I’M NOT A MORNING PERSON. HERE’S HOW I BECAME A MORNING RUNNER ANYWAY.

LIKE EVERY WORKDAY, it’s 8:30 a.m., and I am in bed, one eye still closed, the other squinting at my phone’s screen.

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I’m engaging in my favorite self-torture practice—scrolling through Strava and checking on my coworkers’ finished morning runs.

I wish I didn’t, but I hate mornings. Hating mornings is part of my identity. I linger under the covers in my Snoopy sleepwear that says “Allergic to Mornings” until I have just enough time to throw on some clothes and make the five-minute walk to work to be at my desk by 9. As I pass through the kitchen, I’ll grab my favorite mug that reads “I’m here. I’m awake. Don’t push it.” and turn to the coffee machine that has a wooden sign on top saying “Don’t talk to me until I have my morning coffee. And after that, still don’t talk to me.” When I get to the office, I'll try to avoid eye contact or, worse, interactions with my coworkers for the next few hours.

And yet, I'd lie if I didn’t admit to being jealous of everyone who's able to put in miles before the day really starts. The things I could be doing in the afternoons if I didn’t have runs on the schedule!