FOR GILLIAN

Yesterday's post raised this question from Gillian and I thought I'd blog post my answer.

Hi Magda

How do you go getting up early for a run? I seem to have developed a real phobia about getting up early for a run before work. I can get up really early any other day not not then. This is going to become a real problem as I am training for my first marathon next year! Any suggestions?Gillian, this is a tough one because its about habit and mindset.

I have been training at 5am since December 2006 when I started preparing for a figure comp to be held in October 2007. My lifestyle (fulltime work, young child etc) meant it was then or never and I started to form the habit in the nice warm months over summer when it was relatively easy to do. Once the habit was formed (and I did it every working day) it was relatively easy to keep doing it and I still am 4 years later.

However I think "mindset" is almost more important than the habit factor. In this regard I adopt the following beliefs and standards.

1. Training (of some sort) is a non-negotiable for me (and it just happens to have to be at 5am). I might miss a few days here or there but I've never given it up entirely and then have to reform the habit. My blog sort of keeps me accountable as I publicly declare that this is what I do so I feel bound to live by my word.

2. I am generally a morning person and I dedicate that first hour of the day to "me". Its my time to do something good and positive for myself and I dont kid myself that a sleep in will have the same effect. I tend to wake up easily and once I'm awake, getting up to train is the only option.

3. I pride myself on the fact that I maintain a fit and active lifestyle. My recent medical checks came back excellent and my GP confirmed that my healthy lifestyle choices all added up to make me very low risk for heart disease (and probabaly a slew of other illnesses as well).

But thats enough blowing of my own trumpet.

Your comment states that your phobia is about getting up early to run (but not to do other training). What is about the running that is making you feel this way?

Are you worrying about the volume and intensity of the training? Are you training with or being coached by anyone? When I decided to do the HM last year I was a bit scared about it too so I signed up with Pat Carroll as I'd heard so many good reports about his on-line coaching. It was money (and not a lot!!) well spent as Pat monitored my training progress and mentored me on race day psychology. I did all my running on my own but knowing that Pat was "supporting me" made the world of difference.

Are you worried about personal safety if you have to run in the dark? This is a real issue these days and one I'm very careful with. I was able to keep my weekday runs to an hour or less so I never went out before 5am (but even that is pitch black through the winter and spring months). I did my long training runs on the weekends in broad daylight. When I ran early mornings I'd always have my phone with me. I also never run where there is no residential property or general signs of life and people coming and going. For instance I will never run through a park or gardens or anything like that. Even some areas where there are just shops (deserted at 5am) I'll try to avoid or make sure there are residential streets to duck down should I need to. I try to stay as alert as possible by being 100% aware of my surroundings - and not getting totally lost in what I'm doing. I've been lucky as I've only had one incidence where a car load of youths passed me once and then turned back around and found me again tucked well into my suburb. They pulled up near me asking where there was a public phone but luckily nothing came of that. Ironically it was daylight by then and I was about 300 metres from home and less than 100 metres from a friend's place so had it turned nasty I was confident of making it to my friends place. My only suggestion is to maybe run with a club (I notice a group sets off around 6am in my suburb and about 8-10 people are involved.) Or maybe find a running partner (easier to say than do, I know).

Without knowing what it is thats causing you to fear / dread those early morning runs its hard to give advice. I know I stress about how much I have to "fit in" before work but at the end of the day I also know its about being organised and having a routine and sticking to it - a bit like the robot I was referring to in my last post LOL.

I dont know if any of that helps but if you're willing to share more I'm more than happy to share my perspective on it.

Cheers

Magda