A morning walk or jog is a good exercise as well as a great way to start the day and spend some time alone (which you may rarely get in a day). To start your morning walk or run, you must prepare the right clothes, eat the right foods, and have the intention to make this activity part of your routine. If you want to know how to get ready for your morning run, read these steps.
Step
Part 1 of 3: What to Prepare
Step 1. Prepare the right clothes
If you want to run or go for a morning walk, then you need to have the right clothes. Although running and morning walks are light exercises, wearing the right clothes and shoes will make you feel comfortable and energized for your morning walk or jog. Here are some things you need to prepare.
- Go to a sports store and ask the store clerk to find you a pair of sneakers that match your foot size. The shoe should not be too narrow and still have some space between the toe and your big toe.
- Wear light, non-cotton clothes that allow you to move comfortably. Cotton clothing will absorb sweat and leave you feeling damp and uncomfortable. In addition, your socks should also be made of non-cotton.
Step 2. Set the time
The most important thing you need to have for a morning run and walk is of course enough time to do it. Set your own duration; 30 minutes is sufficient time for walking, while for running, you should have 20 minutes if you are a beginner. Don't forget to leave enough time after your workout to cool down, eat, shower, and all the preparations you need for other activities.
You certainly don't want your morning run or walk to make your schedule chaotic and rushed so that it makes you more stressed, not more relaxed
Step 3. Plan your route
If you just want to run or walk around the neighborhood until you feel tired, you don't need to plan too much on the route. But if you want to reach a certain target for your running or walking distance, then prepare the route in advance using an application or website such as Gmaps Pedometer.
Step 4. If necessary, prepare music
Some people like to run or walk in the morning while listening to music with reasons to keep them motivated, not bored, and to make the sport more fun. But there are also reasons to clear your mind in the morning. So, it all depends on each choice.
Prepare suitable music. If you want to run, prepare music with a slightly fast and uplifting beat. If you're just walking, you can use slightly quieter music
Step 5. Get enough rest
If you want to get up very early for a morning run or walk, go to bed earlier the night before. Otherwise, you will prefer to continue sleeping. No matter how busy you are, get to bed at least 30 minutes earlier if you really want to exercise in the morning.
Step 6. Set an alarm
Determine the time you need to wake up and set an alarm for that hour. If you're up and ready, it's time to get some exercise.
Part 2 of 3: Ready to Workout
Step 1. Wake up without snoozing the alarm/snooze
Once you snooze an alarm or hit snooze, you will continue to sleep. Get up as soon as your alarm goes off. If necessary, place the alarm in a place out of reach of your bed. After waking up, stretch your body, take a deep breath, drink a glass of water, go out and get some fresh air, and wash your face. That way you'll wake up and sober quickly, and ready to go through the day.
Step 2. Eat healthy snacks and drinks
If you are going or want to eat a full breakfast in large portions, then you should wait three to four hours to digest it before you are ready to exercise. Instead, eat snacks such as bananas, fruit juice, bread, or yogurt, which provide energy 30 minutes before you start.
- Don't run or walk on a hungry stomach. You will quickly get tired and even dizzy in the middle of the road.
- If you like drinking coffee in the morning, take it with a meal. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can cause indigestion.
Step 3. Get out and run or walk
You've put on your workout clothes, set up your iPod, and ate. Now, you are ready to get out and start the day. Run or walk at your own pace or plan and enjoy your morning workout. If you have a route set up, follow it. Otherwise, just enjoy what you can see and meet while walking or running. Warming up before starting to walk or run is debatable whether it can prevent injury. But, doing a little warm up before running certainly can't hurt.
- If you live alone, bring your house keys. And if you're running or walking alone, bring your cell phone just in case something happens.
- For those who rarely exercise, pay attention to your running posture: don't slouch, head forward, elbows at 90 degrees, relax shoulders, and hips forward. When running, lift your knees slightly, and as you step, land between your heels and the middle of your feet first.
