Morning runs always tougher?

[Marth-Elise]

Throughout the week I do two runs in the evening after work, and one run on a Saturday or Sunday morning. On my evening runs, I feel comfortable and can keep a good pace, and my body feels good! But I really struggle with my weekend runs. They feel so much more clunky, my pace is much slower throughout, and my body resists and feels rubbish, to the point where I sometimes feel sick, and have even been sick. Does anyone else experience this, or have any tips? I tend to have a cup of green tea or small coffee and a banana a couple of hours before going out for my run so that I'm not running on empty or over full, and do a good warm up with lots of stretching directly before the run. Thanks in advance!

[Granspeed Graduate]

My suspicion is that it’s a lot to do with what your body is used to. I’m routinely a morning runner and get the reverse of your symptoms 🤣🤣. Maybe persevere, but vary what you eat or how you prepare by a little and see if it helps. Also, mind set can make a big difference. Tell yourself you love mornings! (😱) Good luck.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

I still struggle with first thing runs, it just doesn't suit me. My body screams "really!? We haven't even woken up yet and you expect this!?"

I can get through them but it's not my best time. For shorter runs; after work when my body has already done a lot of work and is well and truly limber works or for my long runs it's usually late morning after a decent breakfast and time to digest.

Everyone is different, finding what works for you is half the fun 👍🏻😊

[Alast]

Sorry to hear that morning runs don't suit you. I've always been a morning person, even as a youngster getting out of bed was never a problem (unless I had a really bad hangover!) To be able to do this I HAVE to do my running in the morning otherwise (family) life would get in my way, plus I am sure that if I did try running in the evening during the day I would have time to think of hundreds of excuses why I should run tomorrow instead (and tomorrow never comes!) We are all different though, what works for me may not work for you (or anyone else!)

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to Alast]

The weirdest thing is I am a morning person, I'm up very early with a smile in the week and even on my days off, running though just feels really alien early on 🤣

[Hidden]

I prefer early evening runs after work as they seem to suit me. I think mentally we are prepared all day to do it so it becomes part of our routine.

[Speedy60 Graduate]

This might sound weird and a bit leftfield, but visualisation works for me.

I swim early in the morning twice a week before breakfast. I lay in bed and visualise the whole process, from getting up, driving to the pool, concentrate on what it feels like to swim, to showering afterwards. Somehow it seems to prime my body for the physical process and it's never a shock.

I started using the same process for running and it does help. Apparently, visualising a physical activity fires some of the same nuerons in your brain as actually doing the activity. Sports people and dancers use the same technique. I didn't come to it knowing that, I just found it worked for me. Maybe I'm just odd 🤪.

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate]

Why don’t you stick to running in the evenings in the weekend? You are probably too tired after a busy week to attempt mornings & not worth it if it’s making you sick!