Running Before Sunrise

It's dark when I walk out the door each morning!

Running 70 to 140 km per week means finding the time somewhere within each day to run for anywhere between 1 and 3 hours. Last year, if you’d told me I’d be running upwards of 2 hours per day, I’d have laughed at the very idea. I’d have told you that I have no time to run more than 3 or 4 times a week, for no more than an hour except on Saturdays, and certainly only once on any given day! I’d wake up exhausted and fall into bed exhausted, only to drag myself out of bed completely unrested the next morning again. I honestly don’t know how I got through some of those days, weeks, months.

That said, when I committed to high mileage I was of course more than a little concerned about where I was going to fit all this running in. Seeing no real viable option, I chose to try and run first thing in the morning, before the day even began for most people. Certainly before the day ever used to begin for me. But I decided, crazy though it sounded, to give it a try.

Everything I need to run, all in one place.

I set my alarm for 4:45am and planned to be out the door at 5:00am. I layed out my running clothes, keys, GPS watch, phone and waist pouch it goes in to, and shoes, all on the coffee table (so I don’t have think in the morning). Then I went to bed at 9:00pm. On the dot. And it worked. Again and again. I ran every morning at 5am. I started small, testing out 5km as my inaugral early morning run distance. But as the distance increased and my runs reached as much as 10 to 12km in the morning, I set my alarm earlier – to 4:30am. And still, every morning I wake up completely rested and totally excited to get out to door to run.

I run only where street lamps light the way.

So I guess I am an early morning runner. I lose myself in those runs. The time flies by – 12km is over before I know it. All of a sudden, I’m done, walking in the door and it’s time to eat my oatmeal. I still find evening runs feel longer than morning runs. I don’t know why – maybe because I’ve got so much on my mind, thinking of everything I still have to do that day. I’m usually hungry and want to finish my run so I can make supper.

Don’t dismiss something because you think it sounds crazy before giving it a chance. I never dreamed I’d have so much fun running before sunrise. But I gave it a chance and fell into my groove. We should all be so lucky as to find our groove!