How to become a morning runner

How to start running in the morning

Waking up before the sun rises to run isn’t something that everyone likes to do. In fact, the majority of people I know tend to run after work or at lunchtime. In an effort to better condition my body for race day, I started to mix in early runs with my training schedule. Almost every race I have participated in has started early in the morning and wanted to better prepared on race day. 2 weeks before every big race, I add early morning runs to condition my mind and prepare my body for the early start.

Below are a few tips to help with early morning running.

Get enough sleep

Too often I see people try to run early and they don’t get enough sleep. Life happens with family, kids, and work. Making sure you get plenty of rest is very important to being able to run well in the morning.

Drink a little bit of Coffee/Caffeine

For me, I try to get a bit of coffee in my system before I start to run. I do this on race day and early training runs. Caffeine helps wake me up but also helps with natural body functions.

Wear proper Clothing/Road ID

Make sure you have the proper clothing that allows you to layer. Where I live, it is usually cooler in the mornings so I make sure I layer up so that I have flexibility when the temps warm up. I would also make sure that I wear reflective clothing so that cars and other people can easily see me. In addition to reflective clothing, I wouldn’t leave home without a RoadID. If you need help deciding what to wear or buy, contact me so I can help you out!

Run with others

Running with a group or friends is a great way to not only push yourself but will allow you to enjoy the run and will hold YOU accountable. On those cold days, when you don’t want to run, it’s great to have someone give you a little push to get up and run.

Listen to music with an iPod/Mp3 Player

If you are unable to find other runners to join you for the early morning run, I highly recommend getting an iPod to help keep you company during an early run. I find that listening to podcasts and music is a great way to start the day. I suggest mixing up the content and music so that you maintain variety. If you need a mp3 player, I recommend the Apple iPod Shuffle. It is simple to use and the smallest on the market.

Don’t forget to warm up

If time permits, I try to walk for 5-10 minutes along with doing some lunges, push-ups, or other easy exercises to get the blood flowing. I also try to do some arm circles to expand my chest and lungs before I start running.

Check out this article written by Coach Jenny from Runner’s World to learn more on other ways to become a morning runner.

Do you run in the morning? What tips can you share to help others run early?

Please note, theActiveGuy.com may earn a commission when you follow some of the links and make a purchase.

2 comments

Let me know if you have questions, comments, or feedback!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.