Loving the mornings

I definitely was not a morning person growing up. I remember summers as a teen I would stay up and watch Letterman and sleep the next day until 10 or so. In college that changed. A new fitness facility opened next to my dorm on campus. I quickly learned that afternoons were way too crowded and I preferred to study or hang with friends in the evening. So I started a morning routine: gym, shower, and breakfast all before my 8am accounting class.

Now, almost 20 years later, I wake up without an alarm clock between 5:30 and 6:00. I tend to sleep a little later in the winter, with it being dark until 7. I have come to love the stillness, the low angle of the sun filtering through the trees, the cooler temperatures, and the empty streets. Running in the morning seems to fit better with my family too. My wife and kids are either still asleep or just waking up when I get back and I have my evenings free to be with them.

And so it was this morning. I woke up a little before six and got moving. The temp was nice and there was a light breeze. With needing to do a quick grocery essentials (ack! no milk!) trip before work, I was shorter on time than usual. I managed a 1 mile warm-up, followed by 2 tempo miles, and ended with a 1 mile cool-down. Nothing too crazy, but enough to feel like I got a decent workout.