Early Morning Runners -Support Group ( :

Last summer, I started walking.   Then wogging.  Finally jogging/running.   I relished my cool morning workouts. 

Then summer was over and I had to shift my jogging to the 4PM heat and humidity.  It was almost unbearable, but I made it.   Then winter arrived and I had to deal with a host of new issues ----  never been an exerciser, let alone one who ran in the ice and snow, so how do you keep your glasses from fogging up or avoid bronchitis in the cold????    Made it through that too. 

This summer (up until yesterday's close), I taught summer academy but did not have to be there so early as with regular school, so I was able to return to my morning workouts.  HALLELUJAH  ---   I had forgotten how incredible cool, peaceful, and invigorating it is to run in the early morning hours.  It's as if my dog and I are the only living beings.....   I love it. 

My body clock is pretty good at waking me up and I try very hard to just make it happen every day --- for me to be done with my workout in the cooler weather and because my dog needs the exercise, but my friend Tamar who lives in a VERY HOT climate is having a hard time getting up to run. 

How do you make it happen for yourself?  How do you get up and get going???????

Other deep thoughts that cross my mind in the morning.......... 

1) my knees are  beginning to be an issue even with new shoes, stretching, ibuprofen, etc,   anyone here an OT or sports medicine guru?   I know I supinate/walk on the outsides of my feet and that is why my knees hurt ---from being torqued too hard side to side, so what do I do to strengthen whatever quad/ham muscles to stop/help my knees?   
  
2)am I the only person stricken at times with almost emergency bathroom situations while jogging before "voiding"?   
   
3) anyone find now the mp3 player that first motivated you to keep going is now just a distraction from the road and your pace?
      
4) what about runner's etiquette ???  -- I always get out of oncoming car paths -- even if it means running across the road or getting my running shoes wet/dirty, but still the people in this town are hateful.    

5) what about this --- the same routes I have been running (I have a range of 2-5 miles mapped out) are getting too easy/too short/I feel like I could run more, but I like to do a loop, you know?  start at my house, make 4 turns, I am home.  do I just try to pick up my speed (yuck) or do I do two trips?

This is long, but I hope to hear lots of good advice and get a support group going for all us early morning slaves of the shoe!   Are you out there?????

I am pretty good about getting up in the morning. I used to be the 5 am jogger because I didn't want anyone to see me but after hearing about kidnappings and just the thought of a "boogeyman" in the dark I switched to 7 am and decided to just not care about what people think. And I feel you on the pain. Today my shins were hurting something terrbile but I just have to make myself keep on going. I do need new running shoes however. As for running etiquette, I try to stay on the sidewalk but like the pavement much better.

You are right, there really is no other feeling than running in the early morning. The cool crisp air, seeing the dew everywhere, and if you are lucky enough, catching a sunrise.

All I can say about the knee pain is keep stretching and drinking lots of water, and giving your body time to recover. Some good stretches that I do for running are really focusing on the quads, and also the calfs. Try standing with the balls of your feet on your bottom step and lower your heels until you feel the pull, and hold that for 15-30 seconds. Maybe see a personal trainer/fitness instructor who can give you some tips on changing your running form a bit?

Having to go to the bathroom while running kills me. I usually always have to go at least once. It's a huge pain, cause I usually just run through it and that is not fun. o.O

I'm with you, people in their cars always have seniority over me. I get out of their way. Mainly cause I'm just out there to run and they may have somewhere important to be.

Ah, the inevitable time in every runner's career. You are beginning to advance from your normal route, and it's time to make it more challenging. I'd say it's your preferance though. Maybe some days you could try running at a faster pace and then others you could keep a slow, steady pace throughout. Or you could just amp up the run twice a week and keep your normal route the other runs until it becomes more comfortable.

great advice, both of you!!   much appreciated!

good to know I am not the only one out there who suffers the same afflictions and ADDICTIOn to running in the morning!!

