time of day for running

Smart Guy said:

I have been running seriously again for a little over a year now and have
waffled back and fourth over the "best" time of day for running. What do you
find best...running early in the am, during the day, or in the evening.
pros? cons?

Depends on your schedule and what works best for *you*. *I* prefer my
long runs during the day, usually Sat or Sun when I can explore / enjoy
the run. My recovery from long runs on weekday evenings is much longer
(some races are then). Right now, I prefer my mid-week runs after work
before eating. It provides a "mid-day" break after formal work before I
settle in to evening work (writing, etc). I tend to have obligations
late in the day, making it hard to get up early. However, when no longer
working, I expect to run a little earlier in the day, but need to give
feet / ankles time to get functional in the morning. I don't have any
family obligations, and that is frequently a determinant for many people
as to when they can run. When traveling to meetings, I can run before
breakfast, since meetings tend to go continuously from formal meeting to
dinner and post-dinner informal meetings leaving zippo time when I
normally run.

Dot

--
"After 26 hours 38 minutes, we accomplished our mission, and the next
day were fortunate to read about our adventure in the sports section of
the local papers rather than the obituaries."
-Dean Karnazes recounting their running of the WS100 trail in winter.

Many people recommend early morning or late evening, although I
personally prefer mid morning if I am working and need to clear my
head. Several years back I read a book called 'Inner running' and
although I cannot remember the author or publisher it did intimate that
the best time of day is the one that suits you best. Everyone is
different and the best solution is the one that works for you.

The biggest problems are ones of mental attitude and remebering to warm
up correctly (especially as you get older)

Happy running

Many people recommend early morning or late evening, although I
personally prefer mid morning if I am working and need to clear my
head. Several years back I read a book called 'Inner running' and
although I cannot remember the author or publisher it did intimate that
the best time of day is the one that suits you best. Everyone is
different and the best solution is the one that works for you.

The biggest problems are ones of mental attitude and remebering to warm
up correctly (especially as you get older)

Happy running

"Smart Guy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have been running seriously again for a little over a year now and
have
waffled back and fourth over the "best" time of day for running. What
do you
find best...running early in the am, during the day, or in the
evening.
pros? cons?

The time of day that will get you out the door as often as you want to
run. From the opinion septic tank I always loved early mornings before
work. When I got to work I was alive and ready to roll while most were
still half asleep. Only backlash it's not very conducive to running a
faster paced run. I would move one mid-week run a to an evening when I
was playing redliner. Weekends usually opened up more flexibility. I
also found the variety fun.

-DougF

If you have the opportunity, go with variety.

I work nights, so I can run pretty much any time from mid-morning on. I
usually go with mid-morning, for a couple reasons: During the summer,
mornings are cooler than afternoons; there's less car traffic to contend
with than during the noon-scramble. I also find that running early in the
day (if I worked days, I'd probably be a sunrise runner) gives me a good
start to the day.

On the other hand, I do enjoy taking an evening or night time run when I'm
off work. The change can make my usual routes seem like a whole different
world in the dark or semi-dark.

"Doug Freese" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:9kwCd.38919$Yh2.17061396
@twister.nyc.rr.com:

Quoted message said:

"Smart Guy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have been running seriously again for a little over a year now and
have
waffled back and fourth over the "best" time of day for running. What
do you
find best...running early in the am, during the day, or in the
evening.
pros? cons?

If you have the opportunity, go with variety.

I work nights, so I can run pretty much any time from mid-morning on. I
usually go with mid-morning, for a couple reasons: During the summer,
mornings are cooler than afternoons; there's less car traffic to contend
with than during the noon-scramble. I also find that running early in the
day (if I worked days, I'd probably be a sunrise runner) gives me a good
start to the day.

On the other hand, I do enjoy taking an evening or night time run when I'm
off work. The change can make my usual routes seem like a whole different
world in the dark or semi-dark.

"Doug Freese" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:9kwCd.38919$Yh2.17061396
@twister.nyc.rr.com:

Quoted message said:

"Smart Guy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have been running seriously again for a little over a year now and
have
waffled back and fourth over the "best" time of day for running. What
do you
find best...running early in the am, during the day, or in the
evening.
pros? cons?

