Runner’s Strip: The Pre-Run Routine – Get out the door and running before you grow a beard

Sometimes it feels like it can take an eternity before we actually get out the door for that run. Between taking care of all those creaks and squeaks, making sure the ‘guts’ and bladder are ready to roll, and WHY does that darn Garmin sometimes seem to be looking for that darn satellite by way of hot air balloon?! This doesn’t even take into the account the times where you know you’re purposefully stalling…c’mon, you really don’t need to check Facebook AGAIN. 😉
pre-run routine
It’s true, the runner’s pre-run routine may snowball at times, BUT I’ll tell you what, I like to run first thing in the morning and I’m also a total sucker for wanting every ounce of sleep so I’ve pared my routine down to about 10 minutes between eye ball crusty wiping and hitting the road. Here are some of my quick tips:

1) Lay all the gear out the night before. Shoes unlaced and sitting next to my pile of clothes, Garmin sitting (hooked up to the charger because I am petrified of it running out of batteries mid-run) next to my clothes.

2) Hit the bathroom. I give myself about 10 minutes to let my guts wake up (I allow myself this window of email/website/Facebook time...but I look at the clock and stick to just 10 minutes.) and off I go.

3) Start locating. I hit the ‘locate’ button for my Garmin when I go into the bathroom to let that sucker start up. On my way out it’s done 99% percent of the time.

BOOM. I’m out…no more farting around for this girl. I will say that I have a finicky stomach so I eat a big snack before going to bed at night and then don’t eat in the morning. If you DO need to eat before your AM run:

* Nightstand nosh: I’ve had friends leave an energy bar on their nightstand and wake up in the night to eat it, then roll back to bed.

* Liquid nutrients: Drinking something with sustenance when you’re close to run time can often be easier than handling food if your stomach is sensitive.

* Nighttime bedding: If you need an extra hour or so before your AM run to eat, get to bed earlier and be strict about it. Sleep is incredibly important for runners, so don’t skimp there…you can use the extra morning hour to do things you would have done the night before. Getting sucked into YouTube gems included.

Here’s to getting to that run before that first Cup ‘o Joe wears off! 😉
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Check out my post on taking care of those runner pops, squeaks, creaks, and niggling injuries.

Check out my post on pre-run nutrition and finding foods that will sit well in your stomach and timing your fuel.

Check out my post on liquid nutrients.

Check out my post on GI issues for runners.

Check out my post on sleep for runners.

Check out more Runner’s Strip cartoonage!

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1) What usually takes the longest in your pre-run routine?

2) What are some of the runner rehab elements you do to take care of the ‘old bod’?
Plantar rolling and leg swings are staples.

3) Do you drink coffee before your runs?
best running shirts

40 Replies to “Runner’s Strip: The Pre-Run Routine – Get out the door and running before you grow a beard”

  1. I’m with you – streamline the morning. Up until this fall I spent the past 5 years getting up at 4:30am (and I hate mornings!) to work out. I didn’t want to waste a single second of that time messing around !!!

  2. LOL! Oh.Em.Gee. That first set of drawings. I’m literally laughing out loud – that bathroom one is toooo much girl. I Love. haaahahah!

    Sometimes, when I’m in a bad streak of wasting time and trying to avoid running, I’ll sleep in my sports bra so it’s kinda a reminder to GET UP AND GO!

  3. The girl on the potty is incredibly funny! I’ve not heard of eating a bar at night but I suppose if your a long distance runner it will work. Cottage cheese before bed is also good as it’s slow to digest.

    I like how you have your morning time routine down to a science. I sometimes dawdle. Because I need to check Facebook. Again. 🙂

    • haha…funny cuz i don’t drink coffee either but have been made to feel like i’m the last soul alive who doesn’t! tho i shouldn’t be surprised my OZland twin is keeping me in java-free company. 🙂

  4. These are fantastic tips! Laying out my gym clothes the night before a workout is essential for me fitting in a morning run or lifting session. If I see the clothes, I feel way too guilty to skip out. I’m not sure I’d be able to eat an energy bar in the middle of the night, but if I ever decide to get into competitive running, I may give it a shot!

    • awesome it seems we use some of the same tips…and good point about ‘clothes guilt’…get those guys staring at u u’ll go out to the gym! 🙂

  5. My procrastination is what is the longest of my pre-run routine!! I end up doing the small things around the house that I NEVER do while dressed in my workout clothes. Pathetic!! I envy all of you early morning runners. I am a nighttime treadmill runner and I think it peps me up and then I can’t sleep!! I am still a work in progress!! 🙂

  6. Bhahahah! Love love love the cartoons! It’s all so true! I’m an after work runner (which totally does me in when I’m on vacation. Like now.) I used to do a strength or cardio work out in the morning too, but somehow I’ve stopped doing that. That’s one of my January goals, is to add that back in. I just decided that this morning. When I did that, I used to sleep in my work out clothes, and have a bottle of water and tissues already by the tv (working out always gets my sinuses running. weird) so I didn’t have the excuse to stop and get a drink or blow my nose.
    And coffee first. At least half a cup. Definitely.

    • YES for getting core and strength back into ur routine, it will pay off a lot for ur running too. and yes, i’ve totally slept in my running gear many a time! 😉

  7. haha loooove this!! I used to actually just get up and run right away…. Lately I’ve decided that I need coffee before I run, and I now find that it can sometimes take me several hours to get out the door. Maybe next year I’ll try and revert back to my old ways!

  8. Definitely have to, have to, have to run in the morning – you cannot believe the excuses I can create as the day goes in if I put off the run to later in the day. With you on the coffee – java rocks!

    • it’s really pulling head off the pillow that’s the hardest, after i get going i love being done early in the morning and i feel more productive…even if i just end up doing jack for the rest of the day outside of FB’ing. 😛 lol

  9. I love this :). I also lay out my coffee K-cup that I’m gonna drink and my mug too, hehe. I think if you get out and run before your brain fully wakes up that helps too, and of course having a group helps. We do a 6 AM run club here and it’s so much easier than getting out and running that early on my own!

  10. I make sure to chug a bunch of water before heading out. The big thing is the hydrate right after waking up; your run and immune system will thank you.

    Love your little comic though! I got a quality laugh out of it.

  11. I definitely have to have all my stuff laid out before I go to bed. I can’t go without my potty break happening first, though. It usually happens within my first 30 minutes of getting up. I’m terrified of getting out there away from a toilet and having to crabwalk the whole way back home! I have about a half a cup of coffee, a half piece of toast and a couple of bites of a banana. I’ve run with and without food, it doesn’t really seem to make much of a difference. I’m usually up pretty late, so I don’t get out there until around 9 or 10 in the morning (I’m in nursing school with a wacky schedule), but it for sure has to be when I get up and not put off or I simply won’t go. I know me. 🙂

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