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First AM Run (Read 661 times)

    I am NOT a morning person. I hit the snooze button at least 5 times every morning. I shower in the dark and pretend I'm still in bed. I need coffee to function before I can even drive to the office. Get the point? That being said, I work unpredictable hours and many long nights during week. I run at night when I get home, but usually I have to miss a run or two during the week because of work. Last week I decided that I wanted to be more consistent and get a few more miles in during the week. I decided I would get up early one day a week and run 3-5 miles. Wednesdays seemed good. So this morning was my first AM run. I only hit the snooze button twice and dragged myself out of bed. I laced up and took off. Needless to say, the run did not go well. Talk about being tired! I only ran 3 miles and struggled the entire time. I couldn't believe I left my warm cozy bed for that. I'm not sure what I expected, but I hoped I would feel a little better about it. Now I'm sitting at my desk and completely spent and exhausted. What happened to having extra energy during the day? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. So, any idea if this gets easier after a while? Are some people just not meant to run in the morning? I'm so jealous of everyone that gets thier workout in before the day starts, but I'm not sure if that's me. Did I do something wrong? What can I do to make it better next week? Sara


    #2867

      What can I do to make it better next week?
      Don't use snooze. Ever. If you get up at the same time in the morning every day, you will find that you get better sleep and are more alert in the mornings. Luckily, I can say things like that because I am a morning person. When I was a kid, my stepfather asked me why I slept so late on the weekends and told me that I was wasting the best part of the day. I thought about, realized that he was right, and started getting up early. Then I went to college where I was up at 5:45 every day to run, and it took me 2 years after college before I could sleep past 6. For the past year or so, I switched my alarm clock to 5:15 and get up then every day whether I need to or not. I have been sleeping better, and I have been more alert throughout the entire day once I started doing that. If you have trouble getting up to your alarm clock, there are a few things that you can try. The first thing to do is put the alarm clock out of reach across the room; if you have to get up to turn it off, you are more likely to stay up. That usually isn't enough, but its a good start. The next thing you can try is practice getting up when the alarm goes off. Some evening when you have a spare hour, change into your pajamas or whatever you sleep in, set the alarm for 5 minutes, lay down and close your eyes. When the alarm goes off, get out of bed, turn it off, put some clothes on, and leave the room. Then come back and repeat. After doing that for an hour, you will have started conditioning your body what to do when the alarm goes off and it will make it easier to do in the morning when you are tired and relying on muscle memory. (I learned this trick from Steve Pavlina.) Another thing that you can do is drink plenty of water throughout the day, and keep drinking it at night. It will take some practice, but if you can get yourself hydrated to the point where you don't wake up to pee in the middle of the night, but really have to go when your alarm goes off, that is one more way to get out of bed. Some food for thought. My way may not be the best way, but since it works for me and anything else doesn't work as well, I always assume that its the best way. Your mileage may vary.

      Run to Win
      25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

        Thanks Blaine, you're full of great ideas. In theory, I like the thought of going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. I'm just not sure that would work in real life...especially with my work schedule. But I can definitely try to be more consistent when possible. And yes, I need to eliminate that damn snooze button. I know I'd feel better without it, but I love it so!


        Another Passion

          My situation is quite similar to your's Sara in that I cannot get up early and get physically active right at the crack of dawn. I have (probably) the added complication of that I generally feel pretty crappy physically when I first get up as well. A couple of winters ago, I tried getting up at 5:30 every morning during the week to go to our fire department training room, walk/jog on the treadmill for 20 - 30 minutes and then do various weights and abdominal exercises for about an hour. This got old after about 3 - 4 months and, it was getting increasingly more difficult for me to get out of bed physically cause I always seemed to be sore (our mattress is another issue even to this day which we MUST remedy post-haste!). What I've found what works for me is to give myself a 30 - 45 minute buffer to "get the kinks out" before I head out the door in the morning on the days that I do go for a run in the morning. I physically feel much better then during my run. You may have to get up a half hour earlier than you wish to in order to get a good run in in the morning and feel good during and after. I even have a cup of coffee and something light to eat before I go in the morning most of the time (I know the serious runners here are probably cringing at this). The bottom line I think is to find what works best for you in keeping with your schedule (which is really tough) and what your body will give you at any given part of the day. I think if you bite the bullet and give yourself more of a buffer in the morning before going out for a run that doing so will help you with the quality of your run and how you physically feel. That's my 2-cents... and probably what it's worth! Good luck! Wink ps - I AM NOT a morning person either! pss or pps or pms (whatever it is) - I TOTALLY agree with Blaine in being consistent about the time you get up in the morning and NOT utilizing the snooze button on your alarm. Get up when it goes off.

