Morning Runs

Does anyone else find it harder to run in the morning. I do most of my training in the evenings but when I do run in the morning I always find it harder, and as such find myself running slower. This I worry isn't having the best of effects on my races either.

Any suggestions?

I found it hard to run in the morning to begin with but it has got better with time. I think practise is key - it's amazing what the body can get used to!

If I run before I eat then I do tend to run slower but running first thing has other benefits.

Give it a little longer and try to fit it into a routine and see how you feel after a few weeks.

Many reasons

Lower body temperature, less food & energy to name a couple. They are generally a good fitness / fat burner type of run that should be done nice and steady..

I find the exact opposite. On morning runs, I feel fresh mentally and physically, whereas in the evening, I feel lethargic and that running is more of a chore than a pleasure. Also, I don't have any problems running on an empty stomach, so the energy levels are ok in the morning.

Just shows that we are all different and that a one size fits all approach never works in running, whether it's technique, equipment, training schedules etc etc.

Well I think I've found what works for me. Running in the evening. But part of my desire to run involves wanting to run fast in races, which are generally in the morning.

I was thining of making sure that at least one of my 4 (and hopefully two)of my runs are now started say before 10am, see if that helps. Or is my poor running in the morning down to something else other than lack of practice?

I do think the two are very different - I'm the opposite and I love running in the morning.  If I run in the evening, even if it's many hours since I've eaten, I still feel sluggish.  For that reason I have started making myself do one evening run a week so I get more used to it - I don't like the idea of being too anal and prescriptive about when I will and won't run!

birkmyre wrote (see)

Stupid O clock thread offers 'advice' ! on morning running

Will have to have a look at that.

Planning on making myself run to work at least one day a week, hopefully that'll help, either that or it'll just mean I'm into work late one day a week. Either way I guess I win, but I think I prefer running and working over running a little later and getting the bus home because I've been told to clear my desk.

Recently had the chance to run a 10k in the evening, I'd say on average theres a 3 minute or so advantage, 49mins to 52 (ish) of pm vs am race results

I run to work (only 5km) and back (often extended to 10km) almost every day

 The morning run I use as a recovery run / calorie burner which is also after all serving the purpose of getting me to work.

I know there's a lot of twaddle talked about time of day to eat and / or exercise when it comes to calorie burning, but I find there's something v rewarding about a half hour's exercise before breakfast: you are genuinely hungry and enjoy it a lot more.

Mucxh prefer running in the morning.  Not sure about how quickly my times would compare but I feel fresh and ready to go when I wake up.

 After 8-12 hours at work running home can be very hard work, my legs often feel like cememt and it is hard to get going.