Oops and when do you run?

Apparently my memory was incorrect (hey, I'm an old guy. Cut me some slack.), and I actually finished with a time of 25:32 in my 5k and 49:29 in the 10k last Saturday. Oh well.

I ended up taking Sunday off, but I did manage to wake up early on Monday and bang out an easy 2.75 miles. After spending all day in Memphis, I also did some cross-training when I got home. The morning run was a little rough, since I was so sore from Sunday. It didn't help that I ate like a pig all weekend and felt as big as a house. However, I did feel more energized after my run. I'm not a huge fan of running early. Mornings are for sleeping and not much else in my book. My secretary swears by her morning runs. I can appreciate a morning run, in that watching the sun rise over the trees as you gut out another mile can be awe-inspiring. Plus most races start in the morning, so it's good to adjust your body to that type of schedule.

Given all that, I still prefer to run in the afternoon. While not ideal due to the heat, I have at least had all day to fuel up and hydrate before I bang out several miles. Not to mention, I will have used at least a portion of the day to stretch out my muscles a bit. In the mornings, I'm lucky to down a diet Sundrop and shake out my arms and legs. Also I tend to have more energy in the afternoon and banging out 8 miles (like I did today) seems easier despite the heat. I actually like to run in the heat. I figure if I can handle the heat in the afternoon and get in a decent run, then my body will be better prepared for harsh conditions later on. Plus I love a good sweaty, nasty workout. One where you reek of man scent, and the heat has turned your sweat into salt on your skin. I feel like a real badass after that kind of workout!

Night runs tend to be my least favorite. While it tends to be much cooler at night with less traffic, I hate that I don't get to really enjoy the scenery as I run. Also while traffic is lower at night, those driving at night tend to be traveling much faster than I would like. It also tends to leave me so wired by the time I get home that it takes me hours to wind down and go to bed.

As it stands, most of my weekday runs are in the afternoon. They are a great stress reliever after a long day of work. My long weekend runs I do early in the morning so that it leaves me with plenty of time to play with the kids. As for night runs, those only get worked in when I can't squeeze in a morning or afternoon run, and I absolutely must get a run in. Otherwise, I'll just chalk it up to a rest day.