How do you wake up to workout?

[BarefootMama99]

I am trying to become a morning runner, as that seems to be the time the kids are least likely to interrupt my workout (I cross train some days and do weights some days, so not just running).  I am determined to make working out/running consistantly a priority but I am STRUGGLING to wake up in the mornings early enough!  And when I do wake up early, I am so groggy and have a hard time rolling out of bed straight to working out.  So . . . for those of you who fit in your run/work out first thing in the morning, what is your pre-workout routine?  What do you do to get motivated and moving first thing in the morning?

Any ideas are helpful!!!!

[eleonrauis]

I also run in the mornings because that's the only time in our schedule that DH is always available to stay home with them (and he rides his bike in the evenings when I get home from work). 

I get up, have a cup of  iced coffee with soy milk (about a 50/50 mix) and then change into my running clothes and putter around the house a little.  My 19mo old DS is usually up and my 4yr old DS is still sleeping.  I usually leave for my run 30-45min after waking.  I have tried skipping the coffee and just having a small snack or just having coffee and no soy milk, but I need both the calories and the caffeine.

[LCBMAX]

Never mind working out in the morning, I just struggle to get my feet on the floor. One thing that helps a lot is having a big bottle of water in the bed with me! (oh, the nightstand is just tooo faaaar awwaaayyy zzzzz) and drinking it ALL, right off the bat. Somehow waking my mouth and stomach up like that helps me motivate to at least go pee, and then, you know, I am out of bed and can think about caffeine.

[sewaneecook]

In my area, the motivator that gets me out of bed to run in the morning is the heat.  If I don't get up early, I have to run in weather that's 95+ and humid in the peak of the summer!  I putter around more than is necessary and I'm not a coffee person, but it takes me about 30-45 minutes to get out the door when I run in the morning.  It also helps to have everything I need all set out and ready to go the night before. 

[mommajb]

For me it is a matter of going to bed at night. Morning is the only time I can make it happen but I do need some sleep. This was true when I had a night nursling and now that that everyone is older.
A workout partner or knowing that somebody is waiting/will miss you can be a motivator also. After a bit my body clock adjusts and I am up even if I there wasn't a workout planned. The change might be easier now when it is light out so early.
My food and coffee routine varies over time, right now it is a cup of coffee and a few minutes before leaving, other times a banana as I tie my shoes and I am out the door. It depends on yesterday's food intake and how long a run is on the agenda (and how pressed for time I am).

[MrsGregory]

I have a workout partner 2x-3x a week in the morning, and it gets hotter than Hades around 9am here - so usually my 60 minutes is done and done by then!

However, if I didn't get enough sleep, I don't exercise in the AM unless I am already up and I really want to.  For me, sleep is more important than exercise.

[1jooj]

Originally Posted by mommajb 

For me it is a matter of going to bed at night. Morning is the only time I can make it happen but I do need some sleep. This was true when I had a night nursling and now that that everyone is older.

I could not agree more with my dear friend here. 

It's really tough when they are small, and it's hard to draw the line in the sand between cutting yourself slack and slacking off, but for now, you can probably mostly assume you're doing the former. 

I set my intention to run before I go to bed at night. And before that, I start talking to my kids about my run in the morning, and how important it is to me to do it. I turn off screens an hour before sleep time. Before working out in the morning, I have to have coffee. If my motivation is low, I let myself "go out for a walk and see what happens."

Are you running outdoors or on a TM? Do you have a double jogger? That can help with running whenever there is an opportunity, but with little ones, it can be such a production to pull off. The earlier you can get up, the better, but I do not recommend sacrificing much-needed sleep for exercise, esp when you are already exercising quite a lot.

[BarefootMama99]

Originally Posted by 1jooj 

I could not agree more with my dear friend here. 

It's really tough when they are small, and it's hard to draw the line in the sand between cutting yourself slack and slacking off, but for now, you can probably mostly assume you're doing the former. 

I set my intention to run before I go to bed at night. And before that, I start talking to my kids about my run in the morning, and how important it is to me to do it. I turn off screens an hour before sleep time. Before working out in the morning, I have to have coffee. If my motivation is low, I let myself "go out for a walk and see what happens."

Are you running outdoors or on a TM? Do you have a double jogger? That can help with running whenever there is an opportunity, but with little ones, it can be such a production to pull off. The earlier you can get up, the better, but I do not recommend sacrificing much-needed sleep for exercise, esp when you are already exercising quite a lot.

Running wise, I do both - it depends on if my husband is home or not.  Like right now he is in another state training, so I will run indoors most of the week at 5:45 in the morning and then I will hit the road with the double jogger for my long run on saturday.  When he is home, I work out at 5:45, but I can run on the road because he is home getting ready for work and the little ones are thus not by themselves.  Basically, I do what I can :)

[Ruthiegirl]

I am stealing ideas from this thread!  I am trying sooooo hard to get back into the running habit.  My baby is 6 months old, so it feels like time to get moving again.  He is sleeping well at night, nurses twice and I can usually drop right back to sleep.  But eegads!  Mornings are still so groggy for me.  

I got up this morning at 6:30, but got caught by the kids who all wanted snuggles and there was a wet bed to deal with and then I made tea and the 4 year old was hungry and etc, etc....my run got forgotten while I did my mom thing.  

I really have to get up before the older children do and this means being gone before 6 am.  Early to bed tonight and I'll try again tomorrow.  Will let you know how it goes.  

[AngieB]

Right now my motivation is getting the run in before it gets hot. I also had to start putting my need to exercise first. I usually try and get out of the house before some of the kids wake up, then they can't ask for anything. But like this morning one of my dd's woke up early and was telling me she was hungry and wanted pancakes. Old me would have made the pancakes and never got around to running. The New and much happier/thinner me told dd to get a banana and wait for me to get back in an hour and I would make pancakes then.

[MarieP]

I do really well if I have someone to meet.  One thing that helps me is to sleep in my running clothes, then I grab a small snack and some water.  It's been hard lately because I haven't been getting enough sleep.  I try to remember how much better my day goes if I run.  I had a really good week, then this week I haven't been able to get up an do it.

[C is for Cookie]

DS is an early riser so...he makes sure to get me up. He jumps on me, shrieks, pokes my glasses onto my eyes...

Besides that being a "motivation" to get up, I treat myself with a yummy protein shake after my workouts. If I don't workout, no shake. lol.