Tips & Tricks – Morning Workouts

Mornings are not my “thing”, but I really want them to be. Most of my races start before the sun comes up and recreating that experience in training is crucial, plus mustering the motivation to workout after a long day is never easy.  I always have the best intentions to get up early, but more times than any I end up bailing and hit the snooze on my alarm.  Moving forward in 2018 I have big goals and achieving them will take disciple and creativity to get all my workouts in. Being a full time teacher, mom, and wife…running doesn’t always rank high on my priority list.  I’ve used these responsibilities as excuses in the past, but not any more!  So, time for a new approach.
Being that I am not a morning person I set out to scour the internet for tips and tricks to help jump start my plan to become a morning workout person.  To have a goal without a plan is futile for me.  The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Step 1: Set a goal & establish a plan to reach said goal.  This is so much easier said than done!  After reading Nick Symmonds’s  blog post about his transition from Track & Field to a marathon in 2017 I was inspired to create laser focus as he had, but the reality is I had zero steps in place to make this happen.  My desire to become a morning person far out weighed the necessary action to make this lofty goal become tangible. I liked the goal worksheet that Nick suggested, not only does it have a catchy name – Build the Path – but it makes sense and is broken down into 5 key components.  After going through each area I feel confident in the actions I need to take to achieve my goal of becoming a “morning person.” (I feel like ominous music should be inserted every time I type morning person.)

Plan created…check.  Not to put my money where my mouth is!  Walk the walk, not just talk the talk!  Here are a few other tips that were mentioned in my quest for transition into becoming a morning person.

 

Be prepared.  If going outdoors to run/workout check the weather. Layout the appropriate clothing and shoes for your activity.  Fill water bottles and stash them in the fridge.  Set out your pre-workout food.  Charge devices needed (phone, music, ect).  I run with an Orange Mud Hydration vest so I load all my gear into that (SaltStick Tabs, Picky Bar, keys, money, ear buds, Run Gum, and inhaler).

Set the stage.  A positive attitude can make a world of difference.  I am a bear in the morning, but when my alarm goes off and it is a playing a song that is upbeat its hard to be as grumpy.  I like to have a mantra or quote to focus on when I run. Starting off the morning repeating that a few times  can make a huge difference in feeling like a warrior versus a zombie.   And don’t overestimate the power of brushing your teeth!  I know, this sounds silly, but a minty fresh mouth can invigorate you. I’ll take all the motivation I can gather in the morning!

Wish me luck! I’ll keep you posted on my quest for morning workouts…

#BeHappy #BeKind #BeActive

 

 

PS – When in doubt…all the coffee for those early mornings!!!