get me out the door if I need it.

jasfrmn

posted: 6/9/2009 at 10:25 PM

Thanks for all the ideas...I will report back tomorrow morning on how it goes. The combination of having a 5 month old and going to bed too late is probably my biggest enemy right now but I need to do this.

Right now I say I will run in the evening but once I get home that almost never happens

jasfrmn

posted: 6/10/2009 at 6:57 AM

Just finished a run and I feel great! I went to bed later than I should have but having the clothes sitting out really helped. I got up and walked over to the alarm as usual, reached up to hit snooze, but remembered my running gear was 5 feet away and turned it off and started getting dressed. 10 minutes later I was out the door running

KirkRoy

posted: 6/10/2009 at 7:07 AM

I'm just wondering how many of the folks who sleep in their running clothes are also the ones who wear their running clothes more than once before washing... Wink

I'm too lazy to cross check the threads...

I wouldn't mind running early but I'm on the road to work at 4:45am. I do remember the early morning sensation of having accomplished something/having the workout out of the way when I used to commute by bicycle to work (34 mile round trip, now it would be 110 miles, which ain't happening). That had the added bonus of forcing another workout later in the day (If I wanted to get back home).

Kirk

Run To Win

Blaine Moore (MM#2867)

posted: 6/10/2009 at 7:14 AM

I just get up. Even if the alarm is set later I still wake up, so might as well get out of bed and have a bite to eat and head out the door if that's what is on the schedule for the morning (or if it's just really really nice out and when I open the shades.)

It took me 3 years after college before I could sleep in later than 6:00, and I still find it easier to get up at 5:00 than at 8:00.

Run to Win
21 Marathons, 9 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

mikeymike

posted: 6/10/2009 at 8:29 AM

Quote from jasfrmn on 6/10/2009 at 6:57 AM:

Just finished a run and I feel great! I went to bed later than I should have but having the clothes sitting out really helped. I got up and walked over to the alarm as usual, reached up to hit snooze, but remembered my running gear was 5 feet away and turned it off and started getting dressed. 10 minutes later I was out the door running

Nice. A couple mornings of forcing yourself to get up at that hour will make it way easier to get to bed (and fall asleep) nice and early.

Calling early morning runners... (Read 3083 times)