For your friend in the hot climate, I have found that sunset is a really refreshing time to run.  It's actually hotter than sunrise/7am but feels cooler because of the breeze and location of the sun.  I'm in Tucson AZ.  

 

As far as the bathroom issues go, I don't know if you meant #1 or #2 but I have a big problem #2. No matter how I time my eating and bathroom breaks, I often have to go really bad once I'm out there.  I jog in the park where there are restrooms but it hits me so fast that it's always a closecall and very uncomfortable.  The only thing that really helps is doing some kind of jumprope or jumping jacks at home to check if I need to go or not.  It seems the up and down movement beyond walking really affects me.  I seem to have a hyperactive bowel. TMI!!!

As far as #1 goes, I had that problem at first because I was drinking so much water and it was really a dramatic change.  So, even if I went potty before, I'd have to during and right afterwards too.  I don't get that anymore. 

I change my playlist on my Zune frequently as my needs change.  I had a fantastic playlist for walking that didn't work at all for jogging.  Then I had some good tunes for jogging but after a while didn't inspire to me to further.  Now I have a really dynamite playlist.  But I will change it once the combo doesn't work anymore. 

1) I don't know...sorry :(   
   
2) No, you are not the only one, obviously. It always hits me like 10-15 minutes in & it sucks :( Sometimes I actually have to run home because running through it does not help! :( 
    
3) YES! I started so dependent on my iPod, and then when I competed in a mini triathlon (6 miles running, 1 mile kayaking (it was school so we weren't allowed to swim) 6 miles biking) we were not allowed to use iPods, so I started training without it and now I can't run WITH IT! Crazyyyy. 
       
4) Yeah, some cars just seem to not like runners :( haha   

5) When I found my route being too easy I either increased intensity or increased distance. What you could do is start into a second loop, and then see how far you get without dying. Maybe you'll make it 1 turn and have to turn back...maybe the whole way? But, when I am running a loop I definitely make sure I change it up so I don't get bored. 

Awwwwwe Shucks,

See Olivia now you made me blush.

Here is my short runners history:

I started walking when I first started trying to lose weight for real. That was 5 years ago. Then at the end of that year I dont know how it happened I started running. I guess I started running too much to fast cause I started having horrible knee pains.

Now I am trying for the second time to re enter the world of running slowly and carefully with the couch25k plan. I am on week 6 and am really bad about sticking to the 3 times a week regiment.

Why do I run?

Cause I want that peaceful hour 3 times a week. To know that whole day you are awesome. To use this tool we call body at onw with the mind. SOmetimes its easier sometimes its harder but whenever I finish a run on the beach I feel like rocky topping those stairs.

So O, Thank you for the kick in the butt.

Tomorrow I will wake up at 5:30 am and I will run.

 

 

MIss Tamar  ---   ( :

I just wanted to se the resposes we would get to a post like this one.....     I too need the support of "Rocky" like awesome runner chick friends just like you!!!!!!!!!!!    No blushing, no shame -- NONE!!!!   I want you to feel honored.  

Today for example, I gave myself the day off/meaning walk not run the dog when I got up, knowing after a second late night with fireworks, I was probably not getting up super early.   Yeah. I just rolled over at 10.   I really just want coffee.     (which I never have)

SOOOOOOOOOOOO ----- long story short, it is already hot here.   I will walk her later this evening and we plan to bowl today, so...   maybe that's my exercise?  ( ;

OH -- and T?  I wish I could run for an HOUR!!!    not this girl --  30+ is my time and body limit.   I guess I need a bigger town and a beach to expand that one!   (((HUGS))

How about any other ladies and you T --- ?    What are your early morning runner's issues?   I made that long embarrassing list of mine.....  

EDITED TO ADD:  a BIG thanks to all you laides for coming here and sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I would really like this to morph into a group of awesome people who are runners too!!!!!

