What runners need to remember for Daylight Savings Time

Daylight Savings Time is here. Early Sunday morning at 2:00 a.m., the clocks go forward. Fun fact: Since 2007, the clocks always go forward on the second Sunday of March. With this change, many runners will feel just a little more groggy come their Sunday or Monday morning run. On the bright side though, we get an extra hour of daylight in the evenings which goes far for those of us planning after-dinner workouts. Here are a few things runners should consider when changing their clocks this weekend:

1. Run on Saturday so you’re ready to go to bed early

If you’re planning to skip a day, maybe Saturday isn’t the best day to do it. In fact, it might even be a good idea to give it an extra little push. If you haven’t already, go for a run on Saturday. You know that feeling when you’ve worked hard during the day and so you’re looking forward to snuggling into bed early? That will go a long way when you lose an hour of sleep Sunday morning.

2. Take the simple route for breakfast

While eggs and bacon cooked to perfection with a side salad of all your favourite fruits might be a Sunday ideal, that takes time. If you’ve slept in after losing the hour Saturday night, grabbing a simple breakfast before your run might have a better payoff.

3. Set two alarms for the Sunday long run

So you’re a repeat snooze button offender. Set another one and maybe put it away from your bed. By having a different sound and different alarm system go off, you’re more likely to become alert and actually get up in the morning. Runners are usually thankful once they’re up and out the door.

4. Watch a motivational video tonight

Watch or read something that inspires you. That way, you’ll be pumped up for the run even though what feels like 6 a.m. actually turns out to be 7:00 a.m. Though you might feel groggy, try to keep in mind how you felt when watching that video. Then running is more likely to seem more enticing than snoozing.

5. Get excited for evening workouts

Remember in the depths of winter when you left work and it was already dark? Starting Sunday, evening workouts can be a thing you look forward to again!

6. This first sign of spring means we’re closer to spring races

When the weather is still cold, it’s hard to remember that the spring race is rapidly approaching. But the clocks going forward and more hours of sunlight is a sign of spring even though runners are still trudging through deep-freeze conditions. Use this as inspiration to work a little harder now.

7. Go easy on partying tonight

Having alcohol in the body means you don’t get as deep of a sleep. A lighter sleep paired with losing an hour is a recipe for a sluggish start to the week. You don’t want to be recovering when you could be out running.

8. Don’t feel down about your run Sunday morning

When you’re tired, it can easily feel like the workout is that much tougher. Remember there’s such a thing as perceived effort. Even though it may feel like you’re going slow or unable to put the work in, that doesn’t mean the workout or run hasn’t benefited you.

9. Bite the bullet: Stick to your schedule

Rather than fighting it, dedicate yourself to sticking with your sleep schedule. That way, your body can start adjusting right away. In a few days, everything will feel normal again.