Morning Training... getting the miles in before work

MCOS

I decided to start a thread for all the souls who drag themselves up and away from a warm bed, a warm OH, an extra bit of sleep just to follow ones healthy addiction before the rest of the world even reach for the snooze button.

Perhaps you can associate with this.

The phone buzzes and you hit the preset 5 minute snooze. The 5 minutes is broken by my watch alarm being 3 minutes slower than my phone so I turn that off only for the phone to go off again 2 minutes later. Repeat sequence up to 12 times. I steal the whole quilt to wrap myself in a cocoon just for the last few seconds. My OH, now shivering and annoyed by the early alarms forgives me for my body heat which is taken with a vice like hold should I attempt to move. I try to peel off her arm and leg but the alarm goes again and she rolls away from the irritating ringtones to set me free to my lunacy. I have my gear ready under the radiator toasting all night. So as not to waken the sleeping beauty I pick it up and tip toe outside onto the cold tiles to get dressed in the bathroom. The cat follows me in looking for attention purring louder than a drill and tries to climb into a toasty leg of my running armour. The dog hears the purring and starts yelping for attention also so I scramble to feed them both before she awakes to find me gone. I have calculated to the second, the route, distance and pace of my run and how long it will take me to shower, change, pack lunch and beat the traffic and all this carry on from the animals is eating into my miles! I have already lost 2 miles because of the snoozing and now I will be doing well to get enough miles in to climb even 1 place of that 1000 challenge. I close the door quietly. Its dark and cold as usual but my first few steps make a more satisfying than bursting bubble wrap type crunch in the driveway snow. I smile and decide to do the lost miles anyway...

cfitz

You should have cut the shower short and skipped packing the lunch instead of losing 2 miles.

You don't deserve to win the 1000 mile challenge

RoyMcC

Top post MCOS. I find the key is to have your gear ready and to hit the road before your brain fully realises what's going on. But those few miles before breakfast sure set up the day.

shels4ever

Anytime i've run early i find it take me 3 miles for me to know what i'm doing. Then usually get back and come lunch time i'm thinking about going out again...

hunnymonster

Amateur MCOS!

- make lunch the night before
- lay out both your running and work clothes
- shave, wax, preen, pluck and whatever you're into the night before

DO NOT, whatever risks you take in life, risk turning on the bedroom light as you grope around for a missing sock. Apparently it's a valid argument for bringing back capital punishment.

Another observation for me is that a sleeping partner can recant on any promise made as you skip out the door at 6am.

papamike

Unfortunately it'll be a few months before us rural folk will be able to hit the roads before work:(:( Just a bit too dangerous round where I live. Tried it once well lit up but too many tight bends for it to be safe.

Link below to sunrise times looks like it could be April before it'll be bright enough!

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=78&month=2&year=2009&obj=sun&afl=-11&day=1

hunnymonster

papamike, A compromise is to drive to somewhere safe'ish to get the miles in. Not ideal but if needs must and all that.

RICHIE-RICH

Well done MCOS. A good description of the early morning struggle to get out the door.

For me its 5:55 alarm and out of bed, nip downstairs to get gear on, hoping that none of the kids will hear that creaky floorboard, Out for the run, knowing exactly what route to do so that can be back to put porridge on by 6:45, shower, shave, wake kids, dress and feed them.
When I get to work, I enjoy the somewhat smug feeling of having done 3/4/5 miles before most of my colleagues woke up.
Of course i am shattered by 10pm every night.

While I hate the darkness of the early morning, I will persist, and my reward will come in March /April when the sun rises around 6am, and I will see the dawn rising while out running.

Non runners/evening runners may think this mad, but there is nothing nicer than a good run in the early morning, with the sun and birds rising, and you feel the whole world belongs to you.

Peckham

I hated early-morning (6:15am) running when I first tried it during the summer, but like it a bit more now when it's cold! Mind you, I did skip my morning run this morning when I figured the miserable conditions last night wouldn't clear by the morning, so didn't set an early alarm. Turns out this morning would have been perfect, and to make matters worse, something has come up this evening meaning I can't get out this evening either.

Preparation is key, and as said above, getting the gear on and out the door before you're actually awake is key for me.

Smug feeling to see jaws drop in work when you tell people you had 4 miles done before 7am (just about when they were hitting the snooze button!).

christeb

^ same as above, I knew I couldn't get out this evening only I DID set the 0615 alarm. Beautiful mild 5 miler, with little of the symptoms MCOS described above

shels4ever

Peckham wrote: »

I hated early-morning (6:15am) running when I first tried it during the summer, but like it a bit more now when it's cold! Mind you, I did skip my morning run this morning when I figured the miserable conditions last night wouldn't clear by the morning, so didn't set an early alarm. Turns out this morning would have been perfect, and to make matters worse, something has come up this evening meaning I can't get out this evening either.

