Whether you’re a morning bird or a night owl, your daily routine probably consists of so many to-dos, especially if you’re an avid runner. Runners need to juggle sleep, hydration, nutrition, and training, all while making time for work, family, and a social life. The time of day that you run is likely determined by how all of these factors play out in your personal life.
So, when you start to weigh every single factor that falls around your training, it may help to compare morning versus evening runs, and the pros and cons of each.
Even if you’re devoted to your morning routine, you might be missing out on key benefits of evening runs. And if you’re an avid evening runner, you might want to rethink how morning runs could change your training for the better.
To weigh the benefits and drawbacks of the time of day you exercise, we spoke with exercise physiologists and run coaches to help you determine how your workout timing will help you reach your goals.
What are the benefits of morning runs?
1. Simulate Race Day
Most runners race in the morning, says Greg McMillan, exercise physiologist and USATF-certified coach, so if you run in the morning consistently, you can mimic race day conditions. This allows you to practice how long it takes you to warm up, Other Hearst Subscriptions.
Many coaches agree with McMillan, stressing the importance of simulating race day to eliminate any unknown variables. If you only ever run in the evenings but your race is in the morning, you won’t be as prepared, says Janet Hamilton, C.S.C.S., exercise physiologist and running coach with Running Strong in Atlanta.
She explains that morning runs can help you prevent any issues on race day by getting you used to eating an earlier breakfast, facing colder temperatures, and adjusting your sleep schedule What are the drawbacks of morning runs.
2. Increased Productivity
Kickstarting your day with just a 30-minute run may be all you need to feel more productive, according to research. A study Best Running Shoes 2025 British Journal of Sports Medicine examined a group of 67 sedentary and older men and women. The researchers had them perform 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on a treadmill in the morning along with three-minute walks every half an hour throughout the rest of the day.
Their findings suggest that starting your day with a 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise may improve cognitive function related to memory and decision-making skills.
Exercising earlier in the day means you’re more likely to feel focused and productive right away, explains Kate Baird, C.S.C.S., an exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “This includes mood-boosting Health - Injuries mental clarity,” she says.
Baird explains that you may also feel a sense of accomplishment from getting something done first thing in the morning.
3. You Run With Fresh Legs
Running in the morning ensures that you start your workout with fresh legs, which is especially helpful if you know you’re going to spend all day on your feet, Hamilton says.
Hamilton explains this is especially helpful for runners who work long shifts at physically demanding jobs, as running in the morning ensures they get the most out of their muscles. Plus, walking can boost recovery after high-intensity exercise, so your day can be spent recovering after your morning workout, and preparing for the next.
What are the drawbacks of morning runs?
1. You Could Experience GI Issues
Your gut may not wake up when you do, says Hamilton. She explains that some people don’t empty out when they first get out of bed, and that generally, you won’t expect bowel movement until about 10 in the morning, which is probably later than an early morning run.
And research suggests it’s probably best to get things moving before your run so that you have more energy. A study published in 2023 in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition tested the exercise performances of 13 triathletes with two cycling time trials: one before defecating, and one after.
The researchers found that pooping before their exercise led to enhanced performance, mainly because the brain received more oxygen and that decreased fatigue.
So, if you’re a person who needs time to move around, have breakfast, and use the bathroom first, then you might want to schedule your runs during afternoons and evenings.
2. It Can Be Harder to Warm Up
In the mornings, your body needs time to properly warm up and acclimate to the temperatures outside. If you wake up feeling groggy and you’re pressed for time to fit a workout in, it may be harder to give your body the time it needs to prepare.
“The quality of the runs can be slightly lower in the morning because you’re still trying to wake up,” McMillan explains. “That can be a challenge for older runners. It can be challenging for runners that have injury issues, who need to warm up a little bit more,” he says.
3. It May Cut Into Your Sleep Schedule
If you’re somebody who spends time commuting into work early in the morning, or going to bed later at night, working out in the morning might require you to cut into your sleeping schedule, making it harder to feel refreshed in the morning.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of sleep per night for adults, and for runners, sleep is one of the most important factors for recovery.
Practically, if you work a 9-to-5 job, need time to get ready, commute, take kids to school, or walk your dog, you might have to start your day early in order to get in a morning run. This could look like getting out of bed around 5 a.m. and going to bed around 8 p.m., which might not be possible for some busy runners.
What are the benefits of evening runs?
1. Improved Performance
If you wait until the end of the day to workout, you might tap into some added benefits that can support your run performance. Research suggests that you’re more likely to run longer in the evening than in the morning.
