The Wake-Up Run
Right now it is roughly 2 or 3 months ago since I started a wake-up run habit every morning. I was tired nearly every morning and the first thing I did was to brew a coffee. I decided that this needs to end and since that day I am running every morning. I called this habit my wake-up run.
Baby Steps for your Fitness and Health
Before I started with my wake-up run habit I was in a pretty good shape as I am going to the gym very regularly. But one thing that really needed improvement was my stamina. The first day I was running my wake-up run I was barely able to run 1 kilometer without a break. This was not a reason to stop with my habit but it was a motivation to continue with my daily morning runs.
I continued to run every single morning. In the beginning, I usually ran not more than 5 minutes – it was literally only a wake-up run. But this changed quickly! After a few weeks I was running at least 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, then 30 minutes. With every morning I realized that my stamina and my overall well-being improved daily. Today I am able to run around 45 minutes each morning without any problems. This would have been impossible a few months ago! When I finish my 45-minute wake-up run I feel like a newborn baby (and that’s awesome). I feel alive and fresh. This is especially true when you to your wake-up run very early. No joke! It is a very satisfying experience to run while the sun rises and to finish the wake-up run just before 6 AM. After finishing a healthy breakfast the real magic happens: You will feel healthy and awake the whole day. Your concentration will improve and you will get more done in lesser time.
How I start my Perfect Morning
- Before you go to bed tell yourself one thing: “7 hours of sleep is perfect for my body. I will wake up well rested and I will go for a run immediately. Tomorrow morning I will feel great and I will achieve a lot.”
- If you need an alarm clock try to get out of bed immediately and never use the snooze button.
- After you woke up there is one thing that is really important: drink water! Always be aware that your body is losing a lot of water during the night and that you didn’t drink anything for around 7 hours! I usually drink around 0.75 liters of warm water with a little bit of honey – I love it.
- Get into your running outfit, prepare your favorite music or audiobook playlist, start the Runtastic app on your phone and start running.
- After finishing your wake-up run drink again at least 0,75 liters of water. Usually, I drink pure mineral water or I add some electrolyte powder to it.
- Have a great shower. If you enjoyed your run you will enjoy even more a fresh shower afterward. Usually, I had a very hot shower in the morning but when I finish a 30-45 minute run I usually love to shower with cool water (not ice cold but still fresh ????) this gives you an additional wake-up kick!
- Now prepare a healthy breakfast and always add some fruits to it.
Attention: For some people, it might be necessary to eat a small snack (porridge, a banana or a shake) before running – especially if you want to run longer than 15 minutes.
When you make this wake-up run part of your morning routine I promise you that you will feel awesome afterward!