1.  Knee problems.  I have off and on issues with this as well.  There are different options for you... ibuprofen of course, but that doesn't FIX the issue, only help reduce the pain and inflammation.  When your knees start to bother you, start icing them after runs.  Depending on how much they're bothering you, you might need to ice them a couple times a day.  You might also need to take it easy for a while and give them time to recover (sucks, I know.)  Slowing down the pace or taking short walking breaks seems to help as well.  The other option is to experiment with knee braces.  Whatever you do,  KEEP STRETCHING!

 

2.  I always feel so much better to hear that other people have these embarrassing issues as well!  It usually happens to me about 1-2 miles from home, and  I can usually keep it under control and run through it.  Sometimes I have to stop and walk though, and that makes me mad!  Unfortunately, there is really nothing to do about this one, except to try and make sure you're empty before you leave the house.  Of course,  this doesn't always work...

 

3.  I also used to run with my I-pod all the time.  Now I only use it for my long runs over 10 miles.  It's hard to control pace while you have a set beat in your ears.

 

4.  As a rule, cars hate runners.  I think they're jealous, because as a runner, I always let runners/walkers go when I'm driving.  Stay to the far side of the road, run on the grass when possible, and stop at all intersections.  The nice people wave you on and don't make you wait.

 

5.  Your body is telling you it needs more challenge!  Sign up for a race.  Start with a 5K since you're used to running for 30 minutes.  See how fast you are compared to others in your age group.  A race always motivates me to up my training.  You might want to try increasing your distance also.  I also think you should change your route...  it's nice to have different scenery, plus it's SAFER as a woman to run different routes, so nobody can watch you and predict where you'll be tomorrow morning.  Check out active.com to create more routes.  You can plot different street points and it adds up the mileage for you! 

 

I am also excited to see other female runners :)

1) I supinate, too. Not terribly and it hasn't affected my knees yet. But my shoes are always worn out on the outsides of my soles. Do you have high arches? My brother had to get prescription insoles because of his arches but it made a world of difference.

2) Been there, too. But thankfully while on the treadmill so I've hopped off gone to the potty and hopped back on. Haven't had the problem running outside yet. *Knock on wood.*

3) I am about there. I used to think, "Who are these people who can run without music?!" and during my last 5k my MP3 player battery went out after just 2 songs and surprisingly, I felt more focused.  It felt good to just think. But I still need the music more often than not. I suspect in the future I won't.

4) I live in, like, the most runningest county in the world, I think, and people are very respectful of runners. It's great. But it's always a good idea to have a Road ID on you, no matter where you are running.

5) My favorite new website is MapMyRun.com. It is awesome! Map out new runs and save them to your training log. It's all free! I'm working on improving my speed and I've started using the fartlek training. It's basically interval training, like run then sprint then run then sprint. It works and it really helps to break the boredom in the longer runs.

Great to see all the runners here! A support group would be great! Nice to meet you!

Olivia,

Have you ever tried jogging/running on a track or treadmill? - I know, really boring, but it may be a bit easier on your knees.  You might try that to give your legs a break before hitting the pavement again.

1) i know! my knees are becoming an issue too... i try to do cross training on days that my knees hurt (swimming instead of jogging in the morning)... i hear that proper shoes (that provide support depending on the arch of your feet) are essential though. >"< and i've been contemplating... whether i should get knee guards. anyone with experience with this?

2) definitely not. i get plenty of these too, especially since i go jogging in the morning...? anyway, i make sure that my route has toilets punctuating the way (gas stations, etc.) so that i don't end up stranded, and i can continue my run right where i leave off... ^^|||

3) the mp3 for me is still a good motivator... i tend to cheat by pacing myself according to the drum beats of my music. the only thing that's becoming a problem is my chronic ear infection, which has been getting worse because of my in-ear earphones.... i've been laying off my ipod for a while because of that...
      
