Here you have a screenshot of my various Saturday (and one weekday) alarms.
I am not a morning person. Turns out, just because you must get up at the crack of dawn, does not mean you like it. Unfortunately, in the sweltering summer heat of Memphis, it is imperative that you wake up and get out that early, lest you die in a puddle of sweat on the side of the road. I really wish I was kidding. Part of me wishes I could be one of those runners that goes out in the blazing midday sun, for a saunter around the neighborhood, but the other part realizes that’s just dumb and they can not be running that far. (I kid. I kid. Those folks are far more badass than I.)
There are benefits to running early though. Personally, I know that if I start early enough, my body doesn’t realize what’s going on. I’m, generally, still asleep for the first few miles of an early run. By the time I really “wake up”, I’ve gotten a good 5K under my belt and I feel great! For me, the first 3 miles and the last 10 minutes are the hardest.
Secondly, if I am up and at ’em, by the time I’m done running, the sane world is just getting up and groggily starting their day. I feel energized and ready to face whatever the day will inevitably throw at me.
Thirdly, I’ve already burned off enough calories to eat all the good stuff I want, and not feel guilty at all!
Runhaven posted a great little article, the other day, about getting out of the bed and hitting the pavement early. Check it out! It’s legit info.
Seeing as I strongly dislike getting up early, I have to prepare myself. That means setting my alarm for much earlier than I need to wake up, and then hitting that snooze button…several times. I realize this method doesn’t work for everyone, but it does for me.
Of course, it’s always good to take into consideration other people’s advice too. In this blog, I’ll refer to Sgt. Tony, the USMC Fitness Boot Camp, and the Buffalo Runners. I hope you don’t get too tired of it, but all those things are a big part of my life. Anyway, Sgt. Tony has some pretty good advice about getting your booty up on time, every time.
Q. How can I get up in the morning on a consistent basis?
A. Contrary to what many think, I am NOT a morning person. I have to be “dynamited” out of the bed! Here are some tips to help you get going in the morning:
1. Use two alarm clocks. I have a snooze alarm that starts going off several minutes before I intend to get up. Then I have a “Last Call” alarm clock that is located across the room. This alarm clock is set to go off when I MUST get up.
2. Once the last call alarm goes off, the bed becomes OFF LIMITS! Get moving!
3. Get out of bed, turn off the alarm clock, and start turning on lights all through the house. Turn the TV on!
4. Lay out your clothes the night before. Don’t go wandering around the house in the morning trying to find your left shoe and your favorite shorts. So, have things ready the night before.
So, Not only do I like telling people about what I like, but I love to hear what everyone else likes to do too!
What time do you get up for an early run? How do you go about dragging yourself out of bed? Do you have any morning rituals that get you going?
Drop me a comment! I’d love to hear from you!!
Memphis Girl Runs 