Thirsty (for knowledge) Thursday: Become a Morning Runner

Here's an article from last month called "7 Expert-Backed Ways to (Finally) Become a Morning Runner." It was written by Emily Abbate, who is a certified personal trainer, a running coach, and a spin instructor.

She notes the benefits for those who run in the morning: "better sleep and lower blood pressure. They may also consume fewer unnecessary calories throughout the day, compared to those who don’t hit the gym. Plus, there are the feel-good endorphins that come hand-in-hand with giving back to your body from the moment your day begins."

I've been getting up 1x/week at 2:44 a.m. since the beginning of 2012, and many times I workout early on those mornings. So I expect to have some feelings about these ideas.

Here are her 7 tips:

1: START GRADUALLY:

Rather than diving in with an hour-long run if you’ve never been a morning person, set up a plan for a gradual growth to success. For example, for the first week, just get up earlier and read the newspaper with a coffee — whatever gets you up.

She goes on to say to do some yoga or stretching the second week. And then maybe go for a walk. This is a pretty slow start, but if that works for you, then give it a shot.

2: MAKE WAKING UP FUN:

A study looked at motivation in the morning and found working out is easier to make stick if it’s perceived as a fun, positive thing to do, instead of a total drag. Shift your mood by setting your alarm clock to pep you up, rather than stress you out. Maybe have a wake-up playlist.

I am 0% sold on this "wake-up playlist" idea. That's just a way to start to hate your favorite music.

3: START GETTING READY THE NIGHT BEFORE:

Convenience is key for early morning runs, which means nighttime prep is crucial. When you get out of bed, you want to minimize the amount of time it takes to get ready so there’s less time to talk yourself out of it. “This way, you’ll maximize your time for the run,” says Corinne Fitzgerald, head coach at Mile High Run Club. “Have your clothes ready so you don’t waste time trying to find the right layers. It’s also good practice to check the weather before you go to bed for the next morning so you can plan accordingly.”

BINGO BANGO!! After a shitty #2 tip, she redeems herself with #3. It's EASY to stay in bed if you're thinking about getting up but have to collate all your stuff. I often leave a pile of workout clothes downstairs so it's all set and I know I won't be bothering anyone else sleeping upstairs.

4: EAT SOMETHING SMALL:

Considering your body has just spent the past 8-or-so hours fasting, it’s helpful to give it a boost before you get your muscles working. “I suggest something that’s about 150 calories or less, like chia pudding, oatmeal or a banana with peanut butter,” says Fitzgerald.

[...] Pro tip: Aim to consume this about 20–30 minutes before exercise begins.

Because I'm up *so* early, I'm usually able to eat about 2 hours before my workout. Some days (easy/short days), I don't need anything. But if it's a longer workout, then I FORCE a decent breakfast down 2 hours before heading out.

5: RECRUIT A PARTNER:

Find a friend, coworker, spouse, family member or even use a habit-enhancing smartphone app to help you stay accountable to your goals. “It’s a lot harder to pull the covers back over your head at 5 a.m. when you know you have a friend meeting you for a run,” says Sperl.

I can't speak about this one. I'm generally a solitary runner. I can see the point, but it just hasn't been something that I've done.

6: MAKE TIME TO WARM UP:

Jump right into an early bird workout, and your muscles may not appreciate it. Make early-morning workouts better by getting things fluid before the real work even begins with a few dynamic movements.

I mean... that's good advice... but that's not what the point of this article was. But OK.

7: FIX YOUR ROUTINE:

If you want to make early morning exercise your new norm, you have to make it a routine. This means you’ll need some consistency in terms of habits, bedtimes and exercise. “Mixing early mornings with late nights just isn’t sustainable,” says Thomas Watson, run coach and founder of Marathon Handbook. “You’ll burn out soon, and lose all motivation for your early morning exercise.”

And I can't totally speak about this one, because I only do this once/week. I try to go to bed a BIT early the night before, but I'm still really only getting 4.5 hours of sleep on a good night. (Well, on a good "one of those" nights.) So then I'm pooped the following evening, but can make up for it that 2nd night. If I were planning on getting up at 2:44 a.m. EVERY morning, then I'd need to make a bigger shift every night: like a 7 p.m. bedtime, which isn't happening.

My biggest tip is #3: get your stuff all set out the night before so you have no excuse NOT to workout. DO THAT.

For more "Thirsty Thursday" posts that highlight workouts, body science, and all kinds of interesting information, CLICK HERE. And as always, back with some "Friday Funnies" tomorrow.