Preparation is key, and as said above, getting the gear on and out the door before you're actually awake is key for me.

Smug feeling to see jaws drop in work when you tell people you had 4 miles done before 7am (just about when they were hitting the snooze button!).

Yep its a great feeling, when i was running in School I used to do 3 morning runs a week. Used to get some slagging for it but it really did pay off back then. Going to start doing them again this year too.

Bambaata

i hope to start some morning running soon. i wouldn't say a word to my colleagues. I've been advised not to mention a word as the main managers frown upon it. good thing today though is i started at 7 and will hence be off at 3:30 so ill get running in and still have an evening after it to do whatever.

RICHIE-RICH

What-Your managers at work don't like you getting up early to go for run?
What kind of a place do you work?
What business is it of theirs what you do in your own time, so long as your work performance is not suffering?

Sounds mighty odd.

I think that you are more alert after a run first thing. You get oxygen to your brain, you are up for a few hours before you get to work, so you are not rubbing sleep from your eyes, and should be ready and able for your working day.

aoa321

I will be presenting this thread to my wife tonight "Look, I'm not the only one", yes I hear what you say about the multiple alarms and snooze buttons.

I get up at 6:15 (I aim for 6:00 but never make it), put on the gear (ready from the night before) go downstairs turn on Colm and Jim-Jim (nobody's told them about the recession), have a cuppa, make lunches for the kiddies because I like a bit of hanging around time before I start pounding my knees and ankles and I'm on the road ususally a little before 6:40.

I love running in the morning, I have the roads to myself, but yesterday I decided not to go because of the snow, not because I thought I would fall, but because I think I might be committed for running in the dark at half past six in the morning in the middle of a snow-storm, I was livid I missed my run though.

baza1976

hunnymonster wrote: »

Amateur MCOS!

- make lunch the night before
- lay out both your running and work clothes
- shave, wax, preen, pluck and whatever you're into the night before

DO NOT, whatever risks you take in life, risk turning on the bedroom light as you grope around for a missing sock. Apparently it's a valid argument for bringing back capital punishment.

Another observation for me is that a sleeping partner can recant on any promise made as you skip out the door at 6am.

lol so true

TFBubendorfer

Great stuff. As a runner who does 99% of his miles in the early morning I can relate to all of that, except that I managed to wean myself off the snooze button. When the alarm goes off, I get up.

I find that most days I don't even need the alarm. Set it for 6:00? I'm usually awake at 5:58. Set it for 5:30 (the long run)? More often then not, I'm up at 5:25 anyway.

Btw, it's perfectly safe to run on rural roads at night. I've got a headlamp as well as a reflective vest. Drivers spot me from a mile away.

MCOS

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Great stuff. As a runner who does 99% of his miles in the early morning I can relate to all of that, except that I managed to wean myself off the snooze button. When the alarm goes off, I get up.

Fair play to you TFBubendorfer! The snooze button is a constant battle ground for me Agree with the rural roads running. If you have a headlamp and this jacket (
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Altura_Night_Vision_Waterproof_Jacket/5360029726/)
you are sorted!

The jacket is a cycling jacket but it lights up like you are on fire and its toasty and waterproof to boot.

Also agree with RICHIE-RICH, often on your morning run you feel like the world belongs to you

nortal

Lads,

How do you avoid bonking at that hour of the morning, find early morning training impossile due to this and i always run well below by limited talents 8 minute mile pace is like 6.5 in the evenings, maybe a good dinner late at night might do the trick.

I am sure it makes more sense to train in the morning as most events start in the mornings

barkar

The morning run gets to be quite enjoyable once you get past the first few miles, was out for ten this morn windy and cold but a good way to wake up, even though you sometimes feel you have done rounds with Tyson when you get back to the house!

As regards runing out the country once you have the hi viz vest , you should be fine , i find that your eyes adjust to the levels of light and if you can plan your run on lesser travelled roads its fine. Motorists see you well in advance and even dip headlights which is nice , nothing worse than being blinded and then trying to the darkness after

Cant say i have been out as early as some of the posters here, usually out the door by 7.20 ish Luckily i have a maximum of a 40mmin drive on country roads to work and i can alternate between to be in between 8 and ten , so usually in on time.Looking forward to milder weather though , battling wind and rain can be tough

Seres

in the morning is the best option for me otherwise i may not get to do it , also feel dont have to organise my evening as much once its out of the way in the morning , i feel i have more of a fresh feeling going out to work also after my run and shower , kind of sets me up for the day nicely
really look forward to the brightness in the morning so i can run outside , confined to threadmill at moment

hunnymonster

It gets more complicated when you are triathlon training when it sometimes becomes, run in the morning, swim at lunchtime and cycle in the evening...... Then home, food and organise everything to repeat the next day... pah, that woman with the octuplets in the USA thinks she has it bad, it's nothing on a house that has Ironman and channel training going on.:D

Peckham

nortal wrote: »

How do you avoid bonking at that hour of the morning, find early morning training impossile due to this and i always run well below by limited talents 8 minute mile pace is like 6.5 in the evenings, maybe a good dinner late at night might do the trick.

