Most races want you at the starting line early in the morning, making an a.m. run routine an obvious choice for mimicking race day conditions. But if you’re a night owl or have a jam-packed schedule, evenings might better suit your schedule. Runners need to juggle sleep, hydration, nutrition, and training, all while making time for work, family, and a social life.
So your unique lifestyle likely determines the time of day you run. But could running when the sun comes up offer more benefits than heading out after work or vice versa? To help you optimize your schedule, we spoke with exercise physiologists and run coaches to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of morning versus evening runs and help you choose which works best for your goals.
As mentioned, most runners race in the morning, says Greg McMillan, exercise physiologist and USATF-certified coach, so if you run in the morning consistently, you’ll be in the routine you need for race day. This allows you to practice how long it takes you to warm up, fuel properly, and head out the door on time. Many coaches agree with McMillan, stressing the importance of simulating race day to eliminate any unknown variables.
If you only ever run in the evenings but your race is in the morning, you just won’t be as prepared, says Janet Hamilton, CSCS, exercise physiologist and running coach with Running Strong in Atlanta. She explains that morning runs can help you prevent any issues on race day by getting you used to eating an earlier breakfast, facing colder temperatures, and adjusting your sleep schedule so that you have enough energy when you wake up. Kickstarting your day with just a 30-minute run may be all you need to feel more productive, according to research.
A study published in 2019 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine examined a group of 67 sedentary, older men and women. The researchers had them perform 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on a treadmill in the morning along with three-minute walks every half an hour throughout the rest of the day. Their findings suggest that starting your day with 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise may improve cognitive function related to memory and decision-making skills.
Exercising earlier in the day means you’re more likely to feel focused and productive right away, adds Kate Baird, CSCS, an exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Baird explains that you may also feel a sense of accomplishment from getting something done first thing in the morning, which can motivate you to keep going. Running in the morning ensures that you start your workout with fresh legs, which is especially helpful if you know you’re going to spend all day on your feet, Hamilton says.
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