Never say never, they say. And I guess I never should say that word, because who knew I'd be one of those early morning runners!
As someone who loves and thrives off of fresh air, I sometimes get a little cranky when I don't get a chance to go outside every day. Call me crazy, but I love outside time with the kids in my class. I will gladly run around and play tag with them and it's one of the best ways I get to know them and connect with them, too.
And after work, I love go for a walk with my sister or mom to catch up on our lives. But as an introvert, I need time outside to recharge by myself as well. But it was always a struggle to incorporate an after-work run (when I was low on energy after a 10 hour day) into my daily schedule.
So this year, I decided I'd be super crazy and try running in the morning. Which may not be so crazy to you, but as someone who's slightly afraid of the dark (especially when I'm outside) and who doesn't especially like waking up early, that's pretty crazy. The alarm goes off a little after 5am and after a little pilates/yoga/stretching, I'm out the door and running. Each run ranges from 1.5-2.5 miles, but it's just enough time for me to get outside, start my day off with worship music, and get energized for the day.
And it's oddly peaceful in the morning. When I went running after work, I found myself running on the streets alongside evening commuters and could feel the tension and stress from those drivers as they sped down the streets to get back home. The early morning commuters, however, are a lot more peaceful (and there are fewer cars out, too!). And getting to see fellow runners/bikers/dog walkers, a facilities man hanging up the flag at a nearby school, and watching the sun start to rise each morning is becoming some of my favorite scenes as I run by.
And then by the time I get to work after 7am, I'm ready to go and I feel much happier, energized, and charged up, too. But that also means I'm wayyy exhausted by the time I get home! So I'm obviously still working on that adjustment--but everything takes time, right?
So here's to changing up routines, trying new things, and running in the dark.
What's something new you've tried lately?
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