5AM or 8PM Runs?

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  • registered

    Coach Jeff ROC

    Member since 10/18/2017.

    1,638 posts. Last post 4 days ago.
    4 years ago 05/15/2019 7:20pm EDT
    re: Working Stiff

    I confess to not having read all of the responses. To me, a consideration should be getting in enough sleep. If you want 8 hours of sleep, that means a 9pm bedtime for a 5am wake up. It may not make a difference if you're only running 3 days per week, but if you're doing 6 days per week, you may start having problems after a few weeks if you're only getting 6 per night consistently.

    A second idea: there are times during the year when I run/commute either to the office or home after work. It may or may not be an option for you, but for me, combining the commute with the run is perfect in certain situations.

    Cheers.

  • registered

    Easy Peasy

    Member since 09/13/2018.

    129 posts. Last post 1 year ago.
    4 years ago 05/16/2019 1:15pm EDT
    re: bank the workout?

    bank the workout? wrote:

    So, on a related note, I've sometimes wondered if at 9pm if I have energy and time, could/should I do the next day's 4:45am wake-up workout early even if it technically means I'd be doing a double. How much more rested/ready are legs 8 hours later. Sometimes just seems like they are stiffer.

    I've asked this before, not sure I've gotten a great answer. I think 8 hours sleeping is worth a lot more in recovery than 8 hours at the office, but I don't think it's worth a full day's of rest. So it's somewhere between a double and a normal break between runs.

  • registered

    Joe Jackson

    Member since 01/30/2018.

    888 posts. Last post 2 months ago.
    4 years ago 05/16/2019 1:39pm EDT
    re: amkelley

    amkelley wrote:

    I have had a similar choice to yours all my life and I've always chosen 5 am. My reasons:

    1. At 5 am I may be sleepy but I'm not tired. If I've had a tough day I'm often just too pooped to run in the evening.

    2. Other things tend to get in the way in the evening. Even if you never have to do anything work-related in the evening (not true for me), family issues also often intrude at that time. No one ever demands my attention at 5 am.

    3. I don't run well with anything in my stomach. In the evening I feel starved if I haven't eaten and puky if I have. First thing in the morning I'm empty but not hungry yet.

    4. Anywhere I've lived there's a lot less traffic at 5 am than at 8 or 8:30 pm.

    5. If you're going to run at the same time year round, the weather is likely to be better at 5 am. In warm climates/seasons it's much cooler at 5 am than 8 pm. In cold climates/seasons it's cold at both times.

    Try it both ways and see what works best for you.

    100% agreed. I could have written this exact post but I've only been at it for a few years now and I started off trying to run in the evening. I'd add to your weather comment that the wind is almost always less in the morning than in the evening, but that's just another layer of detail to your point that the weather is typically better for running in the early morning.

  • registered

    Muebele

    Member since 02/24/2013.

    129 posts. Last post 5 months ago.
    4 years ago 05/16/2019 1:55pm EDT
    re: Working Stiff

    I have tried and failed at both. Now I am stuck

    I am in the same boat. Kids wake up around 6:00 and go to bed around 8:00. I have tried on several times to get up at 4:30 and run from 5 - 6. I think the longest I made it is 10 days. I am terrible at waking up in the morning and it was a struggle. I also don't like running in the dark. I really, REALLY like sleep

    So I switched to night runs. I had done a lot of night running before I had kids. I also figured I could get more mileage in. If I was feeling good, I could keep going. In the morning I had to be back before the kids got up. Two big things stopped me. First, by the time I got the kids down, I was ready for bed too. Dragging my butt out for a run was the last thing I wanted to do. Maybe I lacked commitment, but I am old. The second was that it took me too long to wind down. Even if I was done by 9-9:30, I was still be wide awake at 11:30. So when I woke up at 6 I was tired, and the cycle continued.

    Given the choice, take the morning. With summer coming, morning runs are much cooler. Plus life doesn't get in the way as much when the rest of the world is asleep. But good luck, you will need it

  • registered

    EasternWash

    Member since 04/26/2018.

    176 posts. Last post 11 months ago.
    4 years ago 05/16/2019 2:46pm EDT
    re: Working Stiff

    5AM. I like getting it out of the way first thing in the morning. I feel like it really wakes me up and sets the tone for the rest of the day. The very few days I dont get in a run or workout in the morning I find that I feel tired and sluggish all day. Something about getting the blood pumping right off the bat I think really jumps starts your system. It's also nice to get it out of the way so it's not hanging over your head all day, especially if you have a tough workout/run planned.

  • Roll guy

    Anonymous Poster

    4 years ago 05/16/2019 4:36pm EDT
    re: Working Stiff

    The weather is nice, the sun is out late. Let the summer evening runs roll baby roll!

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