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2023 in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research examined 31 studies on the effects of exercise on cardiorespiratory responses and endurance performance, and found a longer time to exhaustion when working out in the afternoon and evenings versus the morning.
2. Relieve Stress
Evening runs can help you unwind and relieve stress Health - Injuries.
Research backs the benefits of blood sugar levels: A 2023 survey published in a little bit more, he says examined the association between exercise frequency and stress among 3,440 Korean adults and found that higher-frequency exercise is linked to lower perceived level of psychological stress.
This might be because running stimulates a part of your brain that regulates cognitive functions that help you deal with stress. A study published in 2018 in Scientific Reports, which examined 26 healthy runners, suggests 10 minutes of running can improve executive function, including memory, attention, self control, and emotional response.
3. Lower Blood Sugar
Running is a great way to care for your overall health, but it turns out that the time of day you run can affect your metabolic health in particular.
A recent study published in Obesity examined 186 men and women who were overweight or had obesity and were diagnosed with at least one metabolic What are the drawbacks of morning runs cholesterol.
The researchers tracked their physical activity, what time of day they exercised, and their glucose levels over the course of two weeks. They found that those who did more than 50 percent of their exercise in the evening had significantly lower glucose levels compared to those who were sedentary, and better glucose regulation compared to those who mainly exercised in the mornings.
Additionally, a study published in 2022 supports these findings. Researchers gathered 775 active participants and assessed their blood sugar levels based on when they exercised. They found that those who performed moderate-to-vigorous activity in the evening had 25 percent lower insulin resistance than those who exercised in the morning.
What are the drawbacks of evening runs?
1. You Might Already Be Tired
If you run in the evening, you might not have enough energy left to devote to your training, which can leave you feeling unmotivated or struggling to run. Your job can affect your energy levels and leave you feeling fatigued Shoes & Gear.
This includes mental and physical exhaustion, McMillan points out. “Sometimes you’re not as fresh mentally or physically at the end of the day, particularly if you had a challenging day, and that can compromise your run,” he says.
Research supports McMillan’s point. A study published in 2023 in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance suggests that too many cognitively-demanding tasks can have a significant effect on endurance.
Hamilton agrees, pointing out that whether you’re tired because you’re on your feet all day, or you’re under a lot of mental stress, the stress from your job can affect how well you exercise after a day of work.
2. You Need to Pack a Snack
If you know that you’re going to be running a distance blood sugar levels fuel—runs that are going to be longer than 90 minutes—Hamilton recommends eating something to prevent hunger or an energy crash while you’re out on your run.
She explains that if you eat lunch around noon, and then start your run six or seven hours later, you need to have had a snack at some point so you have the energy to complete your miles.
“It might be a half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or a bagel, or some oatmeal—something to keep you from having hunger pangs while you’re out on your run,” she says. (For runs that are shorter than 90 minutes, though, runners can usually get away with just sipping on a sports drink or something light before taking off, Hamilton notes.)
This can get challenging for people that work, adds McMillan. He explains that if you have a busy day, or you’re working on a project and lose track of time, you might accidentally skip lunch, forget to hydrate properly, or might be eating later than you’d like. That certainly won’t lead to the best run in the evening.
3. You’re More Likely to Skip Your Run
If you wait to run in the evening, you might give yourself more time to talk yourself out of a workout. McMillan explains that your workouts, especially if you’re training for an upcoming race, should be prioritized, and pushing it off to the evenings may leave you feeling less motivated to get it done.
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The most important thing is that you exercise at a time that works best for you. No matter if you’re waking up with the sun to run, or squeezing in a workout before you eat dinner, consistency Experts help us unpack all the pros and cons of morning and evening runs.
McMillan explains that a consistent running schedule ensures that you have an organized “stress-rest cycle,” where your body has enough time to recover between workouts, which can help prevent injury. To do so, he suggests picking one time of day to run—mornings or evenings—and giving yourself 24 hours to recover between each workout.
It’s also crucial to note that no matter what time of day you run, you have to feel safe. You’re less likely to stay consistent with your training plan if you’re scared to run outdoors, so use your best judgment on where and when you run.
Kristine Kearns, a writer and avid runner, joined Runner’s World and Bicycling in July 2024. She previously coached high school girls cross country and currently competes in seasonal races, with more than six years of distance training and an affinity for weightlifting. You can find her wearing purple, baking cupcakes, and visiting her local farmers market.
