Rise and shine?

If you subscribe to or read Runner’s World, there was recently an article in there about morning workouts. I was just going to skip it, because I have never been a fan of morning workouts for the following reasons (in addition to about a million more):

• I could just sleep longer. Sleeping is way more comfortable than running.
• If I’m up, I can just go to work and then get out of work early! (Note: this never really works; I end up working later anyway and then not working out.)
• It’s dark out at 5:30am. Dark is for sleeping.
• Getting up early means going to bed early. This does not jive with my current lifestyle.
• Working out early makes my back hurt. I have no idea why this is.
• I don’t feel coordinated enough to jump out of bed and run without falling.

Despite my overlying doubt, I skimmed through the article out of boredom. Hmph. Interesting. I learned a couple of good tricks:

• You should get up even earlier than you plan on working out (solves the back pain and uncoordinated issues)
• Have a cup of coffee while you wait to wake up (wakes you up and takes away that pukey empty stomach feeling)

So…I tried it. I’ve been getting up at 5:30/6am two or three days a week, having a cup of coffee and hitting the gym by 6:30. I should note that the gym is literally outside my front door; I just have to walk across the parking lot.



(Up to where those cars are and that awning on the right is as far as I need to walk.)

Dare I say it? I think there may have been a major shift in my exercise mentality…I do believe I prefer early morning workouts! Once I can do the hardest part (getting out of bed and into sneakers), the rest is pie. I
feel more energized and less stressed throughout the day.



Would you look at that?