4) i try to stick to pavements so this hasn't been a big problem... though there have been maniacal drivers whom i swear were driving as though they wanted to run me down.... eeps.

5) i know! my routes are between 2~6 miles now... i average 4 miles, but it's getting a little unsatisfying when i finish my run and i don't think i've worked out thaaat much. as to increasing speed/route length, i think that you should try both...? Try going longer at the pace that you're used to now, and when you're taking 'shorter' runs, ie. what's normal for you now, try to go faster... i think your ultimate goal is both endurance and being able to run relatively fast! (:
 I've been lazy too though. I need a little push to increase my speed consistently! >"<

First off I would like to say HooRaahh

I ran today. I got up (a challenge). Then I got out of bed (bigger challenge). Then I started my warm up walk to the beach. When I got to the beach my body scolded me for not running for two weeks by giving me awful stitches at my side.

I thought, ok I am up , I am on the beach. Might as well enjot the morning. So instead of going south I went north to scoute a new route. About ten minutes in with Sting's "every thing she does is magic" I started running and did a full 25 minutes in a turtle's pace.

So I am proud of me.

Sordino, Ishiopop, doedoebird. I would also like to say HooRaa to having so many women pushing us foreward. Whenever I talk to men about running it is always about why not run longer, why not run faster. I say why not just say HooRaah for what we have done.

I came to love running because of the challenge, because if the adrenaline high but first and foremost because of the peace and quiet and just sacred me time with my mind and body.

My knees gave me a little trouble during the run but now they are (tfu tfu knock on wood) just fine. From all my research and phsyical therapy what I know is that you have to run in moderation. So I dont think Ill ever try doing it 5 times a week again. Yoga, Running and hopefully Ill restart dancing soon. Thats the ticket for me.

HALLELUJAH for lady runners!   ( :     I totally did just a little happy dance at my desk.  

rasmom -- wish I had a treadmill or had access to one.  never tried to jog on one since I was oh, like never.   I think we had one when I was a little kid, like maybe 8, and it was fun then, but just in the last year have I had any need for one of my own.  something look into....   ( :

Sordino  ---  I do try and ice when they are bad, just the fact that I run in the AM before work makes the timing rough.  I need to make that a priority.  I do, after all, wish to avoid surgery.  EEK  LOL---  I do make a trial "can I go already?" effort before running out the door, but I swear my body has an evil sense of humor.  There are even times (TMI warning) that I do go a little and then get on the road and suffer worse for it.  lol!   and hhhmmmmm, that is though provoking --- sign up for a 5K.   that;s like 3.5ish miles, eh?   I do that anyway....  and there is one coming up in the town I teach in just a few weeks from now.   THAT is something I will be doing.   YAY

Ishiopop ---  I think my arches are normal, and I tried to get the ortho guy to get me into some insoles, but he actually laughed at me and said they were not worth the trouble and I should just bike.  Huh?   I hate biking and I am paying you to help me.  Maybe a new ortho doctor?  JERK   where do you live?   (curious about the runningest country!!)  and mapmyrun is the best site ever ---  I need to check out "active.com" the site that was mentioned above....   and yay for a runners support group.  I just like sharing my good runs with poeple who get it.  ( :

doedoebird  --  I wish I liked anything other than running, walking, wogging, and shopping for exercise.  I am not a swimmer or biker.   I like to lift weights/strength train.   Even videos get boring to me after a few times.   Running outside, even the same route every day, is never the same.  different scenery in the form of bunnies, cats, dogs, flowers, butterflies, you name it.  I am cheap.     -->  I need to look for routes on mapmyrun that are punctuated with toilets.  I run with my dog, so even if there was one, I probably couldn;t take her in....  *eye roll*  think I could fake blind long enough to poo and then recover???     I am glad I am not the only one with the I need more but how problem.   I do that too ---  if I run a short route alrternating day then I try to run much faster.  days I do the longest route, I try to jog the whole thing without stopping. 

