Running in the early am - do you like it?
 

I think my schedule is about to change majorly and it's looking like my new work out time will be 4:30AM-5:30AM. I can't go to the gym at this time because I can't afford a memebership and the free on is closed so I'm thinking the best thing for me to do will be to run 3-5 miles 5xs a week. Does anyone else have this kind of schedule? How are you doing? I've never been a very big fan of exercising first thing, but it's looking like it's probably my only option and I'd rather suck it up than gain weight so I'm going to do it. Any advice?

I don't have any advice but wanted to let you know that I am starting a new job next week so I'll be in the same boat and I'm looking forward to hearing how you like it and what others say! :)

I don't run at that time - but I usually get up at about 5am and ride my exercise bike. It is awesome and horrible all rolled into one.

To start, I have to put my alarm on the other side of the room. Once I am out of bed, there is no point getting back in it.

It is nice to get my work out of the way before I even have time to really think about it. Otherwise I spend all day thinking about working out and then I hate it or don't want to do it, or something comes up. So doing it first thing really helps with this. They also say you burn more fat when you exercise before eating... who knows because I find my workout isn't usually as intense.

Anyway, the downfall is I am so tired by the time I get home from work at 5:30. Some days I am sleep by 8. Usually in bed by 9:30 - 10 at the latest. I have a clock in my body that pretty much just makes me fall asleep if I try and watch TV past 9. I usually just try and keep myself busy to stay awake.

But overall, I do much prefer early morning workouts. Good luck!

For the last few years, I've only worked out first thing - for me, it's the only way I have no excuses, plus it really wakes me up and I have so much more energy all day than if I skip it. I haven't got back into running that early just yet, as it's still dark here until around 6am, but in the summer, it's really the only time I can workout outside - and even then it's already well into the 90's. Right now I get up at 5am and either head to the gym - mine is 24 hours - or to the new pool that just opened near me, which opens at 5am. As Courtnie mentioned above, the hardest part is getting up - once I am physically out of bed, it's all downhill from there! I also am usually in bed by 9pm and for sure no later than 10pm, but my body has adjusted to that nicely. Even on weekends, I'm wide awake without an alarm by 6am, which is good because then I can go ride my horse before it's 110+ and it's just too hot to function.

My suggestions are to try it and stick with it for a few weeks - let your body get used to the changes. But also please be very cautious if you are running in the dark or a remote area - wear reflective clothing and run against traffic, if there is any. Always safety first! :)

working out in the morning is the only way I can get through the day now! It gives you so much energy through-out the day, after a few weeks your body will start waking you up before the alarm clock. Just hang in there the first few weeks its going to get tough for your body to get used to it. Let us know how you do!

Keep it up

I've gotten in the habit of getting up early to run/hit the gym too and I really prefer it that way now. Like others have said, you go through your whole day feeling like you have accomplished something, instead of looking ahead of what you still have to do. Plus, I work retail, so when I get off work I'm just too tired to get into exercise. This way, I do it when I'm fresh so I don't set myself up for failure.

I love to walk/jog in the morning? This may sound funny....but it's almost as if the air is lighter and cripser......it's easier to breath than when I do it at 5 or 6 pm. I agree with the others, the hardest part is waking up that early and actually having to work out, afterwards though, I feel great for the rest of the day!

Hey, just today I decided that I am starting my run tomorrow!!!

I never exercise early in the morning before in my life, so not sure how it will go. I will have to get up at 6 am instead of 6.20 am and will need to pack lunches for kids in the evening, not in the morning to save up time and will have to cut 10 min from my morning coffee/TV time, which is really not a big deal at all.

I think 30 min of running each day will speed up my weight loss, plus the area where I leave is just gorgeous, with lake and a lot of trees and it’s pretty safe, so hopefully I will enjoy my morning run.

Good luck to you and me!

I am a ridiculous morning person, so yes, I love to work out in the morning! It's the one and only time of day that is only mine. Nothing every gets in the way of a 5:30 (or for you, 4:30) workout session. NOTHING. There are zero excuses for working out that time of day.

And for me, setting my alarm that early jolts me out of bed and once my feet hit the floor, I'm good to go. :D My husband hates me. :rofl:

All I can say is that getting used to the early A.M. workout routine takes a while (or at least it did for me). I hated it at first, but after a couple of weeks of forcing myself to roll out of bed and get my gear on, it started to become almost automatic. Nowadays I like the refreshed and energized feeling of getting in a morning session before heading off to the office!

Hah, yah I am pretty sure my boyfriend would like to strangle me too some mornings. Alarm goes off at 5 for me and 6:30 for him. Kinda sucks that he gets woken up twice, but too bad!

Running in the morning sounds like it would be a great way to start the day. I am doing couch to 5k and I think a morning workout would be nice... I just don't know if I can drag myself out of bed!

My commitment to myself for April has been to get up early (at 6:15, when I used to get up at 7:30) every single morning, including weekends, specifically to exercise at home or to ride my bike to work. I am not a morning person; I am very definitely a night person. However, working out before work makes me feel fabulous for the rest of the day--much happier and more energetic. Thus, the commitment.

So far it's going amazingly well and I'm loving it. Of course, I have also been working on my sleep cycle for a few months with a very regular bedtime plus melatonin, so I'm getting enough sleep, which makes getting up with the alarm at 6:15 possible. It's highly likely that I will continue with this routine after April is over, too.

It's official I am going to have to start the morning routine. I am a morning person, I'm just not sure I'm a 4:30 morning person :) Right now my alarm is set for 5:00 but I don't usually roll out of be until 5:20 so I've decided to set my alarm for 4:00 roll out of bed at 4:10 (one snooze:)) and that will give me 20 minutes to get dressed wake up and go (realistically I probably only need 10). Then I'll probably do a brisk 1/2 mile walk then run 3-5 miles which usually takes me 45-60 mins. I'll have to pack my lunch, breakfast, my son's lunch the night before and decide what to wear also. So I have a plan so that is a step in the right direction. I guess the only thing that is upsetting me is that every way I've looked at the new schedule I don't think there are any back up plans if I can't deal with the morning run and that panics me a little. But I can't think that way, I can't think I've failed if I haven't even tried. On the bright side, I live somewhere really hot so this was probably inevitable anyway to beat the heat in the pm. So wish me luck Monday!