Run With the Roosters or Run with the Owls

When to work out is a question that I ask myself all the time.  Is it better to work out at night or in the morning?  Sometimes your schedule dictates when you can work out, and you need to adjust your exercise routine accordingly.   Since first discovering running ten years ago, I have incorporated my running into many different schedules and routines.  I have worked out in the early morning hours, after work, and also in the evening; let’s discuss the pros and cons for each.

Morning workout:

Pros:

1.  I like knowing that it is done, and I don’t have to make time for it later in the day.

2.  I have more energy during the early part of the day.

3.  It frees up my evenings.

4.  Since my family is still sleeping, I don’t miss out on time with them.  When we lived in the house, I would take the baby monitor down stairs on the treadmill to hear when my son woke up. 

5.  There is less traffic outside on the road.

6.  It is very peaceful.

7.  Running into the sunrise.

Cons:

1.  Waking up very early can be difficult, especially since I have to be at work by 7am.  When I had the treadmill at home, it was a bit easier to start running by 5am.  Now that I run outside, it is much harder to get out there on cold, dark mornings. 

2.  There isn’t much on TV at this hour except the news.   This is where a DVD player or DVR machine comes in handy.

3.  Since I run outside now, there are less people around, and it is pretty dark until the sun comes up.

4.  Third graders have a later bedtime than me.  Some nights I am asleep by 9:00pm.

5.  Although I try to be so quiet, my wife still says I woke her up.

6.  Do any gyms open as early as 4:30 am?

Evening Workout

Pros:

1.  I don’t have to get up so early.

2.  There is more to watch on the TV .

3.  There are more people out at night.

4.  It is easier to find a workout buddy.

5.  I get to run into the sunset.

Cons:

1.  When I’m tired after a long day at work, I still have to get myself pumped up to run.

2.  I am still responsible for making dinner and cleaning up.

3.  It makes for a later night.

4.  It will delay any after work plans.

While I absolutely prefer working out in the morning, my current schedule makes it almost impossible, except on the weekends.  It took some time to adjust, but I have come to enjoy my evening runs; they give me the chance to wind down after a hectic day. 

When is your favorite time to work out?  How have you built time for exercise into your daily routine?