One Of Those People

This view does not suck. 
Since I last checked in at the beginning of June and admitted that both Dino and I were not at peak fitness, I sincerely started making an effort to run before work 2 days a week. In the intervening month and a half, I've only missed one day of 5:00am running due to a violent thunderstorm. My main goal has been not to give up before I make these early runs a habit.

In addition to each consecutive run sucking less and less, I'm slowly becoming one of those people that actually likes getting up at obscene hours of the morning to exercise. I never thought I'd say it, but I actually find myself enjoying hitting the trail to the park at sunrise and starting my day with a 2.5 mile run. I feel accomplished having already exercised by 6:00am, and after I got over the initial hump of feeling absolutely awful for the first week or two, I physically feel better after having run first thing in the morning. Getting up at 5:00 still isn't easy, but it's getting less difficult as I come to enjoy these morning runs more and more. 

Running early in the morning is also making me a WAY faster runner. When I started these pre-dawn workouts, I was averaging about an 11 minute mile. I was exhausted, I lacked energy, I felt like I couldn't get enough air, and just making it through the whole run was a Herculean feat. 

But since making the commitment to the habit of running before work just two days a week, my average daily pace sits closer to a 10 minute mile, with the last half a mile or so clocking in around a 9 minute mile. One morning last week, I clocked a sprint at 8:30. 

I can't even tell you the last time I ran faster than a 9 minute mile, ever! Being able to push myself first thing in the morning when I'm tired, uncoordinated, and under-fueled has made me so, so much faster when I'm fully awake and appropriately fed. 

I'm becoming one of those people who run early in the morning, and I kind of like it. 

Comments

  1. Good for you! I sincerely doubt that I will be an early morning runner but I love to walk early in the morning and ride so there's that. :)

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    1. I didn't think I could be an early morning ANYTHING-er! Getting up early to ride is always, always easier.

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  2. Finding a workout routine that works for you is the most important part of working out! I hate cardio and cannot get motivated to hit the gym first thing in the morning -- so I'm the exact opposite of you! Haha

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    1. It totally is! If you hate it, you won't do it at all.

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  3. So inspiring! I'm not at the early morning run stage, but I've been keeping to an early morning workout schedule since the beginning of June and it's making me feel so much better about my day!

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    1. It's AMAZING how much I don't hate it! All those crazy early morning exercise people were onto something.

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  4. I'm jealous of you and your running. Meanwhile, at the beginning of July I signed up for a membership at planet fitness just down the street, and I have yet to go pick up my key tag. I keep telling myself I'll get it tomorrow or the next day when I have some free time, and it has yet to happen. Meanwhile, I feel myself sucking wind as I try to do canter sets on the ponies.

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    1. This is actually their business strategy! They rely on people signing up and then using their facilities once, twice, or never. Buck the trend! Make that Planet Fitness pay for your business!

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    2. BEAT THE SYSTEM!! And yeah, I'm cheap so my gym is... outside. I can't fathom paying for something I can get by just walking out my door, for free.

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  5. Ugh.... this is just more evidence that I need to get my butt up earlier and go for a run! Good on you for sticking with it though!!

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    1. Thanks! I think creating the habit is honestly the hardest part! But you're stubborn like me, so if you decide to do it, you'll do it. ;)

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  6. I have been running at lunch which kinda sucks because its peak humidity but I just like to pretend I'm extreme weather conditioning lol. Glad you enjoy the early mornings. I dunno if I could drag myself out of bed lol

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