Running advice for a night owl!!!!

[pipboy48]

I've been told that morning runs will shed those last few pounds of vitamin beer and vitamin chicken-wing.  I am however having problems getting going in the morning.  It's like I'm shuffling along in my sleep and even when I catch myself doing this I can only put on a burst for a few hundred meters before I journey into the land of nod once again.  Besides a caffene fix and a seven pm bedtime does anybody have any tricks from basic to get going?  Keep in mind I don't have any corporals or Sgt.'s handy!!!
Thanks,
pipboy48

 

[hiv]

You'll be quickly introduced to a state of perma-exhaustion as I like to call it.
All the functions in life you'll be used to doing in a semi-exhausted state.
That being said I wouldn't worry too much about it. As long as you make the effort you'll be fine.

 

[Inch]

It takes time to get your body used to waking up that early. I don't sleep past 7:00 anymore, even when I get home from the bar at 4:00, I'm still up at 6:30-7:00ish. I call it getting old syndrome, other than Fri nights, I have trouble staying up past 10:00 and I can't sleep past 7:00 anymore. I used to be a total night owl, up till 2:00am and if I didn't have school I would sleep till 1:00pm, not anymore.

Just keep forcing yourself to get up, it's almost like getting rid of jet lag, it takes time to adjust your schedule but within a few weeks it should be pretty normal for you to wake up early and go to bed early. Also, try not to sleep too late on the weekends, it'll just waste all your effort from the weekdays.

Cheers

 

[dutchie]

Inch had it right. I assume, pipboy, that you are a young lad. (You might want to fill out your profile a little more). Up until I was 23 or so, I had a tough time doing anything early, and could quite easily stay up all night. As I aged, I could stay up less and less, and get going earlier and earlier. This will probably happen to you as well, and so your morninig grogginess should get better.

Until then, either suck it up and suffer through it, use caffiene as a pick me up, or adjust your sleep schedule (maybe less slepp will help). But above all, remember that it's tough for a reason, and always soldier on.

Good luck.

 

[pipboy48]

thanks for replying guys... I guess I'll have to grin and bear it!  I don't have any problem actually getting out of bed and out onto the trail. I can't get myself to 100% at six in the morning!  One more question about early mornings. When they say your day starts at 5:30 in basic do you actually roll out of bed, shower/shave and then go for PT or do you have some time inbetween?

 

[dutchie]

You roll out of the fart sack at 0530, grab your pt kit, and off you go. You might have 5-10 to shake the cobwebs out, and then there is the warmup. If there is no PT, or they do it later, you go from fart sack to the mess hall.

Have fun!

 

[scm77]

I never go to bed early enough for school.  I wake up half an hour earlier then I have to to allow myself to wake up fully before I head out the door.  Otherwise, I'm a zombie.

I also find eating helps to wake me up.

 

[pipboy48]

Yeah.... I tried eating or drinking a tea before running but it's just a waste of food!  I always end up leaving it at the side of the road.  I may just have to do the stairs in the morning and go for the run at night. I'd actually like to find a copy of the step test audio if anybody knows what its called. And yes even though its just cheesy music and somebody saying up 1 2, down 1 2 !!!
thanks a lot guys!
Pipboy48

 

[Bushman]

how about us night owls who have been on constant rotating shifts for the last 7 years?  how does one break this constant cycle ????

 

[PARAMEDIC]

heres an idea ...it may not sound good seeing that you just finish a shift and have neither the energy or the drive to put on your runners and hit the asphalt, but it would get the required daily dose of running, or do it an hr before ya head to work leaving enuf time to shower, relax and get ready for work.

other than that time management would play a crucial role in how you get your exercise done, which would give you a leg up in BMQ when it comes to how well you allot yourself.

 

[venero]

Running in the Morning is prime time when you have an empty stomach, However Allmost as effective as running in the morning is running before a meal. So whenever you finde in your day/night to go for run you might as well giv'er.  Sometimes I run at 11pm or 12 am at night because of work.