This age-old question has been debated by professionals over and over. Not matter what the sports science professionals say, some of us are just not early risers and others could think of nothing worse than a run after a long day at work. Here are a few tips on the pros and cons of each for every runner to consider.

Running in the morning is for the early birds

It is important to prepare for a morning run. You have been asleep for a few hours are your body still has to wake up. A proper warm-up is paramount before a morning run. Your warm up should include stretching and hydrating to start up the engines – specifically to get you immune system and lungs active, and you blood and adrenalin pumping again. You have a much higher chance of injuring yourself in early morning runs if you do not make sure that all systems are go before you begin your run.

Morning runners, however, have been shown to be more consistent. Getting into a routine is important. Running in the morning makes it easier to maintain a routine because you can easily get up at the same time every day. Morning runs are also great motivators for the day – you get to kick-start your body and get your mind in check before the rest of the world has even hit snooze.

If you are not a morning person try running in the evening

The body has a natural tendency to run better in the late afternoon and evening. Your body temperature is at its highest, your breathing and circulation are best and you perform far better. Running in the evening is excellent for getting rid of the frustrations of the day too! The only drawback is sticking to a routine at this time of day. Most runners find that getting motivated for an evening run is a lot more difficult. The daily grind is likely to get in the way too – sometimes working late makes finding time for a run more difficult. Booking some you-time into the evening is an easy way to make surethat you get your evening run in.

Both times of day have and upside and a downside. The trick is to get to know your body and choose a running time that suits your needs, schedule, and, most importantly, your body.