When I run at 5am fewer cars run me over. It's not perfect. Some jackasos will still run stop signs at 80mph on a side street because their the only ones out there. Then I get to shine my big bertha of a headlamp at them and blind them.
When it's light out I can't do that to the same effect.
Oh and I run at 5pm too.
Morning runs with 95% humidity, afternoon runs with all the heat.
Disclaimer - this does not apply to people with kids
I just moved to a new city and looked around some running groups for some people to train with. All of the weekend runs that I’ve seen are all start between 7:00-8:00 AM. Now that summer weather is behind us, what is the point of this early departure? I slept in, had a coffee and breakfast, and got in a great long run beginning at 10:30 AM. Still had the whole day ahead of me.
“Obsession?” You mean on top of the obsession to run in the first place? I like to run and I like to run around sunup. Run and done. Day open to other things.
Why do you got to get it early. In the summer I did a lot of my long runs around 6 or 7 PM. During the rest of the year I'd usually get out around noon. I always got to it. But I also got to more sleep.
You need to sleep until 12? What? You must be up late. Too late. Are you even a serious runner? What are you going to tell me next? You drink alcohol?
I said I run around noon, not that I slept until then.
I used to love early morning runs. Best way to start the day. Felt like I was on hold, waiting to get my run in, if I didn't kick off the day with a run. That habit was borne mostly out of necessity, though. When you start doubling, running before work is just the only practical option.
But during and after the pandemic, I discovered midday runs. And wow, what a difference it makes. Now I get up at the same time, have breakfast and coffee, and get in a couple of good hours of work (usually my most productive hours of the day, unless meetings steal my time) before getting out for my runs between 10-11 AM.
I feel som much better. It's been a game changer, especially when it comes to workouts. It's a luxury, though, which depends on having the opportunity to work from home, and take a 60-90 minutes midday break.
During the weekends I can't just disappear for a few hours in the middle of the day, so my long runs still happen in the early AM. Even if, from a training perspective, I would much prefer to do them a few hours later.
To answer your question, it's mainly due to necessity. If you're doubling, you have to run before work. And if you're not, I still pick early hours 10 out of 10 times as opposed to having to get out at night, when I'm tired from a long day of working or whatever.
I run 10 miles everyday at 5 am. But that's only because I have kids, a full time job and where I live it's intolerably hot later in the day. If not for those three things, I would much rather sleep as much as I can and run later in the day.
I don’t mean to be a snob here (and I’d keep this point to myself) but: it could be that most people (not you and not most people on letsrun) who do long runs on weekend mornings are pretty slow and training for that bucket list half marathon/marathon and need to get in 3hour+ long runs, so they have to get up very early…whereas a serious letsrun person probably doesn’t run longer than ~90min-120min tops
This is a good point I hadn't thought of. My usual 15k loop takes me less than an hour. Throw in a ten minute shower and I'm done in just over an hour. My neighbour takes about two hours to do same - so yeah, I guess he does have to get up earlier.
I find mid-afternoon to be the perfect time apart from the dog days of summer. 3-4pm start, lunch having fully digested and the brain having hit the afternoon slump. In my experience it’s the most efficient use of that time of day.
I get knocking out early if you have work or other obligations, but early morning is (at least in my experience) quite a bit more conducive to strong mental exertion than to physical exertion.
I am the same way. I always figured my running schedule was some how related to the habit of running after school, but I just feel better running in the late afternoon.
I read about these teams doing workouts early in the AM and it just sounds horrible. I can deal with a morning shake out run, but tempos and track work.. ugh.
I used to love early morning runs. Best way to start the day. Felt like I was on hold, waiting to get my run in, if I didn't kick off the day with a run. That habit was borne mostly out of necessity, though. When you start doubling, running before work is just the only practical option.
But during and after the pandemic, I discovered midday runs. And wow, what a difference it makes. Now I get up at the same time, have breakfast and coffee, and get in a couple of good hours of work (usually my most productive hours of the day, unless meetings steal my time) before getting out for my runs between 10-11 AM.
I feel som much better. It's been a game changer, especially when it comes to workouts. It's a luxury, though, which depends on having the opportunity to work from home, and take a 60-90 minutes midday break.
During the weekends I can't just disappear for a few hours in the middle of the day, so my long runs still happen in the early AM. Even if, from a training perspective, I would much prefer to do them a few hours later.
To answer your question, it's mainly due to necessity. If you're doubling, you have to run before work. And if you're not, I still pick early hours 10 out of 10 times as opposed to having to get out at night, when I'm tired from a long day of working or whatever.
When I was teaching I was supposed to be at school at 7:00. I tried getting in my first run at 5:30 and I was barely functional for the work day. So I did my main run after school, around 3:00 and my "morning" run around 8:00 or 9:00 PM. Later, when I had a 9:00-5:00 office job I'd run on my lunch hour and again after work.
Sorry but 7 am is the morning is not late. If I’m doing a 3 hour run in the trails on the weekends I have to wake up at 5 am to get it.
Sorry but 5 am is the morning is not late. If I’m doing a 6 hour run up Mount Kilimanjaro on the weekends I have to wake up at 2 am to get it.
Great good for you, YAY this person wakes up at 2 am. Where in world is his shinny troph'yea i've been up since 2 am'. Any person with a 9-5 job OR kids it's not feasible to get up at 2 am and goto bed at what 7 pm and for what to run up a Mountain? Are you a pro do you get paid to do this?
Disclaimer - this does not apply to people with kids
I just moved to a new city and looked around some running groups for some people to train with. All of the weekend runs that I’ve seen are all start between 7:00-8:00 AM. Now that summer weather is behind us, what is the point of this early departure? I slept in, had a coffee and breakfast, and got in a great long run beginning at 10:30 AM. Still had the whole day ahead of me.
How can you have the whole day ahead of you when you went for your run at practically midday? Anyhow you do you and others will do them.
Me, I go for my run between 7-8AM. It's wonderful.