Now that summer is coming, and with it the Houston heat, running in the morning is a great way to beat the hot weather. But, if you’re like me, waking up for an early morning run may be easier said than done. With that in mind, here are five tips to help get you on your way to being a morning runner.

  1. Join a running club: There are over 25 running clubs in the Houston area. Joining a club and scheduling a morning run with a group is an easy way to hold yourself accountable. I know I’m much more likely to throw off the covers and head out if I know that someone is waiting on me. For a quick list of clubs, visit our running clubs page.
  2. Get ready the night before: Take care of everything the night before your run – what to wear, what you’ll eat for breakfast, etc. Having everything ready to go when the alarm goes off will make the morning much less hectic.
  3. Plan your route: Not knowing where you are going to run in the morning can give you an easy excuse to hit the snooze button in the morning. Map out your run in advance through sites like America’s Running Routes or MapMyRun.
  4. Be realistic: It will be hard in the beginning, so don’t schedule a long run for your first morning. Start out with an easy run, waking up just an hour earlier than you normally would. If you normally get up at 7:00am, aim for 6:00am with an easy three-miler to get your first run out of the way.
  5. Put your alarm clock out of reach: When the alarm goes off in the morning, it’s always tempting to hit snooze and roll over. But if your alarm clock is across the room, you’re already out of bed and a lot less likely to say, “Just 10 more minutes…”

Got all that? Think you’re ready to get up at the crack of dawn to avoid the heat now? Here are a few more ideas to get you out the door in the early morning.

  • Have your spouse, significant other or roommate throw cold water in your face if you don’t wake up on your own
  • Set three different alarms for three different times.
    **Warning: this tip is only recommended if you are single or want to be