Why can I only run at night?

[rabbitweed]

Ok, so since starting university in late february i have been seriously slack on exercising. I've been off and on into running for the past 3 years.

The other week I tried to run to uni in the morning and...I just gave up about 1/4 of the way through. Had no energy. It's not like this was a difficult run for me, I'd run home from uni after my late night lab plenty of times, a good workout but not hugely challenging.

Almost all of my running has been at night as well, at first because I was really useless at it and was embarassed to be seen stopping after 1km:p Whenever i try and run during the day it never ends up going that well, all my best runs, where I've had 'personal bests' have been at night.

So my question is; why can't I run during the day? Does it have something to do with diet? Should I have a massive, late dinner the night before or something so I have the energy?

[postdiluvium]

Its just what you are used to. Pretty simple. If you start running in the morning, you may just get used to it after a couple of weeks. Maybe, it might depend on the weather also, where you live.

I, for instance, suck at running in the middle of the day here in California. It gets hot and its hard to breath. However, I am awesome at running at 3-4 'o'clock in the morning. The air is more colder and crisp. I'm actually pretty good at running in the rain, for the same reason. But when it comes to running in the evening and night, I suck big time. I tend to expend most of my energy from the morning to evening. So when I run at night, I get pretty tired or I just have to maintain a slower pace.

Running based on the time of day is just something you get used to. I'm just used to waking up in the morning full of energy because that is the time I've just gotten used to going to the gym to lift weights or running outside to train for marathons. I actually get up at 5am at the latest out of habit. Even if its been a late night full of drinking or whatever, I will wake up before the sun does and be full of energy.

[hooloovoo]

Do you have seasonal allergies? I can't do as much in the mornings, because at that time of day the air fills up with pollens making it feel like it's thinner and it becomes harder to breathe.

[d4veg]

Some people are morning people, some people are night hawks.

You can change it for the most part, by changing diet/sleep patterns and getting into different habits however. I use to be a night hawk, now I wake up at 8am at the latest.

[M. Samuel Chevalier]

I prefer running and working out in the morning...it just seems to keep my body moving during the day. When I sleep in I get lethargic, and the later in the day it gets- the more likely I'll skip my workout.

But if night running works for you, then do it. A hell of a lot better than not running at all.