Monday, July 7, 2014

Quick Tips for Early Morning Runs and last week in review

Last week

Sunday         14 mile long run
Monday        50 minutes elliptical
                     60 minutes power yoga
Tuesday        20 minutes yoga in the morning before work
                       4 mile tempo run after work
                     40 pushups, 20 pullups, 15 divebombers, and 30 box jumps while making supper
Wednesday
Thursday        7 miles of intervals
Friday             5 easy miles
Saturday         yoga in the morning
                       25 minutes rowing

Runs 30 miles in 4 runs
Strength 1.. oops but the power yoga Monday was like strength training
yoga 3
Rowing 25 minutes
Elliptical 50 minutes

How I think training is going.. overall pretty good.  This was not a training cycle where I emphasized a lot of speed training or hills the goal was overall to get to the start line and cross the finish.

As the half marathon gets closer I have to keep reminding myself of that.  That competitive part of me wants to go for it. 
My motivation right now is coming from my upcoming half of course, but also partially from the weather this week that has skipped the 80s and shot straight into the 90s.. HOT.  My favorite time of day to run is to get out before the sun comes up so I can be out running to really savor the sunrise.
I love watching the colors slowly change, I like to think Cola likes it too
I especially love partly cloudy mornings when the clouds all across the sky take on a pink/purple hue. 

My quick tips for getting out the door for early morning runs
  • have your clothes laid out the night before
  • better yet go to sleep in them
  • unless your internal alarm clock goes off somewhere between 3:30 and 4:05 like mine does, set an alarm
  • have anything you are taking with you laid out (watch, water bottle, fuel, bear spray, etc) the less time you have to spend searching for things the sooner you get out the door
  • DO NOT SIT DOWN AT THE COMPUTER  I can't tell you how many pre dawn runs I have ruined, by just sitting down to check out Facebook.  It can be such a time suck!
  • Don't give yourself an option.  The decision has already been make..do it!
I find the less time I allow to think about it the better it goes in the morning. I remind myself how much I love running into the sunrise and how hot it will be later if I wait.


My son and I went on a mother-son date last week and went to How to Train Your Dragon 2 in 3D
We had a blast and stuffed ourselves of movie popcorn.
Are you a pre dawn runner?  I am only in the spring, and summer, a little in the fall.  I prefer to wait until the sun comes up when it is super cold out. 

What tips do you have for getting out the door for early morning runs?

10 comments:

  1. your photos are unreal.
    I am TERRIBLE at running in the morning. The few times I succeeded it was because i slept in my clothes--- mentally it does help!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am not a pre-dawn runner. I don't like the eeriness of being out there alone! Movie popcorn is the best! I bet your son enjoyed his time with mom!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I could run early before baby #2, now she just sucks the life I mean sleep out of me.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love running first thing in the morning! However my internal alarm clock definitely doesn't go off that early :) And, I agree, you can't get on the computer!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm a morning runner in the summer and on school days that I won't have time in the evening. I prefer mornings, but evenings tend to work better during the school year.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am definitely NOT a morning run person and it doesn't matter what I try, I have the hardest time waking up early to go running. BUT I have never tried going to sleep in the clothes I'll be wearing next morning. Have to try that!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful big prairie sky! Love early morning runs... cooler and fresher.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ha you're right FB and the blog are a big time suck! I have to not let that happen too much!
    Confessions of A Mother Runner

    ReplyDelete
  9. Only run in the morning (could never get up at pre-dawn though) on weekends because I had tried to go to the gym in the morning a few summers ago and just found myself pooped out afterwards during breakfast and unable to get up and go to work.

    I did freak out a bit when I saw the words "bear spray". We have bears in the area as well and maybe pre-dawn running isn't the best for me...

    ReplyDelete

Because I love hearing from you all!