Oct
19

Signs You Might Be a Predawn Runner

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If this is how you dream, you might be a Predawn Runner

Photo credit: Street Light at Night by Flickr user geoffeg, used under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 license.

If you keep up the habit of running early in the morning long enough, you may pick up some interesting behaviors and personality quirks.  To help you identify your degree of predawn-runnerness, I’ve developed this helpful test.  Keep track of how many of these behaviors you have developed and find what your score means about you at the end.  Note – I am not saying that I have developed all of these competencies.  But many of them – yes.

You consider 6AM “sleeping in”. And what’s worse is even if you want to sleep until 6:00, your body gets you up before 5:00 anyway.

You set the alarm for 4:30AM and are still up 5 minutes early. Bonus point if you go ahead and start getting ready to run.

You drink Gatorade with breakfast. Bonus point if you pour it on your cereal.

You have left the house in mis-matched socks because it was too dark to see. And you were too tired to notice.  Two bonus points if you have done this with shoes.

You have no idea of the street names on some of your running routes. Because it is always too dark to see the street signs.

You know who in the neighborhood gets the newspaper delivered.  And what the delivery car looks like. Plus its license-plate number, just in case you ever needed it.  Bonus point if you know where the delivery person lives because the papers are still piled on their tree lawn when you run by.

You know the sprinkler schedule of everyone within 5 miles of your house.  Bonus point if you’ve pointed out issues with their schedule to one of your neighbors.

You dream in vivid yellow high-pressure sodium street lamp-induced hues. (Sorry, I used to work in the lighting industry).

You sometimes sleep in running clothes.  Bonus point if this includes shoes.

You think many of the houses around town are “lovely”. Because you’ve never seen them in light of day.

You take a nap before anyone else in the house wakes up. Hopefully after you have showered. (hat-tip to Ariana Hilborn)

You are ready for lunch at 9AM.  You can hold this off by having a second breakfast at 8AM. (hat-tip to Susan M.)

You have gotten a morning run finished before your hangover even set in. And I do mean that you actually slept some before the run.

Scoring

15-20 points – you are beyond a Predawn Runner. In fact, you might need help.

10-14 points – right in the predawn sweet spot, sporting a good balance of sleep and running.

5 – 9 points – try a little harder.

1 – 4 points – you must have visited this page because you thought there might be free coffee.

If you scored well (or even if you didn’t), or you just enjoyed this quiz, why not get the shirt at the Predawn Runner Store on Zazzle?

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Posted in Humor
16 Comments Posted by Greg

  • Jeanne B.

    Hmmph. I only scored an 8!

  • http://gregstrosaker.com Greg Strosaker

    That’s because your Wave Riders are distinctively different from your Nike
    Air Max Moto’s, so they’re tough to confuse.

  • Jen Small

    10 pts

    BUT
    I get my running gear ready to go the night before so no worries about mismatching
    I don’t drink so no hangovers
    I don’t have time to nap-ever!
    great post Greg-and a cute tee to boot!

  • http://gregstrosaker.com Greg Strosaker

    Thanks Jen. I actually answered similarly to what you did on all the
    questions you mentioned. OK, except for the hangover thing.

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  • http://brianvinson10.blogspot.com Rev. Run

    I don’t know if there *are* street signs. I know the street names because I’ve seen them on the map.
    I don’t sleep in my running clothes, but I, too, lay them out before bed.
    With the kids, I don’t get naps, but I do get second breakfasts as they are eating their firsts.
    I don’t drink, either, but I laughed at the Columbus Marathon, starting at 7:30, that I’m almost always done with my runs, even my longest ones, by the time the marathon started.

  • http://gregstrosaker.com Greg Strosaker

    I can never remember the names from maps, I sometimes end up having to count streets to know where to turn. And, like you, I don’t take naps, but I try to resist the urge to eat until the kids eat breakfast. Easier on school days than on weekends. I had thought to add the comment about races starting after you are typically done, but that seemed too easy of a hurdle ;o)

  • http://www.strengthrunning.com Fitz

    I scored a zero! Tough test Greg…tough test…

  • http://www.fogjog.org rob

    I rarely mismatch socks because I lay them out the night before, so no points for me there. But I have worn them inside out! Does that count?

    I haven’t figured out the sprinkler schedule, but I do know the trash and recycling truck schedule — I even recognize several of the garbage truck drivers. I also have nicknames for a few dogs on my route that bark at me and my wife. I can’t believe they don’t recognize us by now.

    But one incident cemented my predawn street-cred: my wife and I were running after work in the evening for once when she remarked how gorgeous the sunset was. I instinctively looked east. Because that’s where I *usually* see the sun.

  • Morning Runner

    Hilarious yet true! The only time I run in the daylight has to be in the summer months or on the weekends!

  • http://brianvinson10.blogspot.com Rev. Run

    There aren’t too many streets around here, which is helpful. It’s not like I’m in a neighborhood…

  • http://gregstrosaker.com Greg Strosaker

    I rarely even run in the daylight on weekends, though I do go out a little later (usually target getting home by 6:15, instead of 5:30). Thanks for your comment!

  • http://gregstrosaker.com Greg Strosaker

    Yeah, I lay them out the night before too, and wearing anything inside out definitely scores a point. I’ve had issues with an annoying dog on the hill on which I do repeats, barks constantly while I run them. I’m sure he wakes his owners up, and they get irritated, but that’s their issue, not mine. Thanks for stopping by!

  • http://gregstrosaker.com Greg Strosaker

    You’re no zero in my book Fitz. And you do plenty of workouts that are tougher than this test.

  • Kalista

     Greg, I have to admit that I came to your blog, not because I am a predawn runner, but because I want to become one and am trying to pick up some of your and the rest of the people’s attitude and motivate myself. I think that the best way for starting your day on the right note is with a good run. You absolutely cracked me up with some fo the subpoints in your test:) Love your blog indeed!
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  • http://predawnrunner.com Greg Strosaker

    Hi Kalista, anyone interested in running at anytime of the day is welcome here – obviously I advocate getting it done early to better fit it in to your busy day, but that doesn’t work for everyone. And thanks for commenting on this post, it had been a while since I’d considered it, maybe I should review and update it again!