When I started working out regularly about 5.5 years ago, I’d drag myself to pre-work training sessions with Joel, sometimes going back to sleep after.
To say I was not a morning person is an understatement.
If I had nighttime plans, I’d try really really hard to make it to the gym before work or for a run, but it wouldn’t always happen. Or, never.
A few years ago, I went to Vegas with Ashley. I realized she got to work way earlier than I did AND still worked out in the morning. So, um, what was my excuse? Right, none.
And then I was freelancing, and I could design my own schedule, and so running in the morning was easy and worked.
And…once I started a new job a few years ago — it stuck! Between staying later at work and having more events (personal, professional, volunteer), it was much easier to get it out of the way in the morning and have a little bit of peace before a chaotic day.
See, total morning runner.
Yesterday morning, I had plans to run with Jen, although neither of us have slept well lately so we both reserved the right to cancel. She canceled before I even woke up, and I woke up at 7 making every excuse in the world. My calves are tight. I’m tired. I don’t want to. I knew better. I knew if I just got out and did something, I’d feel better — less lethargic, less cranky. But my couch! It’s so comfy. And so I screwed around for nearly 1.5 hours doing quite honestly ABSOLUTELY nothing but trying to decide if I should work out / what I should do.
I don’t have to be at work until 10, so just before 9, I decided to get my act together and at least be early for work and get a few errands done, which I did.
I got to work, and as much as I usually love my coworkers to death, I hoped nobody would talk to me and ask how I was.
Thankfully, I work at a fitness company, and I asked if anyone would be willing to work out later in the afternoon. Of course the answer was yes, and we did a 50-minute kettlebell workout.
But I spent all day thinking and worrying about if I’d have enough time to work out, and just generally feeling out of sorts.
Morning workouts? I walk into work as happy and calm as I can be and know I checked my workout off my to-do list and the night is mine: for fun or working late. Glad I spent the first 6 years of my career being super crankypants in the morning.
Are you a morning exerciser?
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I like to get my workouts done in the morning too. I find that if I leave it until later I let too many things get in the way and my workout never gets done.
I love the morning to exercise! As a VP at a middle school, I am responsible for calling substitutes and haven't been as faithful to the morning run as I'd like.This fall, we're changing to an automated system and I couldn't be more happy. Running sets my mood for the day and often times I'm too tired to run after work or something comes up. I've seen some bloggers setting their alarms for 4 or 4:30am and I always admire their dedication. That's not a morning run, it's still the middle of the night!
I have always been a morning person and a morning runner. It definitely starts my day off right, puts me in a great mood and gives you that peace before the craziness begins. And, it makes squeezing in a workout that much easier if it is done before the day even begin. I used to try evening workouts after work years ago but I never good at night for running, working out and sweating. I am much more effective in the morning.
I go through phases of being a morning runner/yogi. On my days off, I generally start my day with a workout. However, as a teacher, I need to be at work by 8:15! Like you, I feel amazing when I squeeze in a workout before work. I think I'm going to give it another shot. Starting next week... ;-)
i have never been able to convert to being a morning runner! only when i'm jet lagged from overseas trips. i really would love to get my runs done in the morning though.
I was totally with you, now I can get up for morning classes or a swim, but I still can't make myself be a morning solo runner. Eventually it will have to happen. But for now I'll keep with my couple mornings a week of teaching.
I switched to morning workouts in grad school because it was either that or no exercise at all. Sometimes I'm a little slow/tired, or crunched for time, but it really sets the tone for the rest of the day. Since it happens first thing, I rarely miss workouts, and I have more time for fun stuff at night.
Realizing it left more time for fun stuff at night OR that it was that or nothing was really what got me to make the switch too.
i became an early morning runner/worker-outer spring 2012 and haven't looked back. i love waking up and jumping immediately into workout clothes and out the door. gives me a great start to my day, puts me in a good mood, and has become such a part of my daily routine that i get annoyed with myself on the days i sleep in. def an adjustment, though, and i go to bed fairly early.
This is something I continue to struggle with and probably will forever. Although, on Tuesday morning, I woke up and did an 8 mile track workout and since Wednesday is my rest day, it felt amazing to not have any run commitments between Tuesday morning and tonight, when my next run is. It felt like 3 days off, but was really only 1. So, yeah, maybe I need to run in the morning more often. It's always such a relief when I can leave work and have no workout commitment waiting for me when I get home.
I'm USUALLY a morning person but lately I have gotten lazier. At the end of the day though I am always mad that I slept in.
Last year which was the craziest for me work wise, I was up 4:30/5 every day and working 10-12 hour days 6-7 days a week. That is insanity and I have no idea HOW I did it!
But seriously nothing better than that morning rush of endorphins :)