When I run

In this post I’ll tell you my favorite time of day for running, and why and how that changes.

Talk to any number of runners and you’ll find a variety of opinions and reasons why their favorite time to run is the “best” time.
Many runners prefer to get their run it at the first light of day (or even before the sun comes up), but I’m not one of them.

Morning is NOT my favorite time of day – though there are times when I do that:

• When I am meeting friends for a morning run (watch for an upcoming post on running with friends)
• When I am traveling  (watch for more on running and travel in another post)
• When I plan on running in a race (since most have a morning/early day start
• When morning is the ONLY time I will be able to get a run in during that day

My favorite time of day, and the time when I usually run is late afternoon/early evening – and I’ll tell you why that is the best for me.

• If it’s a workday, my biggest plus for running after work is pure stress relief
• My body is wide awake, muscles have been in use and are generally warmed up from the day’s activities
• It helps me both keep my appetite under control and therefore eat more sensible portions at dinner time
• By this point in the day, I’m motivated to go use my muscles, push myself, and fee my body perform
• It give me an energy, metabolism, and emotional boost later in the day when I need it

You may find that right after work or late in the day is best for you too.   The only way to know is to try it and see if that works for you and if your schedule allows it.   It took me many years of back and forth to find my best time.  In my next post I’ll talk about finding your best time to run.

Questions, comments, or something to say about running – leave a comment below.