HOORAH to you, T --   I am so proud of you!!!! and jealous you have a beach to run on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   it sure beats my sidewalks and roads.    Everything we all do is magic, girl ------   keep up the good work.  

I had a great run this morning too.   ( :  got up at 8 and thought, "It will be hot, but I am going anyway!"  and I did.  it wasn;t that hot and will make me less likely to fink out next Saturday when I walk up after 9  (my sleep in day).  4 miles isn't a lot and I did not go fast today.   BUT I DID IT!!!!!
sorry for the long post.  it is incredible to see the diversity and enthusiasm from you running compadres!   please keep coming!!!

Forgot how tyring it is.. Am trying not to nod off at my desk.

About bathroom breaks. Well you see I was in the army. I am also an almost OCD type personality when it comes to hygene. Put those 2 things together and you will find I can hold it for at least 24 hours if not more (my record was 8 days in boot camp). This however is not reccomended - I have tons of problems because of that.

My dad had 2 hotels on his route.

Olivia, if you run in a park cant you go "a natural" (I do realise it is rude but an emergency is an emergency)? Or do they have public restrooms? Other option- more time consuming- Go do a warm up lap around your house go to the bathroom then leave again?

GET UP, T!!!!   get up and do jumping jacks, sink squats, wall pushups.  wake up!!!  are you working today???  

WOWEE -- I could NEVER do that.   I am like once a day on a schedule and sometimes more than that  (blush) 

LOL,  I wish there was a hotel or even a park with open bathrooms on my route.   It;s not the country exactly, but I run out the side of town into the country, you know?   there have been times when I considered a natural,  but with not tp, I could not mentally have made it happen anyway.  lol     I may do that warm up lap the remainder of the summer if the urge does not strike when I first rise.  ( :  good idea! 

I have been working on another challenge --  lose weight for July and restless-girl has a couch to 5K motivational thread and the other one is runner's knee problems....come by!
 
http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1047 92.html

http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1046 82.html

1)  Olivia,  I also supinate and also have congenital knee issues.  I think I recall you did have your shoes specially fitted, but even then, you can sometimes not get the right ones.  Otherwise, I would suggest trying inserts (you can start with off the shelf ones) and if those don't work, you may need orthotics.  It will be pricey, but your knees will thank you for it.  As a suppinator, we do tend to really put a bit of extra force on our knees.  As for exercises, one thing you can do is strengthen the quads, it will help keep your knee stable.  Otherwise, ice, elevation and rest are the best thing for your knees.

2)  Runner's trots are a very common problem.  I don't tend to have too much of a problem except sometimes on my long runs, seems that when I get to about 6-7 miles (about an hour in) is when I get that "urge".  What I have noticed is that what I eat the night before really tends to dictate whether or not this happens (i.e. husbands chili + running the next morning... NOT A GOOD COMBO!!!).  I can usually hold it, but there have been a few times that it has become REALLY unpleasant, and once or twice when I have BARELY made it to the toilet upon getting home.  Note what you eat the night before, and see if you can pinpoint what does it to you.  I also TRY to go right before leaving for my run, unfortunately though that doesn't always work since I get up and about 15 mins later am out the door.

3)  I love my mp3, but i REALLY need to change up my music.  However, I find it does not have any effect on my pace and I keep it REALLY low so that I can hear whats going on around me.  I have always been one of those people who can do about 10 things at once, so I don't find it distracting and it hasn't become a problem yet.  I also try to do some runs without it

4)  I get out of the way at all cost because no matter what, the car is going to win.  Fortunately, drivers here in Oz are much more tolerant of runners than those in the states.

