The Perks of Being An Early Riser
Why I made the switch to do my runs in the morning
On a typical day, my alarm will go off anywhere between 3:30 to 5:00 a.m., depending on what time I need to be in at work. If you were to tell me a few years ago that I would be the kind of person who wakes up any earlier than 6:30 a.m., I would find it very hard to believe you.
For years I was someone who loved their sleep, hitting the snooze button on my alarm far too many times, resulting in a blurry eyed mad dash out the door as I tried to get to work on time.
Having such a rushed routine always compromised what could have otherwise been a productive morning. About a year and half ago I gradually made a major shift in my daily routine to waking up extra early before work to fit in my runs and I never plan on going back.
Getting A Head Start On The Day
Working a 9–5 job means that if I want to fit in any exercise, it’s going to have to be early in the morning or later in the afternoon/ at night. Setting my alarm a little earlier allots extra time for a more productive morning, having me feeling ready to take on the day.
I like to give myself no more than an hour between the time I wake up to when I’m lacing up my running shoes and heading out the door. On a typical weekday, my runs usually last anywhere between an hour to an hour and forty-five minutes. After my runs I like to give myself 15–30 minutes for foam rolling, stretching and crunches and sit ups.
I like to be starting on my breakfast preparations at the two hour mark before I need to be in at work. My breakfasts are pretty simple and usually consist of a veggie and cheese omelet, a bowl of steel cut oats mixed with some almond butter and plain Greek yoghurt topped with berries, and one grapefruit.
While I’m waiting on my steel cut oats to finish, I’ll prepare my lunch for work. Once or twice a week I’ll bake a few chicken breasts which I then store in the fridge. This allows lunch prep to be quick and simple as I often make chicken sandwiches: using Ezekiel bread, leafy greens, half an avocado, and tomatoes. If I don’t have chicken handy I’ll opt for canned white tuna. My sandwiches are paired with a banana or a sweet potato and maybe a low fat mozzarella cheese stick for good measure.
This duel meal preparation usually takes me about 30 minutes, allowing myself a peaceful 30 minutes or so to sit enjoy my breakfast with some coffee. After a quick cleanup I’ll have about forty-five minutes to shower, iron my clothes, get dressed, pack my lunch and head out the door.
Morning Meditation
When I set out for my early runs, I find a calming quality in the world at that time of day, just before the sun is rising. While most people are still asleep in their beds, I’ll rarely see many others out and about, allowing myself to enjoy the solitude and to breathe in the crisp air of a brand new day.
Sometimes it takes a few minutes for my body to truly wake up after I’ve headed out the door to hit the pavement. But once I find my rhythm, I begin to feel in the zone as my mind and body start to kick into gear. It’s during this time that I work through any thoughts or emotions I’m experiencing as I trot along the empty streets and boardwalks of my area.
And as someone who has done the tango with anxiety for years, I find that taking advantage of this hour or so to myself leaves me feeling much more relaxed and puts me in a far better mood for the day ahead. While there are definitely mornings where staying in bed seems more enticing, I never regret pushing myself to get out there.
And of course you can’t beat those sunrise views!
Health Benefits
In addition to engaging in a more productive start on the day and improving on mental wellness, running in the early morning may be beneficial to our health.
Ironically, getting up early for a run may actually improve your sleeping habits and blood pressure. According to a 2014 study done by Vascular Health and Risk Management, “These data indicate that early morning may be the most beneficial time to engage in aerobic exercise to enhance nocturnal BP changes and quality of sleep.”
I can certainly attest to these findings as I have noticed my sleep has improved dramatically. In the past, no matter how many hours of sleep I had, I’d still wake up feeling groggy and unrested. Since becoming an early riser, I wake feeling much more ambitious to tackle the morning and day in front of me.
While I know everyone has their preference for when they like to get their exercise in, fitting in my runs in the morning has benefited my life in many ways. I start my day off with the feeling of accomplishment which puts me in a very positive headspace for the day. This also allows more free time in the afternoons, which comes in handy as I train for my first Ironman 70.3, and I can put in some work for cross training.
If you’re getting out there before the sun rises just make sure to wear bright reflective clothing so cars can see you!
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