Let's get one thing straight: I'm not a morning person. Due to unfortunate personal circumstances (looking at you, two-hour commute), I've had to forcibly become one. The only way for me to get in a workout is to do it super early, and exercise is a priority for me, even if I have to get up at — shudder — 5:25 a.m. to do it.
Yes, that's when I have to set my alarm if I want to run in the morning. Once I'm out the door, it's surprisingly OK: I like running, and going early means there aren't as many cars rushing past or other people clogging up the sidewalks. Finishing a morning run leaves me relaxed for the rest of the day, too. It's the part before the run that's really challenging. My schedule is so tight that if I lose five minutes, I won't make the train to work. I have to be on the ball from the moment I get out of bed, and for me, at 5:30 in the morning, that's not easy.
To make these runs happen, I've come up with a routine that's designed to wake me up and get me out the door even when my body feels magnetized to the bed. When all goes according to plan, I'm out the door by 6 a.m., back home by 6:45, and leisurely making my way to the train station by 7:20. If you can relate to the morning workout struggle, go ahead and give these strategies a try.
Note: I don't eat before my early-morning runs, but if you need a snack to get you going, I recommend a piece of toast or a banana with peanut butter. You can find more pre-workout snack ideas right here.