5)  You need to up your intensity (i.e. increase speed), or start increasing distance, whichever works for you.  If 5 miles is the longest you want to run, then you need to start adding in speed training and REALLY push yourself.  If you find that you don't seem to be pushing yourself enough, you might want to invest in a HR monitor to help you push yourself harder, or hit a track for intervals.  Hill repeats kill me still even though I run lots of hills in my regular runs.  Map out some new runs to mix things up a bit, or if you are set on doing a loop, repeat the shorter loops twice.  Like I said, if it is becoming too easy, you will have to go faster or further to push yourself.

As for getting up in the morning, at first it was a struggle, but I was doing the C25K and just used the fact that I wanted to complete it as motivation.  Once I had completed it, and therefore been running for like 9 weeks, the habit of getting up ridiculously early was starting to set it.  Now, even on mornings I don't necessarily want to get out of bed (most!), I remind myself how good I will feel after I run and how nice and peaceful the morning run will be.  I am finding it really tough right now because it is the middle of winter here, so my morning runs where I used to get to enjoy the sunrise have turned into runs in the dark... and its been bloody cold here lately!  But still, I feel great once I get into the run and especially when I am done and ready for the day!

 

amen, manta!  ( :

I need to find someone to look at the way I run and see if there is something I could do differently to save my knees.   Just not a lot of sports medicine gurus in southeast Kansas.   =P

I would agree --  chili + running = bad.   (lol)

I do like the idea of running my short 2 mile route twice some time to shake it up.  

I am at a point where the pace I run I can almost sustain the entire 4-5 miles.  If i push harder/faster than that I have to walk more.   BUT I do want to keep challenging myself....  hhmmmm,...... food for thought...

I got a 3.5 mile jog in today --- ran past the lake route.   It was so awesome this spring with the geese, and ducks and goslings and deer and turkeys.  Nothign cool today, but it made me remember.  ( :

Olivia- a 5k is 3.1 miles.  You will probably run it in the same amount of time it takes you to run 3 miles on a normal day...  the adrenaline of running a race will most likely shave off that extra minute for that last .1 mile.  You might even run it faster than that! Good luck and let us know how you do!  I PROMISE you will not finish last (which is what I was scared of the first time.)  There are so many people that will walk the 5K instead of run it, there is no need to worry. You'll do great!

that's not much considering.   I was kind of worried when the kids asked me to do it with them, but I think I will.   ( :

thanks, sordino!  it is good to hear from people in all ranges of "runnership."  I am not a beginner anymore, but I am for sure not a marathon runner yet.  

I am stoked that so many awesome people/runners have responded to this post.    it may end up being the runner supprt group I was hoping for!  YAY!!!

If you can do the 4-5 miles at a steady pace, then maybe do a 2 or 3 mile run with intervals.  You don't have to make it exact distances like a lot of the running sites recommend (i.e. 400's or 800's), you can just do it by time.  What you do is just run a bit harder than normal for say 1 or 2 minutes and then recover by slowly jogging for 2-4 minutes.  Or something like that.  I usually do 2 minutes on 3 minutes off.  Also, I start those runs with 5 mins at my normal pace and then end with 3-5 mins at normal pace, or fartleks work well too.  You will feel like you want to die by the last interval, but doing this has increased my speed on my mile by over 1.5 mins (used to run about a 10.5 min/mile, and now can do it just under 9min/mile pace over 3-5 miles).  The key with pushing a bit harder fo you is to not push so hard that you need to walk to recover from it, but when you do need to recover you run a bit slower until you feel better and ready to go again.  There have been times on my recovery jogs when I sometimes feel like I can walk faster than I am jogging.  Oh, and hill repeats, I can tell you how great those are.  I hate them and love them at the same time (not sure you have many hills in Kansas though!)  You might want to look into a 5 or 10K running program and follow that for awhile, maybe pick the intermediate program, that will help push you

Oh and as for eating, yes chili is a obvious one to avoid, but I find baked goods and sweets also are bad to eat the night before a run as is late eating in general, there are other things as well, but I can't think of them atm.

Good luck, and as others have said, I HIGHLY recommend signing up for some races, they are great fun!