If the moon is waxing then 3:33 pm is best time to run. If waning then 7:06
am is optimal. Either way bring a furry animal, the larger the better, to
sacrifice along the way.

More on running and sacrifice later ...

Surf <oh I do enjoy answering the really tough ones>

"Smart Guy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I have been running seriously again for a little over a year now and have
waffled back and fourth over the "best" time of day for running. What do

you

Quoted message said:

find best...running early in the am, during the day, or in the evening.
pros? cons?

Thanks!

Smart Guy said:

I have been running seriously again for a little over a year now and have
waffled back and fourth over the "best" time of day for running. What do you
find best...running early in the am, during the day, or in the evening.
pros? cons?

Thanks!

Due to my work schedule, I can't run in the am. I usually run around 7:30-8:00 pm after my dinner has settled. Also,
it's cooler at that time of day. My long run is early on Sunday morning. Our group starts at 7:00am.
I'm actually starting to enjoy the night runs more than the daylight runs.
Although my daylight run doesn't usually include people throwing things at me or being attacked by loose dogs in the
neighborhood :-/

Malcontent

"Smart Guy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I have been running seriously again for a little over a year now and have
waffled back and fourth over the "best" time of day for running. What do
you
find best...running early in the am, during the day, or in the evening.
pros? cons?

Is this the running equivalent of a (cycling) helmet thread?

Whatever keeps running from being a chore and makes
it most pleasant for you.

On work days I personally find I have less concentration
at work if I run too early. Just before dinner is best.
But then working around the weather is more important.
In the summer it may be too stormy or hot in the afternoon.
In the winter too dark and cold in the early morning.

"rick++" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Whatever keeps running from being a chore and makes
it most pleasant for you.

We are having some light snow and I'm waiting for about an inch cuz I
love the soft footing

-DF

I always had to juggle mine around work and the weather conditions.

Smart Guy said:

I have been running seriously again for a little over a year now and
have waffled back and fourth over the "best" time of day for running.
What do you find best...running early in the am, during the day, or
in the evening. pros? cons?

Thanks!

It's strictly a personal choice. I prefer afternoons myself, early-ish in
the winter, and (much) later in the summer. Of course, being retired I have
the advantage of being able to schedule my run whenever I please. When I
was a working man, I ran at lunch time mostly or after work in the early
evenings during summertime. When I was in the military, we ran when they
told us to run, usually in the early mornings.

Regards,
H.

The best time for you, is when I'm not driving.

"Miss Anne Thrope" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

The best time for you, is when I'm not driving.

Some lawyer out there tuck this away for future reference.

JF

"Smart Guy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have been running seriously again for a little over a year now and have
waffled back and fourth over the "best" time of day for running. What do
you
find best...running early in the am, during the day, or in the evening.
pros? cons?

Thanks!

The time that works best is the time you are able to do it.

Early AM is good because 1) you get it "out of the way" 2) fewer things are
likely to get in the way of you getting out for a run 3) it is a great way
to start the day 4) cool temps
Early AM is bad because 1) getting up early is hard for some people 2) feel
sluggish, slow at the start 3) cold 4) dark

Lunch Good: 1) Breaks up day 2) warmer 3) does not impede on sleep or
family time
Lunch Bad: 1) hot 2) "hygiene" 3) things can intervene

Post work good: 1) ends the day well 2) stress relief 3) cool? 4) still
light
Post work bad: 1) family time issues 2) things get in the way

I am sure there are more.

In reality, my time of day varies not only with the season but with the day.

Just get out and run.

Sam said:

Early AM is good because 1) you get it "out of the way" 2) fewer things are
likely to get in the way of you getting out for a run 3) it is a great way
to start the day 4) cool temps

Quoted message said:

Lunch Good: 1) Breaks up day 2) warmer 3) does not impede on sleep or
family time

Quoted message said:

Post work good: 1) ends the day well 2) stress relief 3) cool? 4) still
light

I like to focus on all the good reasons to run at any time, although I
love running in the morning. I miss the evening runs, I haven't run in
the evening since sometime last spring.

Nobody runs seriously.

Quoted message said:

I always had to juggle mine around work

You can get arrested for that.