Become a Morning Runner!

Making the SwitchIf you don't consider yourself a morning person, the good news is that you can turn yourself into one, says James Mojica, M.D., a sleep physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and medical director of the Sleep Center at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston. "The body is malleable," says Dr. Mojica, who runs first thing four times a week. Address these points before you reset your alarm.
Weigh the Pros and Cons
If you're on the fence about converting to early workouts, John Raglin, Ph.D., a sports psychologist, suggests drafting a checklist of pluses and minuses. On the plus side, he says, jot down all the benefits of running first thing: getting the workout out of the way, great start to the morning, extra time during the day, and so on. The minus side might include have to go to bed earlier, unsure about running in the dark. "Hopefully the runner will see that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and that some of the drawbacks, like going to bed earlier, may in fact be beneficial or at least good habits," he says.

Get Your Family On Board
As a teacher, Joanie Templeton is used to leaving her house by 7 a.m. But when she decided in 2005 it was time to slim her 220-pound frame, she knew the only time she'd ever be able to exercise was if she got out of bed at 4:30. "I couldn't do this without my husband," says the 36-year-old from Lincoln, Montana. "He gets our daughters (6 and 10) ready for school. He sees the difference in me when I don't get my workouts in. I am sluggish, and I get supercrabby." Let your family know your goals so your training becomes a project they can all get excited about.

Enlist Help
Meghan Ridgley, who moved up her morning runs by three hours--to 5 a.m.--when her daughter was born, says she initially relied on friends to help her adapt. "Having people to meet those first few weeks got me in the habit of getting up at 4:30," says the 32-year-old from Vienna, Virginia, who now typically runs alone.

Find the Right Route
Getting out of bed isn't the only obstacle early morning runners face. Sometimes, paths that are idyllic at noon or 6 p.m. are downright dangerous at dawn. Before your first early run, give your usual paths a second look, paying special attention to the lighting, shoulder width, road conditions, and traffic patterns. Be open to scouting around for some new scenery, and make sure family members or a friend have a list of your planned routes.

"I did have to eliminate one route when I started running first thing," says Nick Bigney, a 33-year-old attorney from Houston. "There's a park near my home that I love. However, there are no lights, and even with a headlamp it's dark. I almost stepped on a skunk twice and nearly tripped over an armadillo once. And I've scared a number of deer. For my own safety (and in the interest of not being sprayed by a skunk), I found new routes."

Wear the Right Gear
What you wear also becomes a safety issue. Dark-colored clothing is better left at home. Instead, "dress like a Christmas tree," says Felicia Hubber, race director of the Hood to Coast Relay. That means bright colors from head to toe with plenty of reflective accents. Clip-on lights that flash red and reflective vests will also make you more visible to motorists. To be supersmart, wear a headlamp or carry a flashlight if you're out before 7 a.m. In 2010, Runner's World conducted a field-test study that found drivers can spot headlamps half a mile away; reflective details on clothes and shoes can be seen at only 100 yards; and a plain white shirt is visible from just 50 feet away.

Create a Mantra
Having an early morning power phrase that will get your butt out of bed is crucial for those first few transition weeks, says Raglin. Try: If I run now, I can feel good about it all day. If I skip it now, I'll feel guilty all day; or A few moments of discomfort now, a day's worth of elation later.