          Rick
          "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa
          "I wanna go fast." Ricky Bobby
          runningforcassy.blogspot.com

            I think studies have shown more injuries occur for morning runners, so take it easier warming up.
            Next up: A 50k in ? Done: California-Oregon-Arizona-Nevada (x2)-Wisconsin-Wyoming-Utah-Michigan-Colorado
              I do most of my exercise in the morning. And I'm not a morning person. The hardest part is getting out of bed in the dark and willing myself to get dressed. But, once I'm done with the workout, I feel great. The time available to me is limited. Lunch very rarely gives me enough time to squeeze in a run. Most days I eat at my desk. Nights are difficult. If I'm not working late, I'm home with the family and the kids aren't in bed before 9 pm. So, my solution is working out in the morning.I'll get the alarm for 5:30 am and usually start by 6:15 am. So I've had 45 minutes to wake up (get dressed, eat half a bananna, drive to my running route or gym at work). I could not just roll out of bed and start a run. Sure there are days where I'd much rather sleep a little longer. Cold water on the face also helps me to wake up.
              "If I control myself, I control my destiny."


              #2867

                Thanks Blaine, you're full of great ideas. In theory, I like the thought of going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. I'm just not sure that would work in real life...especially with my work schedule. But I can definitely try to be more consistent when possible. And yes, I need to eliminate that damn snooze button. I know I'd feel better without it, but I love it so!
                Well, I didn't say anything about going to sleep at the same time every night, just getting up at the same time every morning. This isn't to say going to bed at the same time is a bad idea, it just doesn't make as much of a difference. I go to bed when I am tired, and since my body knows when I'm getting up in the morning it knows when to make me tired and send me off to bed. Most nights, that's around 10 or 11 pm for a 5:15 wake up call. Right after running the 50k, that was around 8:30 pm. If I stay up later than I want to, I usually get up at 5:15 anyway and am none the worse for wear. If I do that a few days in a row then I'm in trouble, but now and again doesn't hurt any. I also forgot to mention: eat something when you wake up before you work out. You'll be much happier for it. I tend to eat a bagel or bowl of cereal or some eggs as soon as I get up, and if I work out then I eat another breakfast when I finish. Either way, I start snacking as soon as I get to work.

                Run to Win
                25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

                  Getting up at the same time is a healthy habit to get into. My brother has sleep issues and the sleep doctor says the best thing to do is to get into a routine where you go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time no matter what.

                  My sport's your sport's punishment

                   

                  2012 goals

                                

                  100 Km month         150 K month      200K month

                  5K run    10K run     20K run              30K run

                  sub 30 min 5K         sub 55min 10K

                    So, any idea if this gets easier after a while? Are some people just not meant to run in the morning? I'm so jealous of everyone that gets thier workout in before the day starts, but I'm not sure if that's me. Did I do something wrong? What can I do to make it better next week? Sara
                    One thing I have noticed that helps me a lot when preparing for a morning run is to completely have my clothes/shoes/ipod/water all set up for me, ready to go. This way there's not a question of being able to get ready in enough time. Also, before I fall asleep I'll drink a full glass of water. This way when the alarm goes off and wakes me up, my body is telling me that I have to get up ANYHOW, since by then I really really need to pee. Blush Sounds silly, but it works. And once I get out of bed there's no going back. But on days (like today) when I don't get out of bed, there's the risk of falling back to sleep.
                    Getting up at the same time is a healthy habit to get into. My brother has sleep issues and the sleep doctor says the best thing to do is to get into a routine where you go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time no matter what.
                    I've always heard that too. I just can't stick with it though. My bedtime varies from 10:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and my alarm gets set for 5:00 a.m. or 6:30 a.m., or even 8:00 a.m. on the weekend. This morning I set my alarm for 5:00 to get up and run. Last night I was up too late so when my alarm went off, I turned it off and went back to sleep. Oh well, I'll run tonight after making dinner for the family.

                    Michelle



                    va


                      I was never an early riser until I started running. In order to get up early, and not be a zombie, you need to go to bed early. Try your next early morning run with 8 hours of sleep, and report back to us.
                        The getting up at the same time every morning thing is so true. I get up at 6 every morning. During the week my alarm is on just in case but I've got up at 6 every morning for so long now I don't really need it. At the weekend I don't bother with the alarm but I get up at 6 anyway. On the "I'm a morning person" or "I'm a night person" thing. I believe yes people are one or the other - but you can change which one you are. I was definitely a night person all the way through college and for the first 3 years of my working life. But working at the Stock Exchange with 6am starts (up at 4.30am) for 5 years changed that. After being tired for the first 2+ years I went on a management course where someone told me to get up at the same time every day. I started to set my alarm for 4.30 at weekends too and lo and behold I felt 100% better within maybe 3-4 weeks. I wouldn't go back to being a night person for anything now. So overall - if you get up 3 days a week earlier than you are used to to run you will feel like rubbish. It will probably never get better as your body isn't having a chance to adapt. Get up at the same earlier time every day and you will eventually feel better. And over time you will become a morning person, not a night one.
                          I just read in Outside magazine that setting routines in one's life helps lower resting heart rate and blood pressure... so I'd try getting up at the same time every day including weekends, I do (5:30am) - right now its not great because its pitch black and sometimes cold so its basically laundry and clean up time but I really enjoyed it in the summer when (not running) I would sit on my front step and actually read -there never seemed to be enough time for that on the weekends I just try a nap to stay up for all the partying two other things to try: 1. work your way back to the ideal time - get used to 7am then 6:30am etc... 2. only sleep in bed - now that I don't read, or knit, no laptop, no cookies, I seem to sleep better

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