RISE AND SHINE.

i love summer. i love the heat. seriously. i love the 90 degree + temps and i honestly don't even mind the humidity. 

that is, until i run in the heat and the humidity at 5:30pm - which feels like the hottest part of the day.

if i don't run right when i get home from work, i usually lose motivation, want to play with banks, find a list of to-do's, see something intriguing on television, want to try a new recipe or simply eat. and, that's just not good. therefore, i tend to run right when i get home - in the crazy heat. it's great for water weight - sweating to death that is. 

a few five years ago i ran in the mornings with my great running buddy & friend, Sam.Life was good. Sam was a morning person. She amazed me when she would greet me with such bright eyes in the morning and tell me she had already watched the news, read the paper and had a few cups of coffee. But, she held me accountable and made me get up out of bed. All was good. I could relax in the evenings, and not have my workout hanging over my head all day and wonder how I would have enough energy and time to get a workout and EVERYTHING else done that day.

that brings me to today. i've considered trying to begin morning workouts once again. In the nice, cool cooler weather. It'd be done. I could spend more time with B in the evenings and not have to worry all day about how I would fit everything into my schedule. Plus, let's face it, so many things come up - friend's birthdays, dinner parties, visitors, work stuff, sales at the mall, ect - that sometimes workouts get cancelled in the evenings, which just throws me off. 

I've been trying to find the motivation to wake up early to do this. When I look at my phone and see it's 6:30 and my alarm is going off, I still hit snooze 3-4 times so I can sleep in stupid 5 minute intervals - like those extra 15-20 interrupted minutes of sleep make a big difference. B is now consistently sleeping through the night minus the few times he wakes up at 4 or 5 am, so I really have no excuse. I found these morning running facts as motivation for morning runs.

5 REASONS TO RUN IN THE MORNING VS. EVENING

Burn Fat

According to strength coach and bodybuilder Tom Venuto, exercising first thing in the morning helps you burn more fat. After sleeping, your body is in a semi-fasted state, and its carbohydrate stores are depleted. Carbs are your body's usual source of energy, so when they're not available, your body burns fat tissue to fuel your workout instead. Provided you keep your running at a low-to-moderate intensity, your body will burn primarily fat for fuel.

Stress Relief

Many runners often cite one benefit of running as stress relief -- a long run on your own with no distractions can be a beneficial way to take your mind off the pressures of work and family life, and help you relax. Personal trainer Christian Finn advises that getting your cardio out of the way first thing in the morning gives you the feeling of being one step closer to your goals, and it helps you stay in a positive mood for the rest of the day.

Convenience

Even the most dedicated exercisers often say they don't have time to work out, and that work, family and social commitments can take precedence over training. If you often find yourself having to stay late at work or attend various social events in the evening, then training in the morning is a way to include exercise in your schedule.

Weight Training

Running can help you lose fat and improve your body composition, but exercise programs should also include resistance training to help build lean muscle and burn fat. Charles Poliquin, owner of the Poliquin Performance Center for elite athletes, says strength training is best done either three or 11 hours after you wake up, as this is when your strength levels are at their highest and your joints are most mobile. You can run early in the morning and do weight training later in the day.

TIPS FOR RUNNING IN THE MORNING

Get to bed early.

Some people think they can watch late-night TV and still get up early for a run. Do yourself a favor –- DVR your favorite late TV shows and plan to get to bed in time to guarantee yourself 7-8 hours of sleep.

Or, lay out your clothes.Sleep in your running clothes.

This trick may seem a little bit silly, but runners who have tried it say that it works. Of course, don't sleep with your running shoes on -- those you'll have to put on once you get out of bed.

If you don't feel like sleeping in your clothes, at least lay them out, all ready to go. Having your clothes right there will make it much easier to get dressed to run. Some runners even like to put their clothes in the bathroom, which forces them to wake up a little and then get dressed. (Added bonus: If you have a snoozing spouse next to you, he or she will appreciate not being disturbed.)

Put your alarm clock out of reach.

When that alarm goes off early in the morning, it's tempting to keep hitting the snooze button and skip your running plans. 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…"

Have a training schedule.

If you're training for a specific race and following a training schedule, it's much harder to blow off those morning runs. You'll think to yourself, "I have to be ready for that half-marathon," or, "My schedule says 5 miles today. Gotta run."

Think about your plan the night before.

Plan out your morning run the night before -- how far, for how long, what course you'll run. Doing so will help you get more motivated for your run and ensure that you have enough time for your run before you start the rest of your day.

Get a morning running buddy.

If you usually run by yourself, try to recruit a running friend to meet you in the morning. Or,find a running group that meets in the morning. You'll be less likely to skip your run if you know people are waiting for you.

Eat something light.

It's never good to run on an empty stomach, but you most likely won't have a lot of extra time to eat and then digest your food. So, try eating something small like an energy bar or a banana, so you're not running on empty.

Drink some water.Wear reflective gear.

If you're running in the early morning, wear white, yellow, or orange clothes. Also, make sure you have reflective gear on. Although some items (running shoes, jackets) already have reflective pieces on them, it doesn't hurt to add more.

We'll see. I'm not 100% sold on losing sleep. Sam, I need you back!!!