As an everyday average runner, I’ve been running for over 20 years and for me, running at dawn or dusk is really a personal preference. The following reasons are not about the right or wrong way of running, but rather a route to one’s personal discovery.
- It helps to get my day started on the right foot. It wakes and shakes me up and gets me ready for the day and all that lies ahead.
- It’s one positive sure-fire thing completed for my physical and mental health before starting the rest of my responsibilities for family and work.
- For a sense of achievement first thing in the morning.
4. It feels like I have the city all to myself, as there are not a lot of vehicle or people traffic out (other than other runners) early in the morning. The world is still undisturbed at dawn. In addition, with less people, there is less chance of interference and weaving around other people.
5. I like to watch the sun rise. Metaphorically speaking, it’s like a new beginning every sunrise and it has a positive effect on my attitude for the rest of the day.
6. It’s quieter both inside and outside of my house. I’ve learned to appreciate stillness as it provides a break from the everyday noise of all the activities that surrounds me.
7. There is a heightened awareness of my surroundings and it has led to discovering small details about my surroundings. i.e., a poem on a sidewalk pole or free street art (Poem by Dennis Lee & artwork courtesy Jorge Molina’s the 416 project). 
8. You get to know the schedule of the city and its people, like the time the CN trains roll by a certain level crossing and if I’m lagging behind, it means I need to run around the block, thereby adding an extra kilometre to my run. Or you know it’s about 5:30am when you see Toronto’s Morning Glory Cycling Club gathering for their group ride.
9. I always feel safer in the morning. There is more traffic in the evenings and I need to be more mindful of motorized vehicles, e-bikes and cyclists.
10. My family and the people I work with are not awake during the time I go for a run in the morning, so I’m guaranteed not to be disrupted by texts, emails or calls on my run.
11. I do run slower first thing in the morning, so it forces me to give myself a proper warm-up before any taxing workout.
12. In pre-pandemic times, races are typically in the morning hence training for them in the morning makes for an easy transition.
13. Personally, I find running in the evening keeps me awake past my regular bedtime.
14. My schedule can change on a dime during the day, hence running in the morning ensures a run/workout is completed.
15. I find staying motivated during the day to go for a run after work difficult. Especially if I’m feeling tired or there is inclement weather. (Pro-tip, run with a partner to keep you honest.)
16. If I do miss my run in the morning, I do have a choice to go during the day. I have less opportunities to fit in a run if I have to work late.
17. In general I find the hours between 3pm-6pm challenging for my diet. I get hungry and need to be extra careful about the type of snack consumed or it will come back and haunt me during an evening run.
18. I can just relax at the end of the day.
What are your reasons to run in the morning?
#SunRiseChallenge #SoundMindSoundBody
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