Thing #12: Waking up to exercise

It rarely seems like a good idea when the alarm goes off an hour or an hour and half before I actually have to be awake, especially on these precious weekend days when I hoard hours of sleep like a Springsteen fan might hoard sweaty guitar picks from concerts. But once I'm awake and moving, it seems genius.

Get the blood pumping before the day begins. Enjoy the burn. Burn some of the calories I'm going to eat regardless of the status of my physical fitness regimen. Spend time alone with my head before the noises of the day crowd out the voice that sometimes tries to give me guidance.

Waking up to exercise really is fantastic.

And though I've sworn off long runs in the morning (especially as the main means of half-marathon preparatory training), I still enjoy the early(ish) morning walk or jog or bike ride. It's refreshing.