I find the first mile feels a lot harder than it should be (i.e. feels like you've gone out too quick and then the garmin beeps for the first mile and you realise you're actually running at very slow recovery pace....probably not a bad thing either), but I guess this is still being half-asleep. After first mile I find it gets much easier.

RacoonQueen

I'd probably have to get up before 5 to get anything decent in. So I don't get any morning runs anymore. Damn early starts in work.

papamike

hunnymonster wrote: »

papamike, A compromise is to drive to somewhere safe'ish to get the miles in. Not ideal but if needs must and all that.

I hear ya Hunnymonster:o:o Nearest lit up area is a village about 4 miles away so driving there for an early morning run is an option that I may well take up. Generally get my planned 3 runs a week in anyway during lunchtime and on a Sunday but will be stepping up to half marathon training soon so may need to look at the early morning to get the bigger miles.

Am just not comfortable on the roads by my house in the dark no matter how well I'm lit up....big Bord na Mona artics are on it early morning, blind bends etc....Wife thinks I'm mad enough when I run early morning during the summer...she'd have me committed if I ventured out these mornings on the roads by our house!!

MarieC

Do you know the episode of friends where Phoebe goes running in the park? Well thats how I feel if I run in the morning. Feel all over the shop and takes a mile or two to get any rhythm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_0Ta_DIWuU

rachel

I am regular reader of boards but new to this forum... so hello all...

Must agree with the early rising - my alarm goes off at 5.45, get my kit on and am on the road by 6, back by 6.45, time for shower, breakfast and then walk down to the Luas to get to work.
I've tried a few evening runs but I find it very difficult once I arrive home after a full day in work.
Mentally the early start seems to set me up for the day, I'm always much more positive about the day ahead when I get back in.
My friends and colleagues think I'm mad but I love it and as another poster said, I love having the roads to myself at that time of the morning except for the odd fellow early riser or dog walkers
A lot of snow out there this evening though so I'm hoping I can get out tomorrow morning, if not will try and make it up at the weekend

MCOS

Do you ever feel like even if you have done a solid run in the morning before work, that when evening comes you feel as if you haven't trained yet that day?!

Does anyone find that the early morning pre work session multiplies the intensity of the evening munchies craving?



Bambaata, whats up with the Management that they don't want you training before work ?

TFBubendorfer

MCOS wrote: »

Does anyone find that the early morning pre work session multiplies the intensity of the evening munchies craving?

Hmm. I gained 10 pounds since Dublin, despite putting in high mileage training since. I just can't stay away from the chocolate cupboard, and the missus can't stop baking despite me begging her to give me a chance.

Hype

im a new poster. gonna try early morning runs now. i thought it would be too cold and wild in the mornings. usually dark by time i get home in the evening anyway now and want more time in the evenings to enjoy. the frost lights up the road in front like landing lights if theres a decent moon

rachel

MCOS wrote: »

Does anyone find that the early morning pre work session multiplies the intensity of the evening munchies craving?

It's the mid morning munchies for me! I have a bowl of porridge made with water when I get in from my run and then head to work.
I bring two wholemeal pitta breads into work with me each day to eat with salad and some form of meat at lunchtime but at the moment I find I'm eating the pittas at my desk around 10am because major munchies set in Considering that I'm trying to lose weight and tone up, this does not bode well, I need no encouragement to eat more

On an aside, I'm getting fed up with the snow/ice that is covering the ground at the moment, it's making it very difficult to walk let alone run, I'm hoping it will have cleared here by tomorrow morning so I can get out again, otherwise I'll have to hit the treadmill at my parent's house and I hate running without actually going anywhere

BeepBeep67

After long an protracted negotiations with my lovely wife - based on me running 7 days a week for the last few weeks. I agreed that I would not run 2 evenings per week, that is be home and home for the night about 6pm (Weds & Fri nites have been agreed). So to counteract this I was up a 05:45 this morning and out the door just after 6, nothing hectic just 4 miles - I was due an easy day 3 sessions in the previous 5.
Really enjoyed it and hit the day with a bang, however come tea time I was getting itchy feet, felt like I needed to get there, feels like a day off actually.
So maybe I'm a convert to this hour of the day - only time will tell, but it's 9pm and I have energy to burn - what did Hunnymonster say?...maybe time for some 'special hugs'

MCOS

Get offline and get on with it then