Trust me, it's worth it

 “It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.” – Aristotle

For those of you that know me, you are probably laughing at the subject line. I AM NOT an early morning person, but I want to be. I have been consistently setting the alarm for 5:00 am for a few months now – maybe 6:00 on the weekends, but still early. I am not saying I don’t hit the snooze a couple of mornings a week, but at least the intent is there and I am showing signs of progress.

Why am I doing this? It’s simple – my day seems to go better when I get up early. There is something about being up before most folks and getting my day started on the right foot. Speaking of feet, going for a run is what I typically like to start the day with. It’s been tough during this bitterly cold and rainy winter, but with some warmer weather approaching, I am really looking forward to catching a few sunrises while pounding the pavement.

Think I am crazy? Google it. There are a ton of articles that discuss the benefits of getting your butt out of bed rising early, as well as a few websites that are dedicated to the topic. I found these 10 Benefits of Rising Early on Zen Habits and couldn’t agree more with this list:

Reap the rewards by reading more

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Nutrition Tips for Runners

March 4, 2010 General Fitness

Nutrition was a hot topic on this morning’s run with Dave.  Although neither of us possess much knowledge on the subject of biology, chemistry or nutrition (I think the debate is still open on whether or not nutrition is an actual science), we both whole-heartedly agree on one thing — our diet greatly affects our running [...]

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Atlanta’s Best Running Trails – Cochran Shoals

March 3, 2010 Atlanta Running Routes

On occassion, I like to mix things up – especially my running routes.  I don’t usually have the time to hop in the car and drive somewhere for a run, but when I do, I usually go to Cochran Shoals.  If you haven’t given trail running a shot, you should.  It’s a great change of [...]

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Warrior Dash – Any interest?

March 2, 2010 Runs and Events

Prepare to release your inner Warrior . . .
I have seen a number of these “extreme” runs/obstacle course events popping up lately and must admit, I am intrigued. The Muddy Buddy seems to be a popular one, but this is the first I have heard of the Warrior Dash. Any interst from the Track Club [...]

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Sunday Reflections and Deep Thoughts

February 28, 2010 Mental Side of Running

Hope I got your attention.  Trust me, I am shallow.  No real depth here.  Any deep thoughts you get out of me would be in the spirit of Jack Handey, nothing more.  I’ll leave the deep thoughts and spiritual awakening stuff to Oprah. 
Having said that, I think there is a very tight correlation with running [...]

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Atlanta Marathon Training Update

February 27, 2010 Marathon Training

“Chad hitting the wall at Mile 21″
I mentioned a couple of days ago that I was down to my last long training run before the ING Marathon, here in Atlanta.  Well, I did it and it was humbling.  The training schedule called for 18 last weekend, and I had to beat that and go for [...]

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Running Atlanta with Google Maps Pedometer

February 26, 2010 Running Gadgets and Technology

When trying to decide where to run and how far you are going, I know that MapMyRun.com is a popular application for most of my friends. I, however, have found that I prefer the good-old Google Maps Pedometer to the MapMyRun application. Feels like they both use google technology, but the functionality and all the [...]

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Too tired to Run, Workout or Train for your next Event?

February 26, 2010 General Fitness

Geez, I am so tired . . .
So, I have noticed a pattern lately. Tuesday and Friday mornings are brutal. I am so tired that I literally just want to lay in bed and not move. Today was one of those mornings. Alarm was set for 5 am, with plans to hit the treadmill at [...]

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One more long run

February 25, 2010 Marathon Training

So, it’s almost here . . . my first marathon – the ING Georgia, here in Atlanta.  A little over 23 months ago, I decided I was tired of feeling guilty about not exercising. I signed up for the “3 Weeks to a 30-minute Running Habit” and was on my way. It’s been interesting. I honestly was [...]

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Treadmill fun?

February 25, 2010 Marathon Training
Thumbnail image for Treadmill fun?

One of the things I hate about cold weather is that it forces me inside on the treadmill. There is nothing worse in my mind then running and running and running on the treadmill staring at a TV thats got Judge Judy on it or CNN on a constant loop. I have tried to use [...]

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