- You can bring water with you if you want, although you shouldn't need it if you've had enough to drink when you're ready. After all, carrying drinking water can be a burden for you.
Step 4. Make the most of your time
If your morning jog is your only time for exercise, don't play around! Make the most of it. Also, if you're running alone and don't get enough time to yourself, take this moment to calm down and think about things you rarely think about when you're not alone.
Step 5. Cooling
When you're done running, walk for a few minutes to cool off. If you do walk from the start, stand for a minute or two. Allow your body temperature, breathing, and heart rate to return to normal before doing anything else like eating or bathing.
Step 6. Stretching
Stretch after you run or walk to relax your body and prevent injury. No need to do difficult stretches, just simple and easy ones to do such as bending over to touch your big toe, stretching your thigh muscles, or turning your head and shoulders. You can also do some other movements in a sitting position.
Part 3 of 3: Stay Motivated
Step 1. Find friends
If you're having trouble getting up early, find a running buddy. You can invite anyone; neighbors, roommates, or anyone you know who gets up early. That way you have a little more reason to commit, and more importantly, have someone to wake you up in the morning.
Step 2. Join a jogging community
There must be a community out there for a morning run or walk. They must have a fixed schedule in the morning, and regularly run a certain distance, depending on the level of the community. By joining this community, you're guaranteed to actually get some exercise, plus make new friends.
Step 3. Don't use the weather as an excuse
Don't use the rain as an excuse not to exercise and go back to sleep. You may not be able to run or walk outside, but you can do other exercises like floor exercise, or if you have an exercise device like a treadmill, use it. While it may not be much, at least it's better than going back to sleep.
Step 4. Remember all the benefits of a morning walk or run
Whenever you feel lazy to get up in the morning, remind yourself that a run or a morning walk is one of the best things you can do to start the day positively, give yourself some personal time, and of course keep you healthy. Always remember the benefits, and start getting used to running or walking in the morning.
Tips
- Always warm up and stretch first. Otherwise, you run the risk of injury.
- Push yourself to walk or run faster if you start to feel tired. Try to find out how far you can walk or run. Then tomorrow or the next, pay attention to the progress of the distance that you can cover non-stop.
- Running is also a brain exercise, so take the time to run in the morning to refresh your mind before work.
- Even if you don't like it at first, try to force yourself to run. After the initial 10 minutes you will probably like it and keep doing it.
- Vary your running speed and distance so you don't get bored. If you run early to lose or control weight, be diligent about managing your route.
- Don't shower immediately after your morning run. Let your body cool down and stop sweating before taking a shower.
- Always stretch and warm up. Don't get injured.
- Put your alarm out of reach, so you inevitably have to get up and stand up to turn it off. Don't go back to bed, or you'll fall back asleep.
- Eat a light meal before running to get your metabolism ready.
- If you run until you are very tired, take a cold shower. It will be uncomfortable at first, but it has been shown to stop the production of lactic acid in the muscles which is the cause of muscle soreness.
- Running or walking in the morning should be a light relaxation activity. So, don't get too tired or your body will hurt the next day and end up lazy to run again. Do it little by little but regularly.
- If you can and have, wear running pants or sweatpants.
- If you're running before sunrise, wear white or light-colored clothing that reflects light and is clearly visible. Don't get hit by a car because it's hard to see in dark clothes.
- If you live in a fairly remote area, keep in mind that there are other animals around you that you may not want to disturb. So, do not damage the surrounding environment or be too noisy.
- Keep in mind the locations and hours of operation of nearby stores (coffee shops, gas stations, etc.) that can be your go-to if there is a problem.
- If you listen to music, don't turn it too loud.
Warning
- If you live in a less secure area, have the security tools you need ready.
- If you run a very long distance, make sure you know your way home, so you don't get lost.
- Before running, do a little warm-up, then stretch. Otherwise, you could get injured.
