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Morning Runs vs. Evening RunsAs an old Packer fan, I recall that Vince Lombardi used to exhort his ball carriers to “run to daylight.” Had he coached marathon runners, I’m going to guess that his charges would have been told to “run in the daylight.” I’m pretty sure most of us would choose the option of daytime running over nighttime running even without such obvious advice. Unfortunately, the winter solstice is upon us, and that means that we have very little daylight right now. Some fortunate souls have the luxury of flexible schedules and the freedom to run at any time during the day, but most runners under the age of 60 have to choose whether to run before work (or classes), during lunch hour, or after work. And, unless your employment or class schedule gives you a fairly long lunch hour (as well as a place to shower after running), the choice frequently comes down to running in the dark of morning or the dark of evening. Which is the better option? Personally, having had to train both in the wee morning hours and in the after sunset hours for extended periods, I’d choose to run in the morning. This is just a personal preference, and each option has its advantages. (This week, I’ll summarize some of the advantages of an early morning run as compared to a late evening run. Next week, I’ll look at the other side of the debate and point out some advantages of running after work or classes.) I can easily think of four advantages for the morning run.
I could add one more positive, but its validity depends on the actual time you start the run and how long you go. Dawn is on the way! The sky will be getting lighter as you run. In fact, if you start running at, say, six o’clock, visibility will be improving with the passing miles. At night, it just keeps getting darker and darker. I’ve already confessed that I personally prefer mornings to evenings, so I’ll have to be more imaginative for the counterpoint next week. I’ll think of something though. Back to front page. |